Consulate General of the United States, Yekaterinburg
{{Infobox diplomatic mission
| name = Consulate General of the United States in Yekaterinburg
| image = Gogol street 15A, Yekaterinburg (1).jpg
| location = Yekaterinburg, Russia
| address = 15 Gogol Street, Leninsky District
| coordinates = {{coord|56|50|00|N|60|36|36|E|display=inline,title|type:landmark}}
| opened = 1994
| website = https://ru.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/yekaterinburg/
}}
The Consulate General of the United States in Yekaterinburg ({{langx|ru|link=no|Генеральное консульство США в Екатеринбурге}}) is a diplomatic mission of the United States in Yekaterinburg, providing consular services to Russian and American citizens in the Ural region of Russia and Western Siberia.
History
During the times of the USSR, due to the concentration of industries related to defense, most of the Ural region was closed to foreigners for decades during the Cold War, limiting the contact of the Siberian population with Western ideas. In 1992, the Russian Federation opened this region to foreigners and foreign investments, and the United States was at the forefront of Western efforts to establish contacts there. In 1994, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown opened the U.S. Consulate General in Yekaterinburg, becoming the first diplomatic mission in central Russia after World War II. This was followed by other nations establishing their diplomatic missions in Yekaterinburg, such as Hungary, which opened a permanent trade representation in 1996, and the United Kingdom, which opened a consulate in 1997.{{Cite web |url=https://ru.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/yekaterinburg/history-background/ |title=History and Background – U.S. Consulate General in Yekaterinburg |access-date=2021-07-03 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184246/https://ru.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/yekaterinburg/history-background/}} The first U.S. Consul General in Yekaterinburg was Jack Segal.{{Cite web |url=https://ekburg.tv/novosti/razvlechenija/2019-07-06/pervyj-genkonsul-ssha-v-ekaterinburge-priznalsja-v-ljubvi-dacjuku |title=FIRST U.S. CONSUL GENERAL IN YEKATERINBURG CONFESSES LOVE FOR DATSYUK |access-date=2021-07-05 |archive-date=2020-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125190110/https://ekburg.tv/novosti/razvlechenija/2019-07-06/pervyj-genkonsul-ssha-v-ekaterinburge-priznalsja-v-ljubvi-dacjuku}}
In March 2020, the consulate limited visa issuance due to the COVID-19 pandemic for an indefinite period.{{Cite web |url=https://www.e1.ru/text/world/2020/12/19/69642081/ |title=U.S. State Department Confirms Suspension of Operations at Consulate in Yekaterinburg |access-date=2021-07-03 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184326/https://www.e1.ru/text/world/2020/12/19/69642081/}} In December 2020, the U.S. State Department decided to suspend the operations of the consulate in Yekaterinburg, citing security and organizational issues.{{Cite news |last=Romo |first=Vanessa |date=December 18, 2020 |title=U.S. State Department Closing Two Consulates In Russia |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/18/948263408/u-s-state-department-closing-two-consulates-in-russia |access-date=August 1, 2024 |work=NPR}} In February 2021, it was reported that the consulate began accepting applications for the reissuance of American visas.{{Cite web |url=https://tourism.interfax.ru/ru/news/articles/77042/ |title=U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg Begins Accepting Visa Applications |date=26 February 2021 |access-date=2021-07-03 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183147/https://tourism.interfax.ru/ru/news/articles/77042/}} On April 1, 2021, it was announced that the provision of visa and consular services by the Yekaterinburg consulate was suspended, and the consular district of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was expanded to cover the entire territory of Russia.{{Cite web |url=https://iz.ru/1145194/2021-04-01/genkonsulstvo-ssha-v-ekaterinburge-priostanovilo-vydachu-viz |title=U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg Suspends Visa Issuance |access-date=2021-07-03 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190539/https://iz.ru/1145194/2021-04-01/genkonsulstvo-ssha-v-ekaterinburge-priostanovilo-vydachu-viz}} After the approval of the Unfriendly countries list in mid-May 2021, the U.S. consulate in Yekaterinburg reduced its staff, and Consul Amy Storrow left her post.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oblgazeta.ru/politics/russia/123443/ |title=U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg Reduces Staff |access-date=2021-07-03 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182714/https://www.oblgazeta.ru/politics/russia/123443/}}