Visa for Vietnam from United States

With new regulations and policy between Vietnam and United States related to visa changes for US travelers from 30^th August 2016, there are many things to notice before you apply for a Vietnam visa from United States. A common knowledge that everyone should be aware of that is Vietnam visa can be applied through two sources: Vietnamese embassies and travel agents. Both ways are legal but quite different.

New things which have been raising confusion and worries among US travelers are: first, there will be no longer Vietnam visa for 30 day and 90 day validity but only one year multiple for tourist visa and business visa AND second, the tourist visa just allows maximum 90 days for each visit. You then have to leave for visa run.

1. Apply online through agents

Please visit here and fill out application form with your personal information. By filling this form on our portal site, you are requesting for an approval letter from Immigration Department of Vietnam to enter the country. After 2 business days since you make payment for application with credit/debit card, your application is approved and the letter is sent to your email box. That is process for tourist visa. For Vietnam business visa request, you are not required to fill out the form. Instead you have to email the copy of passport to support@vietnamvisa-easy.com and wait for the payment link.  Once the full payment is made, we will forward your application to immigration department for processing and provide the letter within 5-7 business days

About the processing fee, we charge only $30 for tourist visa and $280 for business visa. Shorter processing requires higher fee. (Read more Vietnam urgent visa and Vietnam visa fee)

At arrival airport, please come to the desk for Landing Visa or Visa on/upon Arrival which is often located before the Immigration Control. Show all the necessary documents below and wait for your name to be called. The wait can be long or short depending on the flight volume at your arrival time. We also have stamping assistance service with which we can have your visa stamped in just a couple of minutes.

Documents to be presented on arrival:

·        Origin passport with at least 6 months validity

·        01 passport-sized photo taken no longer than 6 months to reflect your current appearance

·        Print copy of approval letter

·        Completed entry-exit form, and

·        $135 stamping fee in cash

2.  Apply at Vietnamese embassies/consulates

Applying Vietnam visa at embassies and consulates guarantees an easy at mind before your departure. There are four embassies and consulate in US you can apply for a Vietnam visa in person or by post: Embassy of Vietnam in Washington DC, United States; Embassy of Vietnam in San Francisco, United States; Embassy of Vietnam in New York, United States and Consulate General of Vietnam in Houston. Click here to get address of the embassies.

Requirements for a 1-year multiple tourist visa for US citizens include:

·        A valid original passport with the expiration date is no earlier than 1 month after your visa expiration date. You can replace origin with copy and the loose-leaf visa will be issued accordingly.

·        A completed and signed visa application form

·        1 passport-sized photograph

·        Prepaid return envelope (if you request to receive the passport and visa by post)

·        Visa fee

Each embassy offers different cost but the difference is not too big. For this new policy, fee ranges from $200-$220 for one year multiple tourist visa, stamping fee included. Normal processing time is from 3 to 5 business days and you have to pay a lot more if you want to cut the time short. The prices for these services are not published anywhere and we recommend you to call the embassy you want to apply beforehand to get the exact number.

As you can see, each way above has its own advantages and disadvantages. With the traditional way, the support from the authority is limited; more time, energy and money required. The fee is not refundable if your application is declined. On a positive point, embassies seem to bring more trust and ease of mind to applicants despite that their services are not really excellent. Visa on Arrival is quicker, cheaper and more convenient to travelers since most of the work is done online. You can always have your money back when your application is not approved. In addition, you can follow processing by tracking application status online. However, slow stamping process is a concern to some U.S travelers who are not willing to wait 20 minutes to get their visa stamped.

Have a question regarding getting visa for Vietnam in United States? Just feel free to contact us anytime.

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