Please note that the Embassy reserves the right to require an in-person interview and request additional information if there are doubts about the applicant's eligibility for a non-immigrant visa before issuing any visa.
The designated service provider for submitting applications to the Embassy is EMS, a company with offices in all provinces and cities across the country.
To avoid unforeseen delays, applicants should submit their applications at least three weeks before their intended departure date.
Who is Eligible for This Program?
- Applicants must have at least three weeks between their intended U.S. travel date and the date of submitting the application to EMS. While we can often process visa renewal applications faster, we cannot guarantee expedited processing for all cases.
- Short-term visitors, returning students, exchange visitors, temporary workers, intra-company transferees, and their dependents (holders of B, F, M, J, H, and L visas) who are Vietnamese nationals.
- Applicants must be physically present in Vietnam at the time of application and applying for the same type of non-immigrant visa they previously held (e.g., the same visa category and role, such as principal applicant or dependent). The previous visa must have been valid for multiple entries and expired within the past 12 months.
- Applicants with visas that expired less than 12 months ago. (If the visa renewal process takes 2-3 weeks, applicants with less than 10 business days remaining in the 12-month period should schedule a visa interview online as usual.)
- Students returning to the U.S. after a break in studies of less than five months (unless the activities abroad were related to their course of study). If the break exceeds five months, applicants must submit a letter explaining how the break relates to their academic program.
Applicants can complete the attached questionnaire (PDF, 103KB) to determine their eligibility for visa renewal by mail.
Documents Required for Submission
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended departure from Vietnam. If the previous visa is in an old passport, submit the old passport as well.
- Completed DS-160 visa application form, submitted online at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/. Click here for more information about the form.
- Both copies (pink and yellow) of the Citibank receipt for the visa application fee. This fee can be paid directly at Citibank.
- For students and exchange visitors (F, M, J visas):
- Original Form I-20 or DS-2019. The I-20 must be signed by the designated school official within the past 12 months.
- Academic transcripts.
- For temporary workers and intra-company transferees (H and L visas):
- A copy of Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, or Form I-797, Notice of Action.
Applicants can use the attached checklist (PDF, 105KB) to ensure all required documents are included.
Who to Contact at the U.S. Embassy for Mail-In Visa Services
Applicants must contact EMS at post offices across provinces and cities to submit their applications.
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