Switching from DS-156 Form to DS-160 Form

TOURISM

Starting April 16, 2010, the U.S. Consulate General will fully transition to the new DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form. The DS-160 is a completely web-based form used to collect necessary information from nonimmigrant visa applicants. This form automatically transmits the applicant's data to the U.S. Department of State through the Internet. During the visa interview, consular officers will use the information provided in the DS-160 to process and determine visa eligibility.

Until April 16, 2010, applicants could choose to submit either the DS-160 or the older DS-156 form. After this date, the DS-156 will no longer be valid.

Key Points:

The DS-160 form is mandatory for all nonimmigrant visa applicants (except for K fiancé(e) visas and treaty trader/investor visas).
Applicants must upload a digital visa photo and submit the form electronically.
After completing the DS-160, applicants need to print the confirmation page (which contains a barcode) and bring it to their visa interview.

This shift to electronic forms reduces paper usage, aligning with environmentally friendly initiatives.

For assistance with the DS-160 form, applicants can refer to the following links:

If you have further questions or need assistance, feel free to ask!

Switching from DS-156 Form to DS-160 Form

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.

Starting June 4, the U.S. Department of State will increase the application fees for non-immigrant visas. The new fee for B-1/B-2, F, J visas, and Border Crossing Cards for adults will rise to 140 USD. The new fee for H, L, O, P, Q, and R visas will increase to 150 USD.

The busiest section of the U.S. Consulate General is the Non-Immigrant Visa Division. The number of visa applications for travel, business, and study in the U.S. is substantial. Each working day, this division handles 200 to 500 applicants, with 2 to 6 officers conducting interviews and 15 Vietnamese staff members assisting in the process.

Mr. Lê Thành Ân, 56 years old, left Vietnam 45 years ago and is the first Vietnamese-American official to serve as the U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City. His term will begin at the end of this month. He is also the highest-ranking Vietnamese-American in the U.S. diplomatic corps today. Before coming to Vietnam, Mr. Ân worked in Singapore, South Korea, and most recently in France. Speaking to the audience in both English and Vietnamese, Mr. Ân emphasized, "We all hope for a bright future in U.S.-Vietnam relations, and I will contribute my efforts to building an increasingly strong and positive relationship." (TNO)

ARE YOU A U.S. PERMANENT RESIDENT? AND HAVE YOU BEEN OUTSIDE THE U.S. FOR OVER A YEAR? HOW TO RETURN TO THE U.S.? You need to apply for an SB-1 visa - U.S. Returning Resident Visa!

Switching from DS-156 Form to DS-160 Form

Key Points:

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