Vietnam visa for US citizens or Vietnam visa requirements for US citizens comply with policy and agreement between US and Vietnamese government. From 1st September 2016, US citizens can apply for one year multiple or single visa for all purpose including business, travel or work.
This policy does not apply for tourists come to Vietnam by sea cruise or classified as no needed visa visitors such as diplomatic staffs or diplomatic passport holders. According to Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this policy set up for purpose to promote tourism between Vietnam and United State of America, increase number of US to Vietnam respectively.
Vietnam visa requirements for US citizens
According to Vietnamese Immigration Bureau, US citizens need the following documents to apply for visa to Vietnam:
- Passport is still valid in one year
- Invitation or guarantee letter from recognized organizations or companies in Vietnam
Vietnam visa for US citizens procedure
US citizens must fill in Visa Application Form with full information and send it to Vietnamese Embassy or Consulates in US, accompanied with invitation letter and scanned copy of US passport.
If there’s no Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam in your territory, you must send these documents by post and wait for reply from them.
If US citizens apply Vietnam visa through organizations in Vietnam such as travel agents, tour operators or recognized bodies; they have to prepare the following documents:
- Scanned copy of passport from applicant
- Visa application form to clarify purpose to go to Vietnam
Where to apply Vietnam visa for US citizens
There are three Vietnamese government bodies US citizens are able to apply visa as below:
- Vietnamese Embassy in US, located in 1233 20th St NW, Suite 400 – Washington, DC 20036. Website: http://vietnamembassy-usa.org
- Vietnamese General Consulate in US, located in 1700 California St, Suite 580 San Francisco, CA 94109. Website: http://www.vietnamconsulate-sf.org/en/
- Vietnam Immigration Department, located in 44 – 46 Tran Phu street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi, Vietnam. Website: http://vnimm.gov.vn/
The best way to take Vietnam visa for US citizens
US citizens should apply visa through travel agency or tour operator in Vietnam if you go to Vietnam for travel purpose. If you go to Vietnam for business or investment please contact to your partner or authorized organizations to issue guarantee letter for you.
All documents you need is traveler’s scanned copy of passport who need to take visa to Vietnam, travel agent in Vietnam will apply Vietnam visa to Vietnam Immigration Bureau and issue Visa approval letter for you, this procedure usually lasts in one week. Finally, you hold the letter to take visa on arrival in the airport, all international airports in Vietnam have rights to issue visa on arrival. For the list of international airports in Vietnam, please refer to Vietnam Airport.
If you make visa through agent as service, they usually charge you from 5 to 10 USD per visa approval letter and this fee does not include stamping fee in the airport.
Online application of Vietnam visa for US citizens
US citizens could apply Vietnam visa online through Vietnamese Immigration website by going to Online Form. Please note choose English version in the top right, fill in all information in the form.
You need to prepare passport photo with 4 x 6 dimension to upload. After completion of the form, you need to wait for the result.
You need to wait for 3 days to receive result from the embassy, usually result is accepted and you will receive it in the embassy or by post.
For online application, the stamping fee included in visa fee so you do not need to pay it in the airport upon arrival in Vietnam.
During Covid pandemic, you may need more time to receive result from Vietnam Immigration and may ask to provide more documents such as tour booking, airfare, Covid test…
