Select a visa category below to find the visa issuance fee, number of entries, and validity period for visas issued to applicants from this country*/area of authority.
Visa Classification: The type of nonimmigrant visa you are applying for.
Fee: The reciprocity fee, also known as the visa issuance fee, you must pay. This fee is in addition to the nonimmigrant visa application fee (MRV fee).
Number of Entries: The number of times you may seek entry into the United States with that visa. "M" means multiple times. If there is a number, such as "One", you may apply for entry one time with that visa.
Validity Period: This generally means the visa is valid, or can be used, from the date it is issued until the date it expires, for travel with that visa. If your Validity Period is 60 months, your visa will be valid for 60 months from the date it is issued.
| Visa Classification |
Fee | Number of Entries |
Validity Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| A-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| A-3 1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| B-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| B-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| B-1/B-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| C-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| C-1/D | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| C-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| C-3 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| CW-1 11 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| CW-2 11 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| D | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| E-1 2 | No Treaty | N/A | N/A |
| E-2 2 | No Treaty | N/A | N/A |
| E-2C 12 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| F-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| F-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| G-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| G-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| G-3 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| G-4 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| G-5 1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| H-1B | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| H-1C | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| H-2A | None | N/A | N/A 3 |
| H-2B | None | N/A | N/A 3 |
| H-2R | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| H-3 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| H-4 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| I | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| J-1 4 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| J-2 4 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| K-1 | None | One | 6 Months |
| K-2 | None | One | 6 Months |
| K-3 | None | Multiple | 24 Months |
| K-4 | None | Multiple | 24 Months |
| L-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| L-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| M-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| M-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| N-8 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| N-9 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| NATO 1-7 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| O-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| O-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| O-3 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| P-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| P-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| P-3 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| P-4 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| Q-1 6 | None | Multiple | 12 Months 3 |
| R-1 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| R-2 | None | Multiple | 12 Months |
| S-5 7 | None | One | 1 Month |
| S-6 7 | None | One | 1 Month |
| S-7 7 | None | One | 1 Month |
| T-1 9 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| T-2 | None | One | 6 Months |
| T-3 | None | One | 6 Months |
| T-4 | None | One | 6 Months |
| T-5 | None | One | 6 Months |
| T-6 | None | One | 6 Months |
| TD 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| U-1 | None | Multiple | 48 Months |
| U-2 | None | Multiple | 48 Months |
| U-3 | None | Multiple | 48 Months |
| U-4 | None | Multiple | 48 Months |
| U-5 | None | Multiple | 48 Months |
| V-1 | None | Multiple | 120 Months |
| V-2 | None | Multiple | 120 Months 8 |
| V-3 | None | Multiple | 120 Months 8 |
Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information provided, please contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to apply if you believe this information is in error or if you have further questions.
The validity of A-3, G-5, and NATO 7 visas may not exceed the validity of the visa issued to the person who is employing the applicant. The "employer" would have one of the following visa classifications:
An E-1 and E-2 visa may be issued only to a principal alien who is a national of a country having a treaty, or its equivalent, with the United States. E-1 and E-2 visas may not be issued to a principal alien if he/she is a stateless resident or national of a country without a treaty. *When the spouse and children of an E-1 or E-2 principal alien are accorded derivative E-1 or E-2 status and are themselves a national of a country that does not have a treaty with the United States – the reciprocity schedule, including any reciprocity fees, of the principal alien’s country of nationality should be used. **Spouse and children of an E-1 or E-2 visa principal applicant, where the spouse and children are also nationals of a country that has a treaty with the United States – the reciprocity schedule, including any reciprocity fees, of the spouse and children’s country of nationality should be used.
*Example 1: John Doe is a national of Country A that has an E-1/E-2 treaty with the U.S. however his wife and child are nationals of Country B which has no treaty with the U.S. The wife and child would, therefore, be entitled to derivative status and receive the same reciprocity as John Doe, the principal visa holder.
**Example 2: Mike Doe is a national of Country Y that has an E-1/E-2 treaty with the U.S. however his wife and child are nationals of Country Z that also has a treaty with the U.S. The wife and child would, therefore, be entitled to derivative status and receive the reciprocity issued to nationals of Country Z.
The validity of H-1 through H-3, O-1 and O-2, P-1 through P-3, and Q visas may not exceed the period of validity of the approved petition or the number of months shown, whichever is less.
Under 8 CFR §214.2, H-2A and H-2B petitions may generally only be approved for nationals of countries that the Secretary of Homeland Security has designated as participating countries. The current list of eligible countries is available on USCIS's website for both H-2A and H-2B visas. Nationals of countries not on this list may be the beneficiary of an approved H-2A or H2-B petition in limited circumstances at the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security if specifically named on the petition.
Derivative H-4, L-2, O-3, and P-4 visas, issued to accompanying or following-to-join spouses and children, may not exceed the validity of the visa issued to the principal alien.
There is no reciprocity fee for the issuance of a J visa if the alien is a United States Government grantee or a participant in an exchange program sponsored by the United States Government.
Also, there is no reciprocity fee for visa issuance to an accompanying or following-to-join spouse or child (J-2) of an exchange visitor grantee or participant.
In addition, an applicant is eligible for an exemption from the MRV fee if he or she is participating in a State Department, USAID, or other federally funded educational and cultural exchange program (program serial numbers G-1, G-2, G-3 and G-7).
However, all other applicants with U.S. Government sponsorships, including other J-visa applicants, are subject to the MRV processing fee.
Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadian and Mexican nationals coming to engage in certain types of professional employment in the United States may be admitted in a special nonimmigrant category known as the "trade NAFTA" or "TN" category. Their dependents (spouse and children) accompanying or following to join them may be admitted in the "trade dependent" or "TD" category whether or not they possess Canadian or Mexican nationality. Except as noted below, the number of entries, fees and validity for non-Canadian or non-Mexican family members of a TN status holder seeking TD visas should be based on the reciprocity schedule of the TN principal alien.
Since Canadian nationals generally are exempt from visa requirement, a Canadian "TN' or "TD" alien does not require a visa to enter the United States. However, the non-Canadian national dependent of a Canadian "TN", unless otherwise exempt from the visa requirement, must obtain a "TD" visa before attempting to enter the United States. The standard reciprocity fee and validity period for all non-Canadian "TD"s is no fee, issued for multiple entries for a period of 36 months, or for the duration of the principal alien's visa and/or authorized period of stay, whichever is less. See 'NOTE' under Canadian reciprocity schedule regarding applicants of Iranian, Iraqi or Libyan nationality.
Mexican nationals are not visa-exempt. Therefore, all Mexican "TN"s and both Mexican and non-Mexican national "TD"s accompanying or following to join them who are not otherwise exempt from the visa requirement (e.g., the Canadian spouse of a Mexican national "TN") must obtain nonimmigrant visas.
Applicants of Iranian, Iraqi, Libyan, Somalian, Sudanese, Syrian or Yemeni nationality, who have a permanent resident or refugee status in Canada/Mexico, may not be accorded Canadian/Mexican reciprocity, even when applying in Canada/Mexico. The reciprocity fee and period for "TD" applicants from Libya is $10.00 for one entry over a period of 3 months. The Iranian and Iraqi "TD" is no fee with one entry over a period of 3 months.
Q-2 (principal) and Q-3 (dependent) visa categories are in existence as a result of the 'Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998'. However, because the Department anticipates that virtually all applicants for this special program will be either Irish or U.K. nationals, the Q-2 and Q-3 categories have been placed only in the reciprocity schedules for those two countries. Q-2 and Q-3 visas are available only at the Embassy in Dublin and the Consulate General in Belfast.
No S visa may be issued without first obtaining the Department's authorization.
V-2 and V-3 status is limited to persons who have not yet attained their 21st birthday. Accordingly, the period of validity of a V-2 or V-3 visa must be limited to expire on or before the applicant's twenty-first birthday.
Posts may not issue a T-1 visa. A T-1 applicant must be physically present in the United States, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or a U.S. port of entry, where he/she will apply for an adjustment of status to that of a T-1. The following dependents of a T-1 visa holder, however, may be issued a T visa at a U.S. consular office abroad:
The validity of NATO-5 visas may not exceed the period of validity of the employment contract or 12 months, whichever is less.
The validity of CW-1 and CW-2 visas shall not exceed the maximum initial period of admission allowed by DHS (12 months) or the duration of the transition period ending December 31, 2014, whichever is shortest.
The validity of E-2C visas shall not exceed the maximum initial period of admission allowed by DHS (24 months) or the duration of the transition period ending December 31, 2014, whichever is shortest.
Vietnam has no centralized national system for vital records. Many records have been lost through war and inconsistent record keeping, but larger cities may have old documents on file, and records from the north are generally available. Registrars will sometimes certify that certain documents were lost or destroyed. Records for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)-Cholon since 1953 are kept at the Central Registrar's office of the Ministry of the Interior (Phong Ho Tich So Tu Phap) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Some pre-1954 records from Haiphong, former North Vietnam are now at the Central Court of Records in HCMC and are available for extracting. Fraudulent civil documents are common in Vietnam and it has been relatively easy to establish false identities both before and after 1975.
When primary documents are unavailable, secondary evidence regarding Vietnamese who fled their country beginning in April 1975 may be available from the individual and his or her refugee record. If the applicant received first asylum in Taiwan, contact AIT - Taipei; if elsewhere in east or southeast Asia, contact the U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City.
Available
Comments: Vietnamese law does not distinguish between children born out of wedlock and legitimate children. If the father recognizes the child either parent may file the birth certificate, which must be registered within 30 days at the People's Committee of the village, ward or district capital where at least one parent is resident. Late registration is permitted with reason. A court must resolve claims or denials of paternity after a certificate has been issued. Legally, two U.S. citizens not resident in Vietnam may register the births of their children born there, but in practice local authorities have denied requests unless one parent is legally resident. Birth certificate designs have changed three times since 2006. Originals have one line listing the registration date. Extracts list both registration and extract dates.
Vietnam does not have a national database for birth records. Vietnamese birth certificates must be obtained in the province they are initially registered in. If a child was born and initially registered in Vietnam, copies of birth certificates or extracts of birth certificates cannot be obtained overseas. If Vietnamese citizens outside of Vietnam would like a copy of their birth certificates, they can authorize a family member or friend to obtain it for them from the local authorities. Vietnamese birth certificates purportedly obtained overseas should be referred to Mission Vietnam’s Fraud Prevention Unit for verification. Please note that this verification process can take several weeks.
Available
Comments: Families or responsible agencies (for foreigners, certain hospitals) must report deaths within 24 hours to the People's Committee of the village, district capital or ward where the deceased resided. The People's Committee can issue the death certificate, as can a hospital or the investigating police. Provincial Justice Department issues official Death Certificates for foreigners.
Non-Vietnamese nationals married in Vietnam and now seeking a record of the marriage should write to the provincial Justice Department (So Tu Phap)where the marriage/divorce took place. The request should include the date and location of the marriage. The Department will usually respond, but without friends or relatives to follow up, the process may be lengthy.
Common Law Marriages and Marriage of Relatives
Vietnamese law does not recognize common law marriages. Authorities do issue certificates verifying cohabitation but these do not constitute legal marriages. Vietnamese law prohibits marriage between blood siblings, half siblings, first cousins or any two persons related closer than three degrees of separation. The legal age for marriage is 20 for men and 18 for women.
Divorce records are maintained by the courts where they were issued.
Documents relating to adoptions in Vietnam, such as birth certificates, abandonment reports, relinquishment agreements, and investigative reports are generally issued by orphanage directors, local People's Committees, Provincial Departments and the Ministry of Justice, Department of Adoptions (MOJ/DA). The facts asserted in these documents are not verified by the issuing officials. Therefore, all documents issued by the authorities listed above and any other documents containing information not verified by the issuing authority cannot be considered adequate evidence of the facts claimed and, at best, may be used in conjunction with primary and contemporaneous secondary evidence or must be independently verified by U.S. officials in Vietnam before they can be considered valid for immigration purposes.
Availabale
Fees:
Document Name: Identity Card (Thẻ căn cước công dân)
Issuing Authority: ID card is issued by Head of Police Department on Administrative Management of Social Order (Cục Trưởng Cục Cảnh sát Quản lý Hành Chính về Trật Tự Xã Hội) where the applicant registers his/her household residence.
Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: In 2016, Vietnam issued new ID cards to replace the old 9 and 12-digit ID cards. The new ID card is associated with citizens' personal records and can be searched and retrieved from a digital database. The new ID card also has 12-digits and is made of polycarbonate with enhanced security features.
Registration Criteria: Local law requires every Vietnamese citizen 14 years of age and older to obtain an identity card at the local police bureau where his/her household is registered. Identity card must be renewed when the holder turns 25, 40 and 60 years old.
Procedure for Obtaining: The applicant must present himself/herself at the local police bureau where his/her household is registered to provide his/her biometric information and submit the following documents:
* Processing time: 07-20 working-days once the application is accepted.
Certified Copies Available: Yes
Alternate Documents: Valid 9-digit paper ID card (Giấy chứng minh nhân dân).
Vietnamese citizens are encouraged to upgrade their 9-digit paper identity card for 12-digit polycarbonate identity card. However, the 9-digit identity paper card is still valid until its expiration (valid for 15 years from the issuing date).
Exceptions: None
Comments: A smart chip-embedded identity card is planned to replace the current polycarbonate identity card with barcode in July 2021.
Available
Required for immigrant visa applicants only.
For Vietnamese residents, Vietnamese non-residents, and foreigners who currently reside in Vietnam:
Requests for a "Justice Record Check #2" (Phieu Ly Lich Tu Phap So 2) must be made at the Department of Justice office located in the district where the applicant currently resides, or at the applicant's official residence. The processing fee to request this document is 200.000VND per applicant, and the record check takes approximately 10-15 working days to complete. The applicant has to apply in person and cannot grant authority to someone else to apply on his/her behalf.
The applicant should be prepared to present the following documents at the time of the request:
For foreigners who formerly resided in Vietnam:
Request for a "Justice Record Check #1" (Phieu Ly Lich Tu Phap So 1) must be made at the National Center of Criminal Records - Vietnamese Ministry of Justice in Hanoi. Contact information is as follows:
National Center of Criminal Records
Address: 9 TranVi Street, Mai Dinh ward, Cau Gjay District, Hanoi.
Telephone: (024) 320-11313 or (024) 668-41313 within Vietnam and (011) (84-24) 320-11313 or (011) (84-24) 668-41313
Email: ttlltpqg@moj.gov.vn
The processing fee to request this document is 200.000VND per applicant, and the record check takes approximately 10-15 working days to complete. If the applicant cannot present themselves at the National Center of Criminal Records, they can grant authority to someone else to apply on their behalf as long as they provide a Letter of Attorney which is legalized/authenticated by the Vietnamese Consulate General or Vietnamese Embassy at the city of their current residence.
The applicant or their representative should be prepared to present the following documents at the time of the request:
As of July 1, 2024, police certificates (both number 1 and number 2) are printed on white A4-sized (210 mm x 297 mm) paper. There are no minimum standards for the quality or thickness of the paper. These new certificates contain no security features besides the issuing authority’s signature and stamp.
Police records issued prior to July 1, 2024, were printed on colored foils (orange for number 1 and light blue for number 2) with embedded security features, which had been used for police certificates since 2011. Note: some jurisdictions may continue issuing police certificates on their remaining stocks of colored foils during a transition period of July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024. After September 30, 2024, no colored foils may be issued.
Some jurisdictions may also now issue “digital” police certificates. Mission Vietnam does not accept digital copies of police certificates, which lack all security features. Only hard copies issued by the relevant jurisdiction with a wet stamp and seal are accepted.
Available. Prison records in principle can be obtained from the Director of the prison in which the subject was incarcerated.
Available. Court records in principle can be obtained from the city or provincial court that sentenced the subject.
Available. Military records in principle can be obtained from the military unit where the subject served in the military.
The Department has determined that the Vietnam passport, without birthplace, is not valid as a stand-alone document for visa-issuance purposes. Vietnam government passports must include a Vietnam government endorsement page which states place of birth information. The endorsement page will satisfy the Department’s regulatory definition of a passport found 22 CFR 41.104 and 42.64. Consular officers should contact the consular section in Hanoi with any questions regarding Vietnam travel documents.
Passports are generally valid for ten years (except for children under 14 years of age's passports which are valid for five years) and are made of green (pre-July 2022) or blue (July 2022 and later) plastic-laminated paper with gilt print on the cover. Official passports are dark green, while diplomatic passports are maroon and are generally valid for five years. The bearer's photo is on an inside page, with a clear plastic laminate over the photo and bio page. The issuance page shows the signature, name and "stamp of office" of one of several issuing authorities.
Extracts of Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates
Residents: Requests for extracts of previously issued certificates are made at the registrar's office where they were issued, and should include the document registration number, date and place of registration. Without this information, fees may be higher and it is less likely the document will be found.
Non-Residents: Only relatives resident in Vietnam may request extracts of documents for their overseas relatives. Documents cannot be requested through a Vietnamese diplomatic mission, nor can a request be sent to a local office from overseas.
Household Registries
Every person residing in Vietnam must be listed on a household registry (Ho Khau), maintained by the Public Security Bureau.
Copies of old registries are sometimes available. Mention of a spouse or child in a registry does not prove legal marriage or blood relationship. Cohabitants and foster children can appear as spouses and children.
Hanoi, Vietnam (Embassy)
Street Address:
170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone number: (011) (8424) 3850-5000
Visa Services: Nonimmigrant Visas
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Consulate General)
Street Address:
4 Le Duan Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Phone Number: (011) (8428) 3520-4200
Visa Services: All categories
Embassy Hanoi processes nonimmigrant visas only. Ho Chi Minh City processes both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas.
Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information provided, please contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to apply if you believe this information is in error or if you have further questions.
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