Are you a citizen of Vietnam and want to travel to the US for business or tourism purposes but realize that your US visa will soon expire? If so, you need to apply for a visa renewal.
Therefore, this article will help you understand what the US visa renewal process is like for Vietnam citizens and what are the criteria for the visa interview waiver!
Renewal Process for the US Visitor Visa B1 B2
First, you must complete the DS-160 form, and if you want to apply for the visa waiver program for the interview, you must fill out the visa interview waiver confirmation page. If not, then you must schedule an appointment for the visa interview. And then, you will be required to take along your documents and application to the Embassy, submit them there, and then give your interview.
Interview Waiver for Visa Renewal Vietnam
For certain nonimmigrant visa applicants, the visa interview may be waived. This is made if these applicants renewing have a petition approved by the US Citizenship and immigration services.
Eligibility for the Interview Waiver
The eligibility for the interview waiver is that the previous visa you received from the US was in Vietnam. Moreover, your last visa was valid for either 12 months or more.
Moreover, you will be eligible for the interview waiver if you apply for the same visa. For example, you are applying for the renewal of the B1 visa and previously applied for the B1 visa. Your visa request must not have been rejected since you were last issued a visa, and your last visa must have expired within the last four years.
If all these requirements are fulfilled, you can renew your Us visitor visa without attending an interview.
Process of Applying for the Renewal
If you are eligible for the visa interview waiver, your renewal process will not require you to attend the interview. You must fill out your visa application, gather all the required documents, take them with you to the nearest US Embassy or Consulate in Vietnam, and submit the application and documents there. If you do not wish to go, you can complete this process online if you are eligible for it.
Once you have submitted your documents, they will be reviewed by the Embassy, and if anything additional is needed, they will be asked for. It is possible that, despite the interview waiver, the concerned authorities will call you for an interview if any more information is needed based on your submitted documents.
What Documents are Required for the Renewal?
If you have Vietnamese citizenship and wish to apply for the renewal of the US B1 B2 visa, then there are certain documents that you must provide. These include the visa application form and a valid passport. The original passport should have at least two blank pages and be valid for at least six months once you leave the US. Moreover, you must submit your recent US visa and passport. You must provide your birth certificate or national ID as proof of identification that you belong to Vietnam.
You need to fill out the Ds-160 form as well. Ensure that the form is complete and properly filled out. Do not enter any incorrect information, as that will only cause trouble for you in the future. Chances of the visa request being rejected will increase. You need to provide a passport picture as well. If you have applied for the interview waiver, you must also provide the confirmation page for it! The confirmation page includes your name, and passport details, such as the passport number and a barcode.
You also have to pay the visa application fee!
The Mail-In Visa Renewal Program
If you do not wish to apply for the renewal by visiting the Embassy or Consulate, you can also apply for the mail-in visa program. With this service, you will receive your renewed visa in 2 weeks as that is the standard visa processing time.
However, there is a certain eligibility criterion for the mail-in program. You must not need to use your passport in the upcoming two weeks, and you are a citizen of Vietnam and have proof of your residency in Vietnam. Moreover, when applying, you must be there in person in Vietnam. The concerned authorities must not have rejected your last request for a visa.
Moreover, your prior visa is not lost or stolen, and your name and other personal details on your current passport should match the information on your previous visa. Moreover, you did not answer 'Yes' to any question in the security and background section of the form DS-160.
Your previous nonimmigrant visa must be valid or have expired in the past 48 months. And your previous visa should have been issued to you at the age of 14 or above.
Where to Apply for the US Visa Renewal for Vietnamese Citizens?
You can apply directly at the Embassy or through the mail-in service. You can also take the help of third-party sites such as VisaHQ. VisaHQ will help you know more about the US visa for Vietnam citizens. You can enter your home country Vietnam and know the requirements for a US visa. Moreover, you can fill out the DS 160 form online through VisaHQ. VisaHQ provides an easy solution for applying for a visa online!