Visa Renewal

 

Service fee for Pick-up / Drop off of your passport / documents at the courier locations and delivery of your passport / documents are as follows:

  • Pick-up / Dropoff of passport / documents at Bưu cục Thanh Xuân (Hanoi) and Văn phòng 18A Cộng Hòa (Ho Chi Minh city): free of charge to applicant
  • Drop-off of passport / documents at any other courier locations: VND133,000 per passport / document at the time of drop-off.
  • Pick-up of passport / documents at any other courier locations: VND143,000 per passport / document at the time of pick-up.
  • Regular home delivery service:
    • For mailing address in Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City: VND131,000 per passport / document
    • For mailing address in other provinces: VND143,000 per passport / document.
  • Expedited delivery service:
    • For mailing address in Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City: VND240,000 per passport / document
    • For mailing address in other provinces: VND302,000 per passport / document.
  • The fees will be collected in cash when the passport / document is delivered. Exact change required.

Currently, the mail-in renewal program requires up to 2 weeks to process. We advise visa applicants who qualify for the mail-in program to wait until processing times return to normal before submitting their documents. We will not be able to accommodate any request to withdraw passports during this time.

Important Notice:

  • Applicants must pay visa application fees at one of the fee payment locations and submit their visa renewal applications at one of the designated courier locations. If you are renewing a J visa sponsored by the U.S. government which has a program serial number beginning with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7 printed on Form DS-2019, then you do not need to pay the visa (MRV) fee. Applicants renewing government-sponsored J visas should follow instructions here
    • If you live in Quang Nam or provinces north, your visa renewal applications will be processed by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. Please select “VIETNAM, HANOI” when you start your Form DS-160
    • If you live in Quang Ngai or provinces south, your visa renewal applications will be processed by the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. Please select “VIETNAM, HO CHI MINH CITY” when you start your Form DS-160.
  • Before mailing your passport to the Embassy or Consulate, please ensure that you will not need it in the next 2 weeks.  If your travel is urgent, you may wish to consider requesting an expedited appointment.
  • We understand some students may be concerned about their start dates, so we will be expediting student visa renewals.
  • The Embassy and Consulate are not responsible for any loss of any documents that were sent to us without following these instructions.

On this page:


Who is eligible to renew by mail?

You are qualified for the mail in renewal program if you meet ALL criteria below:

  • You do not need to use your passport within the next 2 weeks.
  • You are a Vietnamese citizen, or a resident of Vietnam with evidence of your residency in Vietnam.
  • You are physically present in Vietnam.
  • You have a U.S. non-immigrant visa which is still valid or has expired less than 48 months ago. The 48-month period is counted from the expiration date of your prior visa to the date your visa renewal application arrives at the Embassy or Consulate. You should consider this timeline and apply well in advance to make sure you are still qualified for this program.
  • You are applying for the same category of visa with your previous one, OR
  • If you are applying for a different category of visa than your previous one, your previous visa was not a B visa.
  • You were not refused a visa at your last interview.
  • Your prior visa was not lost, stolen, or revoked and you can submit your passport with your prior visa.
  • Your prior visa must have been issued when you were age 14 or older, and your fingerprints must have been collected. If your previous visa was issued before your 14th birthday and you are age 14 or older now, 10 fingerprints have not been submitted and you are not eligible to apply for a visa by mail. If your previous visa was issued before your 14th birthday and you are currently still under 14 years old, you are eligible to renew your visa by mail even though your fingerprints have not been collected.
  • The name, date of birth, country of birth and nationality on your passport are the same as the ones on your previous visa, and
  • You did not answer “YES” to any question in Security and Background of the DS-160 application form.

Applicants who do not meet these requirements should schedule an online appointment for a visa interview. For information on scheduling an online appointment, please go to: How to apply

What do I need to submit?

Please submit only the required documents included in the below checklist. Although we will attempt to return any original documents we receive, the Embassy and Consulate General are not responsible for any loss of additional unrequired documents.

  • Passport: Your passport must have at least two blank pages for the visa and validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States
  • Old passport with most recent U.S. visa (if not in currently valid passport)
  • Copy of birth certificate or national ID (if your passport lists only the year of birth)
  • Copy of national ID (if your national ID number listed in your passport is different from the current ID number)
  • New DS-160 confirmation page with barcode, completed and submitted online. You MUST complete a new DS-160 for each application. Used DS-160 will not be accepted
  • One 5cm x 5cm photo taken on a white background, without glasses, with your ears visible, within the last six months
  • Interview Waiver Confirmation Page
  • Visa application fee receipt issued by Vietnam Post
  • Applicants who are not Vietnamese are required to send evidence of their legal residence in Vietnam (e.g., copies of residence permit, work permit, etc.)
For F, M and J Applicants: 
  • Original Signed I-20 or DS-2019
  • SEVIS fee paid
  • Complete academic transcripts from U.S. schools (if applicable)
For H, L, O, P, and R Applicants:
  • Form I-797
  • Form I-129S (for Blanket L applicants and their dependents)
  • Employment letter if you are a first time applicant in these visa categories.

Children Under 14:

  • Copies of parents’ passport biographic pages or national ID cards
  • Copies of parents’ current and/or previous U.S. visas

How to Apply

Step 1

Complete a new non-immigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form. You MUST complete a new DS-160 for each application. Used DS-160 will not be accepted.

Step 2

Log-in to our online applicant system and create a profile to pay the visa application (MRV) fee. Once logged in, choose “Schedule appointment”. As you go through the process you will answer the Interview Waiver questions which will evaluate your eligibility to apply for a visa without an interview.

Step 3

After you answer the questions, you will be prompted to pay the visa fee. Upon qualifying you will receive detailed instructions of how to deliver your documents. You will need three pieces of information in order to register online:

  • Your passport number
  • The receipt number from your payment receipt. (Click here if you need help finding this number.)
  • The ten (10) digit barcode number from your DS-160 confirmation page
Step 4
  • Print out your Interview Waiver Confirmation Page, which contains a barcode, your name, and passport number.
  • Gather all required documents listed in “What do I need to submit”.
Step 5

Go to one of the designated courier’s locations with your Interview Waiver Confirmation Letter and all required documents. Courier staff will provide an envelope for you to put the passports and documents in. Please do not staple any documents together. Each applicant's passport and documents must be put in a separate envelope. You must then hand over the envelope to an employee of the Post Office and request that your visa application be sent to the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City or to the Embassy in Hanoi. You will be provided a airway bill (AWB) containing the tracking number.

To view the designated courier’s locations, click here.

Step 6

The courier will deliver your documents to the Embassy or Consulate.

Step 7

At the end of the visa adjudication process, the courier will return your documents and your passport either to the designated courier’s pick up location you previously selected or to the document delivery address you previously registered in your profile. If issued, your passport will contain your visa.

FAQs for Mail-in Visa Renewal Program

What is the Mail-in Visa Renewal Program?

  • The Mail-in Visa Renewal Program offers the opportunity to renew your visa without attending an interview. (Note:  The Consular section reserves the right to require an interview of any applicant in order to confirm his or her continued eligibility for a U.S. visa).
  • Most cases are processed and returned within 2 weeks.

What kind of photo should be included?

What if I don’t have my old passport and visa?

  • You will not be eligible for Mail-in Visa Renewal Program. You will need to make an appointment and come for an interview.

I qualify for the mail-in renewal program, but my child has never had a visa before. Can I mail in my child’s application along with mine?

  • If your child has not had a visa before, you will need to make an appointment for your child and come in with your child for the interview.

I want to apply for the mail-in renewal program, but need my passport urgently for travel to another country – what should I do?

  • You should wait until you return from your trip to mail in your renewal package.

 Can I renew a B1/B2 visa in my Official passport? Do I need to submit a Diplomatic Note?

  • Yes, you can renew your B1/B2 visa in your official passport. A Diplomatic Note is not required for a B1/B2 visa.

Should I mail in other supporting documents such as my family book, diploma certificate, and birth certificate?

  • No, you should not. You should only mail in the required documents listed on the website.

 What might speed up the time it takes for my renewal to be processed?

  • Make sure your renewal packet is complete. Check here for documents needed.
  • Upload a good quality digital photo that meets the requirements.
  • Print the DS-160 confirmation page with a laser printer for better barcode quality.
  • If you have several previous U.S. visas in different old passports, submit only your last previous visa.
  • Be sure to include your Interview Waiver Confirmation Page. This is proof that you have paid the visa application fee.