US visa extension – latest update

Important notification:

• Applicants applying for a visa extension via email  must pay  a visa application fee at one of the  locations listed  here and submit an  application . deadlines at  designated post offices . Applications for visa  extension of applicants with mailing addresses from  Quang  Nam province and  the northern provinces will be  accepted .i  US Embassy in Hanoi for approval . _ Please select “ VIETNAM, HANOI” when filling out form DS-160. Visa extension applications of applicants with mailing addresses from Quang Ngai province onward and southern provinces will be considered and   approved  by the US Consulate  in Ho Chi Minh City . Please select “VIETNAM, HO CHI  MINH CITY ” when filling out the DS-160 form .
  
• The processing time for real  estate application through the mail is from 8 to 10  working days . _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _  _  Before sending the application to the embassy  or consulate  , the applicant  must _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  She said she did n’t need to use  the account for the next two weeks . In case  of   urgent need to travel , the applicant  can apply  for assistance here . _ _ _ _ _ _ _
• U.S. embassies and consulates are not responsible for the loss of documents when applicants do not follow instructions.

Conditions for extending visa by mail

You will be eligible for the visa extension program if you meet ALL of the following criteria:

• You do not need to use your passport for the next 8 to 10 business days.
• You are a Vietnamese citizen, or a resident of Vietnam with confirmation of your residence in Vietnam.
• You are currently in Vietnam.
• You have a US nonimmigrant visa that is still valid or expired within 12 months and you are applying for a visa of the same category. The 12-month period is counted from the expiry date of your visa to before the date the Embassy or Consulate receives your visa extension application. You need to plan and apply for renewal early to ensure you remain eligible for this program.
• You were not denied a visa during your last interview.
• Your previous visa has not been lost, stolen or revoked and you can submit your previous visa passport.
• Your previous visa was issued when you turned 14 or over 14 and you provided 10 fingerprints. Note: The US Embassy and Consulate General began taking 10 fingerprints on November 7, 2007. If your most recent visa was issued before this date or was issued before your 14th birthday. you and you are now 14 years old or over 14 years old, you will not be eligible to renew your visa by mail because you have not been able to obtain 10 fingerprints. If your last visa was issued before your 14th birthday and you are not yet 14 years old, you are still eligible to extend your visa by mail even though you have not been fingerprinted yet .
• If you apply for an F and M student visa, you must a) continue to study in the program you applied for when you were granted your previous visa, even though you may be studying at another school, or b) continue to study at the same institution as on the previous visa although your study program may be different.
• If you apply for a J Exchange Visitor visa, you must join the same program and have the same SEVIS number as on the previous visa.
• The name, date of birth, place of birth and nationality on your passport match the name, date of birth, place of birth and nationality on the previous visa.
• You did not answer “YES” to any of the questions in the Security and Background section of the DS-160 form.

Applicants who do not meet these requirements should schedule an appointment online for a visa interview. For information on online appointment booking, please visit How to Apply for a Visa.

What do I need to submit for US Visa Extension?

Please submit only the required documents below. Embassies and Consulates will not be responsible for the loss of documents unrelated to the required visa application.

• Passport: Your passport must have at least two blank pages for visa application and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
• Old passport with the most recent US Visa (if the current passport does not contain a US Visa).
• Photocopy of birth certificate or identity card (if the passport has only the year of birth).
• The new DS-160 confirmation page is barcoded  , completed, and submitted online. You must complete a new form DS-160 when applying for a visa. Previously used Form DS-160 will not be accepted.
• One (1)  photo of size 5cm * 5cm  taken on a white background, with clear ears, without glasses, taken within the past six months.
• Letter of Confirmation of Visa Extension by post.
• Visa fee payment receipt issued by Vietnam Post.
• Non-Vietnamese applicants must attach proof of lawful residence in Vietnam (copy of temporary residence card, work permit, etc.)

Exclusively for students and exchange visitors:

• Original signed Form I-20 or DS-2019,
• SEVIS fee has been paid,
• All transcripts from schools attended in the US.

Exclusively for H, L, O, P, and R visa applicants:

• Original or copy of Form I-797
• Form I-129S (for applicants and dependents applying for a new Blanket L Visa).

For children under 14 years old:

• Photocopy of parents’ passport or ID card,
• Photocopy of parent’s current or most recent US visa.

How to Apply for a Visa

Step 1: Complete the new Electronic Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form (DS-160). You must complete a new form DS-160 when applying for a visa. Previously used Form DS-160 will not be accepted.

Step 2: Login to our online application system and create an account to pay the visa application fee (MRV). Once logged in, select “Make an appointment”. As you go through the steps of this process, you will answer interview waiver questions to review your visa eligibility without an interview.

Step 3: After answering the questions, you will be prompted to pay the visa application fee. Once eligible, you will receive detailed instructions on how to deliver your documents. You will need three types of information to apply online:

• Passport
• Receipt number on the 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 the Visa Interview Waiver Confirmation Letter, which will contain your barcode, full name and passport number.
• Gather all the required documents under “What do I need to submit?” on.

Step 5: Go to one of the designated courier company’s Post Office with your Visa Extension Confirmation Letter and required documents. The post office staff will provide you with an envelope to hold your passport and documents. Please do not staple any papers together. Each applicant must keep his or her passport and documents in a separate envelope. You must give the envelope to the post office staff and indicate that you are submitting your application to the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City or the Embassy in Hanoi. The post office staff will provide you with a receipt number. All these services will not be charged.

Step 6: The courier company’s post office will deliver your documents to the Embassy or Consulate.

Step 7: Once the visa application process is completed, the delivery company will return the documents and passport to you at the document delivery address you have registered in your application. You can change your delivery address by accessing your account. If issued, the passport will include a visa.