HOW TO APPLY FOR A VISA TO VIETNAM?

OPTION 1: Using Travel Agency

Please ask for: Ms. NGA (Please indicate that it is for Biomedical Engineering Conference in Ho Chi Minh City organized by Prof. Vo Van Toi). She will also take care of your tourist visa for a small fee. 
Please feel free to use other travel agencies, if more convenient.

OPTION 2: Applying to the Embassy of Vietnam

From USA,

I/ A VISA to Vietnam can be applied for by mail or in person at the Embassy of Vietnam as early as six months prior to the date of travel. The applicant must submit:

1. Original PASSPORT (which requires at least 01 month validity prior the date of exit from Vietnam and/or 06 month validity to meet airlines’ requirements). In urgent cases, a loose-leaf-visa can be requested, then a copy of passport (photo and personal detail pages) may be submitted instead of the original passport.

2. Application form (PDF Form/Word Form)The form must be completed, signed and attached with 01 original photo (2x 2in) . In case of a loose-leaf-visa request, 01 additional photo must be stapled to the form. If the applicant has already got A visa approval, she/he may write the reference number on the top of the form. For anyone who comes to Vietnam for less than 3 months and does not have visa approval, just leave “visa approval number” blank and the Embassy will take care of it. Additional processing fees for visa approval may be required.

3. Visa fees must be in the form of MONEY ORDER, or CASHIER’S CHECK, or CERTIFIED CHECK payable to “THE EMBASSY OF VIETNAM.” Applicants applying together may submit combined payment in one money order or certified check. Fee for stamping visa can be checked at Consular Fee. Other current fees (such as visa approval arrangement fee, processing fee, shipping, handling and expedite services) may be checked at: Email:vnconsular@vietnamembassy.us Tel: 202 - 861 - 0737

4. A prepaid return envelope, if the applicant requests the visa be returned by mail. Please use USPS - United States Postal Service (prepaid postage stamp envelope or return label bought online at www.usps.com) or prepaid return FedEx label (bought online at www.fedex.com - The Embassy does not accept credit card for FedEx mailing service). For your documents’ safety, the Embassy advices to use USPS Express Mail or FedEx with the tracking numbers. Applicants applying together may provide one envelope for visas to be returned to the same address. For international shipping, please pay in the form of money order payable to the Embassy of Vietnam. 
Diplomatic and official visas will be granted GRATIS unless otherwise agreed upon between Vietnam and the applicant’s country. In addition to the documents specified in (I), the applicant must submit a note verbal or an official letter from the relevant agencies of the US Government, Embassies or Consulates accredited to the United States, and international organizations.

II/ Processing Time: Five business days are required to process visa applications with approval. Expedited processing requires one to two business days after the Embassy has received the application (additional fee required). 
Note: Please keep the tracking numbers of the envelopes to and from the Embassy. When the above deadlines have passed, use the tracking number to check with the mailing service first.

Please do not make telephone inquires on the status of your application (make sure that you keep your passport number for this request) until after the 3rd business day for an expedited case and the 7th business day for a regular case. 
The Embassy will be closed on Saturday, Sunday, Vietnamese and US holidays 2011. Please take account of the observed holidays in planning for your visa application and travel. In addition, no mail can be delivered at the Embassy during weekends and holidays.

For further information, please contact the Visa Section of the Embassy: 
Opening hours: 9:30 – 12:30 Monday through Friday. 
Embassy of Vietnam
1233 20th St NW, Suite 400 - Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 861- 0737 during 10:00 – 12:00 AM and 2:30 – 5:30 PM Monday through Friday 
Fax: (202) 861- 1297 and (202) 861- 0917 
Email: vnconsular@vietnamembassy.us 
Website: http://www.vietnamembassy.us

Consulate General of Vietnam in San Francisco, California
Consul General H.E. Le Quoc Hung
1700 California Street, Suite 430
San Francisco, CA 94109
tel. 415-922-1577, fax 415-922-1848
info@vietnamconsulate-sf.org
http://www.vietnamconsulate-sf.org

Consulate General of Vietnam in Houston, Texas
Consul General H.E Le Dzung
5251 Westheimer Rd, Suite 1100
Houston, Texas 77056
Tel: 713-850-1233; Fax: 713-810-0159
http://vietnamconsulateinhouston.org/

Permanent Representative Mission to the UN, New York
Head of Mission H.E. Le Luong Minh
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 435
New York, NY 10017
tel. 212-644-0594, fax 212-644-5732
vietnamun@aol.com
http://www.un.int/vietnam/

EXEMPTION OF ENTRY VISA TO VIETNAM (Updated on April 2011)