How to get Vietnam visa in San Antonio,United States

US citizen or non-US citizens, you will follow the same process to get a Vietnam visa in San Antonio and here are details of the process.

If you are traveling to Vietnam by plane, you are eligible to be granted visa on arrival but with one condition, you have to obtain an advanced approval.

For those entering Vietnam by cruise or bus, you’re required to get entry visa directly at the nearest embassy/consulate in U.S.A. (Vietnam has one embassy in Washington and three consulates in New York, Houston and San Francisco).

Visa upon arrival

Online process: simple, smooth, fast 

As above statement, before flying to Vietnam and get visa there, your application needs to be approved by Immigration Department. To create an application, please visit this link and fill out with your personal information, select type of visa and specify an intended travel date. Once you finished the form, submit it and proceed with payment step. You can pay the fee using credit/debit card or send money via Western Union or bank.  The processing starts from USD 16 to USD 45 depending on type of visa for tourism purpose. If you’d like to register a Vietnam business visa, the fee would be higher.

It takes only 2 business days (excluding weekends and public holiday) for visa approval to be issued and delivered to your email. The same-day rush service is available for additional cost. On the approval is issued, you are entitled to board the plane and pick up visa at arrival airport.

On arrival process: 15-20 minutes required

After you get off the plane, head to the immigration counter and submit your original passport, print copy of visa approval, entry-exit form and one passport-sized photo. Leave the papers at the counter and wait until the officer calls your name. Until then, you should prepare USD 25 (for single visas) or USD 50 (for multiple visas valid for no longer than 3 months) to pay stamping fee. Please be noted that the officer receives cash only. Any other payment methods are not accepted.

Instructions to get visa from embassy/consulate

Fortunately, the embassies and consulates allow U.S citizens applying for Vietnam visa to file documents by post so you can stay at home preparing the following documents and send them to the nearest embassy or consulate:

• Original passport: valid for at least 1 month after date of exit from Vietnam. In case you will fly to Vietnam, there should have a minimum of 6 months validity on your passport, or else you may be denied boarding.
If you don’t want to send original passport, you can supply alternative copy of passport. A loose-leaf visa will be granted in that case.
• Application form: available on website of the embassy and consulate. You can choose to complete online or download to computer and fill out later. When you finish with the form, attach it to one passport-sized photo.
• Prepaid return envelop: must be included so that the embassy could send the passport and visa back to your address. One envelop can be used for more than one application.
• Evidence of payment: you are requested to pay the fee by cashier’s check, money order, or certified check. When it comes to fee structure, please contact directly with consular section for detailed information.

Typically, your application is approved within 3-5 business days. The processing can be done in 1-2 business days if you pay extra fee.