Moving to the USA from Vietnam: Visas, Green Cards and Where to Apply

No. Vietnam is not among the 39 countries restricted by Proclamation 10998 (effective January 1, 2026), and it was not on the 75-country immigrant visa pause from January 2026.

The main current issue is: Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause.

Student, visitor, and work visas continue at the embassy in Hanoi and the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam has no E-1 or E-2 treaty, so treaty trader and investor visas are not available to Vietnamese nationals.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

Yes. Vietnam is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so you need a B-2 tourist or B-1 business visa. Complete the DS-160, pay the fee, and attend an interview in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Bring evidence of your job, income, family, and travel plans. The State Department's guidance is to apply for a visitor or other temporary visa at the US embassy or consulate in the country where you live. Applying elsewhere is possible but can make it harder to show you qualify.

Study. Vietnam is one of the largest sources of international students in the US, from high school through graduate school. You need an I-20 from a certified school and proof you can pay. Many students start at community colleges and transfer to four-year universities. Since September 15, 2026, new F-1 students are admitted until a fixed date instead of for "duration of status", so you may need to file for an extension if your program runs longer. See F-1 fixed admission period.

EB-5. Vietnam has long been one of the top countries for EB-5 investor green cards. The minimum is $800,000 in a targeted employment area or $1.05 million elsewhere, as of September 2026; the amounts rise with inflation on January 1, 2027. Grandfathering protection for pending cases ends on September 30, 2026 (see EB-5 deadline). Always check the source of your funds carefully, because proving lawful source is often the hardest part.

H-1B. Since February 27, 2026, the H-1B lottery gives more entries to higher wage levels. A separate $100,000 fee on some new H-1B petitions (from a September 2025 proclamation) is being fought in court, with judges split as of September 2026. See H-1B $100k fee.

Family. Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens have no annual cap. Siblings (F4) and married children (F3) wait many years. Vietnamese applicants use rest-of-world dates in the Visa Bulletin. See priority dates.

Employment. EB-2 and EB-3 use rest-of-world dates, which are much shorter than for India or China.

Diversity Visa. Vietnamese natives were not eligible for DV-2026 because more than 50,000 Vietnamese immigrated to the US in the previous five years. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused.

Book appointments through the embassy's website. See our visa interview guide and consular processing guide.

For immigrant visas, the State Department's Vietnam page lists:

• Police certificate: a Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phieu Ly Lich Tu Phap So 2). Residents apply to the provincial police department where they live; former residents living abroad apply to the Ministry of Public Security. You can apply online (national public service portal or VNeID) or in person, but not through an agent.
• Birth certificate: a Giay Khai Sinh from the People's Committee at the commune or district level.
• Marriage and divorce: a marriage certificate from the People's Committee and a divorce decision from the People's Court.

Vietnam has no central vital records system, and some records from before 1975 were lost. The State Department page explains which substitutes are accepted.

The largest Vietnamese American community is in California: Little Saigon in Orange County (Westminster and Garden Grove) and San Jose. Large communities also live in Houston and Dallas in Texas, the Seattle area of Washington, Northern Virginia (the Eden Center in Falls Church), New Orleans East in Louisiana, and the Atlanta area. Vietnamese churches, temples, and community centers are key support networks.