PRESS RELEASE

May 4, 2009

Extended Visa Validity

Effective April 22, 2009, the United States is pleased to announce that visa reciprocity for Vietnamese non-immigrant visa holders in the categories listed below has been extended from one entry/three months to multiple entry/twelve months. These longer validity visas will give visa holders greater flexibility in conducting international travel from the United States to third countries, and will lessen the time and costs associated with renewing expired visas.  It will also facilitate Vietnamese citizens who are employed by U.S. companies and make it significantly easier for Vietnamese sailors to work on vessels calling at U.S. ports. The U.S. believes that expanding travel between the two countries and extending visa validity for bonafide travelers is a sign of the deepening relations between our two countries. The U.S. and Vietnam are continuing to explore options for further expanding visa validity in other visa categories.

For more information about non-immigrant visas to the United States, please visit the US Embassy Hanoi website at http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/visa_services.html, the US Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City website at http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov/niv/general_information.html, or the State Department website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html.

C -- Transit Aliens
D -- Crewmen
H -- Temporary Workers and Trainees
I -- Information Media Representative
L -- Intra-company transferees
M -- Non-academic Students
O -- Aliens with Extraordinary Ability
P -- Athletes, Artists, and Entertainers
R -- Aliens in Religious Occupations