Vietnamese passports for citizens living in the United States are issued by the embassy and the consulates general. The application can generally be filed in person or by post, which matters in a network with few offices spread across a very large country.
Quick facts
The question that decides whether the file proceeds is whether you are still recorded as a Vietnamese citizen. Someone who left long ago and never formally renounced generally still is, but the mission will want documentary confirmation.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport issue or renewal | Consular schedule | Confirm with the mission |
| Certificate of Vietnamese nationality | Consular schedule | Where status must be confirmed |
| Laissez-passer for a single journey | Consular schedule | Where there is no valid passport |
| Return postage | Prepaid envelope you supply | For postal applications |
| Payment method | Money order at most posts | Cash and personal checks refused |
Missions publish their own fee tables and payment rules. Confirm both before sending anything, because an incorrect money order stops the file.
How to apply
- Establish which mission covers your state.
- Confirm your nationality status, and apply for a certificate of Vietnamese nationality first if there is any doubt.
- Complete the application and prepare photographs to the Vietnamese specification.
- File in person or by post, following the mission’s instructions exactly.
- Include the money order for the exact amount and a prepaid return envelope.
- Receive the passport by post or collect it, depending on how you filed.
Required documents
- Current or most recent Vietnamese passport.
- Completed application form, signed.
- Photographs to the published specification.
- Proof of lawful status and address in the United States.
- Evidence of Vietnamese nationality where the previous passport is long expired.
- For children: birth documents and both parents’ consent.
Where to apply
At the embassy or the consulate general covering your state. The network is small, which is why postal filing is widely used.
Additional notes
Nationality status comes first
Anyone unsure whether they are still recorded as a Vietnamese citizen should resolve that before applying. Missions can confirm it, and the answer governs everything else.
Postal filing
Follow the packing and payment instructions to the letter. Missions decline responsibility for documents lost in the post, so use a tracked service.
Photographs
Vietnamese photograph rules differ from U.S. ones. A non-compliant photo is the commonest reason a postal file is returned.
Emergency travel
Where travel cannot wait, missions issue a travel document valid for a single journey to Vietnam.