How long in advance is reasonable to apply for a US visa?

Factors affecting US visa application time:

To know how long in advance is reasonable to apply for a US tourist visa , you first need to know what factors affect the time it takes to apply for a US visa. So what factors affect the time it takes to apply for a US visa:

1. Complexity and strength of the profile:

Normally, the documents you need to prepare to apply for a visa, a complete set of documents includes:

• Visa application documents: ID card/CCCD; Birth certificate; Current passport and old passport (if it has the most recent US visa stamp), DS 160 application form, Interview invitation letter, Household registration,...
• Documents proving ties: Personal documents; documents proving employment; documents proving finances and income, documents proving other social ties, etc.
• Sponsor's personal documents (if coming for the purpose of visiting relatives and tourism): Invitation letter; Sponsor's residence documents (Green card or certificate of legal residence),...

The time it takes to review your application depends on the complexity of your application. The more complex your application is, such as having your passport stolen during a previous visit to the US, the longer it will take the Consulate to review your application.

Depending on the strength or weakness of the application, the visa application review time will be fast or slow. If you have a good application, good travel history, clear personal and financial ties in Vietnam, your application will be reviewed faster and have a higher success rate. On the contrary, if the application is weak and has been rejected for a visa, the application review time will be longer.

2. Length of stay in the United States:

The length of stay in the United States also affects the processing time of a US visa. For a US tourist visa , you should apply for a reasonable number of days. So that it matches your schedule and travel plans in the US. Because if you want to stay in the US longer. The documents you provide must prove your financial ability. Therefore, consider carefully the length of stay in the United States. So that your visa application is processed faster.

3. Consulate appointment schedule:

Applying for a US visa will have an interview round. The time to receive the visa will depend on the time you schedule an interview appointment. If the Consulate has many available interview appointments. You can easily schedule an interview appointment, the processing time will be faster.

However, at the end of the year, visa applications will increase in time for the 2022 tourist season. Therefore, the available appointments at the US Consulate in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are very limited.

4. Peak tourist season:

During peak tourist season or holidays, the end of the year. The number of US visa applications increases. Visa applications will also be processed slower than usual.

How long in advance is appropriate to apply for a US visa:

In general, applying for a US tourist visa is done online, so you will not spend too much time traveling. However, you should arrange a reasonable amount of time to avoid unexpected situations that affect your travel plans. Except for the time to prepare documents and wait for an appointment, after the US visa interview, you will receive the visa results after about 2 to 3 days.

As can be seen, the US visa application preparation stage can last from 1 week to 1 month depending on the number of documents and the visa applicant's experience. So, how long in advance is it reasonable to apply for a US visa ? According to the US Embassy, ​​you should apply for a visa 3 months before departure to avoid unnecessary problems in the US visa application process.