All applicants must apply online and book an appointment in advance

If you meet the relevant criteria set out below you qualify for our FAST-TRACK visa service. Your online visa applications can be lodged in Ho Chi Minh City and will be forwarded to the British Embassy in Bangkok for processing. You should allow 7 to 15 working days for the return of your passport. You will be contacted by the British Consulate General when your passport is ready for collection.

All applications which do not meet the fast-track criteria must be made in person at the British Embassy Hanoi.

Please check that you meet the criteria set out below, and that you have enclosed all relevant documents. It may not be possible to process your application if you have not included sufficient documentation when you apply. When the application is made, we will give you or your representative a receipt and we aim to have your passport ready for collection in 7 to 15 working days of receipt at the visa section. You will need to produce the till receipt to collect your passport.

Criteria for Meeting the Fast Track Service

You can use the fast-track service if:

• You have travelled and complied to the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, a Schengen country or Switzerland within the last 5 years and have evidence of this travel. 
• You are a Vietnamese diplomatic or service passport holder on official business. (Applications must be accompanied by an official Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) or External Relation Office (ERO) note)
• You are a member of a foreign diplomatic mission in Vietnam. Applications should be accompanied by an official note from the Diplomatic Mission as appropriate.
• You are a seaman with a previous visa for the same purpose. You must also submit your seaman’s book and a letter from a recognised shipping company.
• You are a student (Tier 4) attending an Independent school or University.
• You are a student (Tier 4) attending a Language School or College and have travelled and complied to the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, a Schengen country or Switzerland within the last 5 years and have evidence of this travel.
• You are a student (Tier 4) attending a Language School or College and are being sponsored by the Vietnamese Government or a British company
• You are a member of an airline crew on a route which passes through the UK.
• You are aged 65 or over and you are visiting a family member who is settling in the UK.
• You are the spouse or child (under 18) of one of the above categories, and you are accompanying them.
• You are a full-time employee of a foreign company/organisation in Vietnam which has a proven track record of sending bona fide travellers to the UK. You should be travelling to the UK on business or training fully funded by your company/organisation.
• You are the parent(s) of student studying at an Independent School or University in the UK

WE WILL NOT ACCEPT A FAST-TRACK APPLICATION FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE:

• BEEN REFUSED A VISA FOR THE UK OR FOR ANY OTHER COUNTRY, UNLESS YOU HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY OBTAINED A VISA FOR THAT COUNTRY;
• BEEN REFUSED ENTRY TO THE UK OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY;
• FAILED TO COMPLY WITH YOUR CONDITIONS OF ENTRY TO THE UK, OR BEEN REFUSED AN EXTENSION OF STAY THERE.

WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY:

Leaflets with more detailed information are available at the Information Windows at the British Embassy Hanoi or the British Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City or from our UK Border Agency website

You will need:

• A valid passport with at least 6 months validity remaining, and enough space to insert a visa;
• A fully completed and signed application form showing a contact name and address in the UK;
• 1 recent passport sized colour photographs;
• Applications must be accompanied by the correct fee in Vietnamese Dong and lodged with the cashier, and an official receipt obtained.
• You should include comprehensive documentation with your application, and it may cause some delay, or affect the outcome of your application, if you do not. This may include up-to-date bank statements, business letters from reputable companies explaining the reasons for the visit and its duration and who is funding the trip. You should also include any invitations from UK companies, or from UK sponsors.
• Full guidance is contained in the information leaflets – you will need to demonstrate that you intend to leave the UK on completion of your visit;
• For private visits you may wish to provide a letter of invitation from your sponsor in the UK which should explain who is paying for the visit; a leave letter and salary slips from your employer and evidence of funds (e.g. bankbooks, financial deposits, pensions, etc). It is also helpful if your sponsor in the UK provides evidence of his/her immigration status in the UK;
• If you are a student, and wish to apply for a visit visa to the UK, you should include a letter from your school or college giving details of your course, vacation dates and the date you expect to return to your studies.

WE MAY STILL NEED TO ASK YOU TO COME IN FOR AN INTERVIEW AT THE BRITISH EMBASSY HANOI OR TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT USING THIS SYSTEM IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT A VISA WILL BE ISSUED.

UKBA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THESE FAST TRACK CRITERIA AT ANY TIME IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF OUR VISA SERVICE.