US grants immigrant visas to same-sex couples in Vietnam
The US Consulate General in HCM City has announced that legal same-sex couples that satisfy required criteria will be granted immigrant visas in the same manner as other cases.
On May 12, Mr. David R. McCawley, senior representative of the US Consulate in Vietnam, told reporters that homosexuals and their husbands, wives and minor children have the same right to settle in the US as do other common couples. This decision was ratified by the US Supreme Court last year.
Accordingly, same-sex couples have equal rights with respect to immigrant visas, similar to heterosexual couples, and this provision is applicable to citizens of countries around the world. Those who are under-age stepchildren or adopted children of these people are also guaranteed the same consideration as children of other couples.
In Vietnam, the US Consulate General granted the first fiancé-fiancee visas for homosexuals on April 13. To date, about 10 Vietnamese homosexuals have been granted immigrant visas to America.
Mr. McCawley explained that only gay couples who are legally married belong to this category. However, in Vietnam, the law has not yet recognized same-sex marriage so these couples can be married in one of the US states where same-sex marriage is recognized. The conditions for visa consideration for gay couples will be within 90 days from the date of marriage.
The US Consulate representative said that in 2013 nearly 23,000 Vietnamese were granted immigrant visas. More than 62,000 Vietnamese citizens were granted non-immigrant visas in the same year, up by nearly 15% over 2012. Of those, almost 11,000 visas were granted to students. Vietnam ranks eighth in the US for its number of students studying there.
