Vietnam offers Visa exemption to a few countries, but only for a limited period. All other citizens are required to obtain Visa in order to enter Vietnam. Vietnam offers easy Visa application process for all foreign nationals who wish to visit Vietnam. If you are a foreign citizen from a non Visa exempted country, you can easily obtain Visa by either contacting the Embassy of Vietnam in your country or applying for Visa on Arrival.
In order to apply for Visa through the embassy, you will have to visit the Embassy of Vietnam. At the embassy, you will have to fill the Visa application form. Along with the form, you will have to submit one recent passport sized photograph, one self-addressed envelope and your original passport. Besides submitting these documents, you will have to pay the Visa fees. The fees can be paid in favour of the Embassy of Vietnam by way of money order or cashier’s check.
The embassy usually takes at least five working days to process all documents. Once the documents are processed, you will be issued a fully stamped Visa. This procedure allows you to get hold of a fully stamped Visa before leaving for Vietnam. However, it is expensive and time consuming.
Visa on Arrival is a more convenient process. It is because of this demand for the Visa on Arrival facility that a number of travel agents have come up, who claim to offer you Visa on Arrival facilities. It is important that you choose your agent carefully as he has to play an important role in facilitating your Visa on Arrival.
In order to apply for Visa on Arrival, you will have to contact a reliable and trustworthy travel agent based in Vietnam. You will be asked to fill up an online application form on the agent’s website. You will have to key in details such as your name, occupation, duration of stay, purpose of visit etc. When filling up the purpose of visit section, you will have to choose from options such as business, tourist and transit. A business Visa can get you validity of one month, three months and six months. A tourist Visa can get you a validity of one month and transit Visa can get you a validity of less than five days.
Usually, online application forms are processed in two or three days, after which you will be issued a letter of approval. This letter of approval can be collected by your travel agent and forwarded to you. On reaching Vietnam, you will have to submit this letter of approval at the Visa on Arrival counter of the airport you arrive in. You will also have to pay the Visa stamping fees to get your document
It is to be noted that the Visa on Arrival facility is extended only to those travelers who arrive in Vietnam by air.
Generally speaking, most visitors need a Vietnam visa to enter the country except for some circumstances included in the Vietnam visa exemption list as below:
1. Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos’ passport holders for visits of 30 days at the maximum.
2. Philippines passport holders for visits of 21 days at the maximum.
3. Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Finland, Belarus, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain passport holders for visits of 15 days at the maximum. (Please note that The Vietnamese government waived visa requirements for travelers coming from certain countries. However, Vietnam introduced a new rule requiring those travelers to have a visa upon re-entry to the country within 30 days of their last departure. The government's intent is to control foreigners who come and go repeatedly within a short period of time in an attempt to work in Vietnam illegally.)
4. Brunei passport holders for visits of 14 days at the maximum.
5. APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies for visits of 60 days at the maximum.
6. For those who travel to Phu Quoc Island - Vietnam: Foreigners and Vietnamese holding foreign passports who enter Vietnam through an international border gate to travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay in Phu Quoc within 15 days will also be granted Vietnam visa exemption. Passports must be valid for 45 days at least. After the visitors’ arrival in Phu Quoc Island, if they want to travel to other localities or stay in the island for more than 15 days, they will be granted visas there and then by the Immigration Department.
In order to apply for Visa through the embassy, you will have to visit the Embassy of Vietnam. At the embassy, you will have to fill the Visa application form. Along with the form, you will have to submit one recent passport sized photograph, one self-addressed envelope and your original passport. Besides submitting these documents, you will have to pay the Visa fees. The fees can be paid in favour of the Embassy of Vietnam by way of money order or cashier’s check.
The embassy usually takes at least five working days to process all documents. Once the documents are processed, you will be issued a fully stamped Visa. This procedure allows you to get hold of a fully stamped Visa before leaving for Vietnam. However, it is expensive and time consuming.
Visa on Arrival is a more convenient process. It is because of this demand for the Visa on Arrival facility that a number of travel agents have come up, who claim to offer you Visa on Arrival facilities. It is important that you choose your agent carefully as he has to play an important role in facilitating your Visa on Arrival.
In order to apply for Visa on Arrival, you will have to contact a reliable and trustworthy travel agent based in Vietnam. You will be asked to fill up an online application form on the agent’s website. You will have to key in details such as your name, occupation, duration of stay, purpose of visit etc. When filling up the purpose of visit section, you will have to choose from options such as business, tourist and transit. A business Visa can get you validity of one month, three months and six months. A tourist Visa can get you a validity of one month and transit Visa can get you a validity of less than five days.
Usually, online application forms are processed in two or three days, after which you will be issued a letter of approval. This letter of approval can be collected by your travel agent and forwarded to you. On reaching Vietnam, you will have to submit this letter of approval at the Visa on Arrival counter of the airport you arrive in. You will also have to pay the Visa stamping fees to get your document
It is to be noted that the Visa on Arrival facility is extended only to those travelers who arrive in Vietnam by air.
Generally speaking, most visitors need a Vietnam visa to enter the country except for some circumstances included in the Vietnam visa exemption list as below:
1. Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos’ passport holders for visits of 30 days at the maximum.
2. Philippines passport holders for visits of 21 days at the maximum.
3. Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Finland, Belarus, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain passport holders for visits of 15 days at the maximum. (Please note that The Vietnamese government waived visa requirements for travelers coming from certain countries. However, Vietnam introduced a new rule requiring those travelers to have a visa upon re-entry to the country within 30 days of their last departure. The government's intent is to control foreigners who come and go repeatedly within a short period of time in an attempt to work in Vietnam illegally.)
4. Brunei passport holders for visits of 14 days at the maximum.
5. APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies for visits of 60 days at the maximum.
6. For those who travel to Phu Quoc Island - Vietnam: Foreigners and Vietnamese holding foreign passports who enter Vietnam through an international border gate to travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay in Phu Quoc within 15 days will also be granted Vietnam visa exemption. Passports must be valid for 45 days at least. After the visitors’ arrival in Phu Quoc Island, if they want to travel to other localities or stay in the island for more than 15 days, they will be granted visas there and then by the Immigration Department.
