Vietnam Visa Requirements

Vietnam opened up to international tourism just about a decade ago. Their immigration system is still not streamlined yet. As of now, Vietnam visa requirements are confusing and constantly changing. There are too many options and too many rules.

Many visa agencies are claiming themselves as the official Vietnam visa providers. Some of these agencies are complete scammers. Some even have websites ending in “.govt.vn” making people believe that they are part of the government.

On the other hand, Vietnam offers visa ON ARRIVAL to most nationalities in the world. Do a little homework and you will quickly gain clarity on what visa you need and how to apply for it. I have made every effort to make these requirements as clear as possible for you in this guide.

There are 4 different visa options

• Visa EXEMPT – 23 countries are visa EXEMPT for stays from 14 days to 30 days
• eVisa – 46 nationalities can avail eVisa for stays up to 30 days
• Visa ON ARRIVAL – Most nationalities can avail Visa ON ARRIVAL for stays up to 90 days
• Visa REQUIRED – A pre-approved visa from the consulate prior to arrival is required for certain nationalities

Vietnam Visa Requirements

Visa EXEMPT passport holders

Philippines
 

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eVisa

• eVisa is valid for stays up to 30 days, single entry only
• eVisa holders can enter Vietnam by air, sea or land
• Following passport holders are eligible to apply for Vietnam eVisa

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Visa ON ARRIVAL (Up to 3 months, single or multiple entry)

• Visa ON ARRIVAL can be issued for stays up to 3 months
• Single or multiple entry
• Issued at Hanoi, Danang, Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang airports only
• Not issued at sea or land borders
• Following passport holders are eligible to apply for Vietnam Visa ON ARRIVAL

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Visa ON ARRIVAL (1 month, single entry only)

• Following passport holders are eligible for Visa ON ARRIVAL for stays up to 1 month, single entry only
• Visa approval letter service fee charged by the authorized visa agencies is much higher for these passport holders

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Visa REQUIRED passport holders

• Following passport holders must apply for Vietnam tourist visa at their nearest Vietnam consulate prior to arrival
• These passport holders are not eligible for eVisa
• These passport holders may not be eligible for Visa ON ARRIVAL (Contact your nearest consulate to confirm)

Note: All nationalities are visa EXEMPT for visiting Phú Quốc island which is considered as a special economic zone. Must arrive and depart from the island directly and cannot transit through the mainland.

BONUS: Click here for my FREE eBook on how to travel 56 countries VISA-FREE

Application Process

eVisa

Vietnam has launched their eVisa system in Feb 2017. Currently, 46 nationalities can avail this option. eVisa is applicable for stays up to 30 days. The fee for eVisa is $25 USD.

Application
Vietnam eVisa can be applied at the National Web Portal on Immigration.

Important: National Web Portal on Immigration is the ONLY official Vietnam government website for eVisa. Any website claiming eVisa are either a scam or they simply provide Visa ON ARRIVAL approval letter in place of eVisa.

Visa Fee
The fee for eVisa at the National Web Portal on Immigration is $25 USD. The fee can be paid only using a credit or debit card.

Processing Time
Vietnam eVisa processing takes 3 working days.

Priority Visa Service
There is no urgent/expedited eVisa service. It takes 3 working days for eVisa processing.

Customer Service
There is no customer service or support for eVisa applications. You just have to wait 3 working days to know the result.

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Visa ON ARRIVAL

Vietnam Visa ON ARRIVAL is a two-step process

• Step 1: Visa approval letter through an authorized visa agency
• Step 2: Visa on arrival at the port of entry

Step 1: Visa approval letter through an authorized visa agency
You must first arrange a visa approval letter through an authorized visa agency prior to your arrival in Vietnam.

There are many authorized visa agencies that claim to be the official visa approval letter providers. Some of these agencies are complete scammers. They even have websites ending in “.govt.vn”. You might mistakenly think that they are part of the government of Vietnam. But unfortunately, they are not.

Therefore, you have to exercise caution when picking a genuine authorized visa agency for your visa approval letter. The best way to figure out which one to use is by doing some homework. Find out if any of your friends/family have used one before. Or ask around in the Facebook groups for recommendations.

I have listed a few here that are verified and genuine.

Authorized visa agencies

• GO VIET Travel | $5 USD for 1 month single entry visa. * I use their service myself and I highly recommend them.
• Vietnam Visa Pro or Cheap Vietnam Visa | $6 USD for 1 month single entry visa
• Visa 4 Vietnam | $12 USD for 1 month single entry visa

Application
Pick the agency that you would like to use for your visa approval letter. Use their online application form to submit the information that they need and make the payment.

Usually, the agency needs the following information.

• Passport Details
• Passport Number
• Given Name
• Surname
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• Gender
• Date of Issue
• Date of Expiry
• Place of Issue
• Travel Details
• Arrival date in Vietnam
• Arrival airport in Vietnam
• Length of Visa (1 or 3 months)
• Type of Visa (single or multiple entry)

Visa approval letters are processed in bulk. That means an approval letter can have many names on it. When you see your approval letter with many other names on it, do not panic. That’s absolutely alright and the letter works perfectly fine.

If you need an approval letter with just your name on it, you will have to pay an additional fee.

Approval Letter Fee
Fee for approval letter varies from agency to agency. There are agencies that charge $5 USD to agencies that charge $20 USD for one month single entry. Cheapest option is GO VIET Travel. They charge $5 USD for 1 month single entry approval letter.

Processing Time
Normal processing time for visa approval letter is 2 business days.

Priority Visa Service
All agencies have expedited options where you can get the letter in just a few hours for an additional fee.

Customer Service
All agencies have some kind of support. You can email or call them if you have questions or need to know the status of your application.

Step 2: Visa ON ARRIVAL at the port of entry
Take a print of the approval letter. You would need to show this at the airport in order to avail Visa on Arrival.

For steps on Visa on Arrival procedure at the airport, refer to the “Entry” section in “Immigration and Customs” below.

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Pre-approved visa from the consulate

Visa REQUIRED passport holders who are not eligible for eVisa or Visa ON ARRIVAL must apply for Vietnam tourist visa at their nearest consulate of Vietnam in their home country or country of residence.

Passport holders who are EXEMPT or eligible for eVisa / Visa ON ARRIVAL can also apply for Vietnam tourist visa at the nearest consulate.

It may be difficult to find the website for your nearest Vietnam consulate. Your best bet is to find the consulate address and go in person to apply or ask your questions.

Application
You have to first fill a visa application form available at the consulate.

Documentation
You need the following documentation

• Filled visa application form
• 2 passport size photos
• Original Passport

Visa Fee
1 month single entry – $40 USD
3 month single entry – $60 USD

1 month multiple entry – $50 USD
3 month multiple entry – $75 USD

Processing Time
It depends on consulate to consulate. The visa processing can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

Apply by mail
You cannot apply by mail

Apply through visa/travel agency
You may use a visa/travel agency to apply for the visa on your behalf.

Priority Visa Service
Expedited service is available at the consulates for an additional fee.

Customer Service
No customer service. But you can call or email the consulate.

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Immigration and Customs

Start

Most airlines do not let you check-in online if you need a visa to travel to the destination country.

If you check-in online or at the airport, either way, make sure to arrive at the gate a bit early and see the airline staff. They sometimes have to go through the visa requirements again and verify your documents.

Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the day of travel.

Entry

Visa EXEMPT Passport holders
After arrival at the airport, head straight to the passport control.

Vietnam eVisa holders
Make sure to bring a print of the approved eVisa. After arrival, head straight to the passport control. You would need to show your eVisa.

Visa ON ARRIVAL
After arrival, head to the Visa on Arrival or Landing Visa area. Grab a copy of the application form. Fill all the details on the application form. Then, head to the counter and submit the following

1. Visa approval letter
2. Filled in NA1 visa application form (You can grab one at the VoA section in the airport or download here and fill to save time at the airport.)
3. 1 passport size photo
4. Passport

You will then have to wait till they call your name. You will then pay the visa fee and pick up your passport. After this, you will head to the passport control. Visa fee must be paid in USD. So, make sure to carry some USD with you. There will not be any ATMs at the Landing Visa area.

Single Entry, 1 month – $25 USD
Single Entry, 3 months – $25 USD

Multiple Entry, 1 month – $50 USD
Multiple Entry, 3 months – $50 USD

Pre-approved visa from the consulate
After arrival, head straight to passport control.

Exit

You will go through the passport control on exit. Exit formalities are fairly quick, but still, allow 15-20 minutes extra time at the airports.

If you have entered Vietnam using an eVisa, you can only exit from these 28 ports of entry/exit.

Return

You may have to go through immigration and customs on your return to your home country or the country you are flying back to. If you are flying back on an Airbus A330/A340/A380 or Boeing 747/777, expect long lines at the immigration and customs.

Overall

Vietnam opened up for international tourism only a decade ago. Their immigration system is still not perfect. It’s quite confusing with many options and rules. This lead way to too many scammers in the market.

It’s highly difficult to weed out these scammers. Even the foreign affairs website doesn’t come up most of the time, so there is no way to know the official visa rules. I have made every effort to document and organize the visa rules as clear as possible.

Vietnam is a beautiful country with spectacular landscapes, perfect beaches, interesting history and mouth-watering cuisine. Don’t let these confusing visa rules bring you down. Follow these above Vietnam visa requirements and you will be alright.

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