Vietnam Visa Information

 
 Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, tourist visa may be valid for 15 to 30 days.
Tourist visa can only be obtained in Vietnamese embassies, consulates abroad. Otherwise, you can get a visa at the border gates if you are invitees of some Vietnamese competent organs or you are travelling on a package tour organized by Vietnamese travel companies. To apply for a visa, the requirements are as follows:    
  
 •Entry permit form (which can vary one Vietnamese embassies or consulate abroad to another)- There are two categories of this form: for foreigners and Vietnamese overseas.
 •Two photos (4cmx6cm or 3cmx4cm).   
 •Original passport  

 •Visa Fee
You should send your application and photos to a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, which is most convenient to you. On your requirement, the reply will be returned by post (you must provide stamped envelopes with your name and address).
 
It is easier to get your visa from a Vietnamese travel agency. The necessary information to the travel agency include:   

•Full name
•Birthday and place of birth
•Nationality
•Job
•number of your passport
•Entry and exit dates  
 •Country you plan to receive your entry visa from the Vietnamese embassies or consulates
Vietnamese overseas are required to provide more information:

•Year and reason to leave Vietnam
•Leave Vietnam by means
•Full names and addresses of relations in Vietnam    

 Vietnam visa types 

 Tourist visa:  A tourist visa is usually valid for 1 month, allowing single or multiple entry.
Business Visa: A business visa is usually valid for 3 month, allowing single or multiple entry and the right to work. Getting a business visa has now become cheap and easy, although the prices are about double those of a tourist visa.  

 Student visa: A student visa is usually arranged after your arrival. It's acceptable to enter Vietnam on a tourist visa, enroll in a Vietnamese language course and then apply at the immigration police for a change in status. In reality, the easiest way to do it is to contact a travel company and have them help you make the application.   

 Transit visa (or visa for city visiting): The maximum duration of this type of visa is 5 days. The Immigration Department will issue transit visa for groups in tour, accompanied with a tour guide. The group must have exact itinerary and have guarantee of a travel agency which organizing the tour.   

 How to apply Visa to Vietnam   

You can either apply by yourself through Vietnamese Embassies or Consulates in your country or using a local travel agent's service (your sponsor) to do a part or full of its procedure.

By yourself:  Required documentations: you have to submit: passport of six months validity, visa application forms, and probably some others required by Vietnamese embassy or consulates in your country. Visa forms are available by getting directly or by mail with a stamped, self-addressed envelope addressed to their Visa section. Request by email is perhaps acceptable (in some cases). 
See Visa application form and list of Vietnamese Embassies and Consulates abroad (also available Foreign Embassies and Consulates in Vietnam).
Time: processing tourist visa application typically takes four or five working days.
Cost: fees vary from embassy to embassy; about $50 in Bangkok and $85 in Washington, for example. 

Through local travel agency:
 Provide Vietnam visa on arrival service. Please refer to the Detailed visa procedure and services for more information. 

 Visa Extension:    

Not more than 30 days: for citizens of Brunei, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos.
Not more than 15 days: for citizens of Japan and South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland. (Vietnamese diplomatic and official passport holders are exempted from visa requirements to enter Japan).
French citizens holding valid diplomatic passports are exempt from visa requirements when visiting Vietnam and are allowed to stay for up 3 months at one time or on several visits within six months since their first immigration dates. Vietnamese citizens holding valid diplomatic passports also enjoy similar privileges.
Citizens of Chile and Vietnam holding valid diplomatic or official passports from one of the two countries are exempt from needing entry, exit and transit visas in the other's territory and are allowed to stay for up 60 days on each visit.

Vietnam visa exemption -Vietnam Visa exemption is granted to: 
  1. Citizens of Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos for visits of 30 days at the maximum. 

2. Citizens of Phillippines for visits of 21 days at the maximum.  

3. Citizens of Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia and Finland for visits of 15 days at the maximum.  

4. Citizens of Brunei for visits of 14 days at the maximum.  

5. Citizens of France holding valid diplomatic or official passports for visits of 90 days at the maximum or several visits of 6 months at the maximum.
 6. Citizens of Chile holding valid diplomatic or official passports for visits of 90 days at the maximum.  

 7. APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies for visits of 60 days at the maximum. 
 8. For those who travel to Phu Quoc Island - Vietnam : Foreigners and Vietnamese nationals bearing foreign passports who enter Vietnam through an international border gate and then travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay in Phu Quoc less than 15 days will also be granted Vietnam visa exemption. Passports must be valid for at least 45 days. After arriving in Phu Quoc Island, if visitors want to travel to other localities or stay in the island for more than 15 days, the immigration department will be responsible for issuing visas right on the spot. 
   
5 Reasons to choose Visa on Arrival  

1/ssle-free: 100% online procedure, no passport send-off
2/nvenience: Applicable for all air-travelers to Vietnam
3/ter: Maximum 48 hour processing time
Cheaper: Low service fee, no hidden charge
More accessible: Best choice for those living far from Embassies