For those who want to apply for a visa to Vietnam, there are up to three ways to get one, namely (1) Vietnam embassy visa, (2) Vietnam E-Visa and (3) Vietnam visa on arrival. Foreigners can freely choose one of those ways depending on your conditions and situation. This following post will provide you with useful information about how to get a Vietnam visa, about the procedure, the compulsory requirements and other related material. 

1. Applying at Local Vietnam Embassy

This is a traditional, but the most reliable way to get a Vietnam visa.  Travelers can get their visa through a Vietnam Embassy office in their country of residence in order to enter Vietnam for tourism, business, or to visit relatives. Visa fees will depend on the type of visa you apply for. However, the downside is that the processing time may take you quite a long time. 

To get a visa through the Vietnam Embassy, first of all you have to fill in an application form online or offline. And you can read the careful instructions on the website of your local Vietnam Embassy to fill in the form in the correct way. These following documents are compulsory to bring to the embassy to get your visa processed:

  • Application form
  • Original passport: must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry
  • 01 passport-sized photo (4×6 cm) with no glass wears.
  • Visa fees: You can pay by cash, money order or bank cheque. 
  • Mail Service:  In case you want to have the passport returned by post, you need to prepare a return envelope which has your address. 

2. Applying for a Vietnam E-Visa

Vietnam E-Visa is one of several visa types offered by the Vietnam Immigration Department for foreigners to enter the country. The E-Visa is valid for 30 days, and single entry only. It costs 25 USD for card payments and requires three working days to process. Vietnam E-visa is available to nationals of 80 countries. You can apply directly for E-Visa and see if your nationality is approved for Vietnam E-visa at this link.  

These are the requirements for the Vietnam E-Visa:

  • A passport with six months’ validity
  • A photo of your full passport data page in .jpg format
  • A passport photo in .jpg format (4×6 cm, white background and without glasses)
  • A valid international credit or debit card
  • An email address for support purposes
  • A temporary address within Vietnam
  • Your entry and exit dates and entry and exit points/airports

These are steps to apply for Vietnam E-Visa:

  • Open the official website for Vietnam E-Visa application
  • Upload images of your passport data page and passport photo (.jpg format)
  • Fill up all required information in your passport data page
  • Fill up all required information regarding your trip
  • Pay the e-Visa fee using any of the payment methods offered
  • Receive your registration code and save the number

3. Getting a Vietnam visa on arrival

Vietnam visa on arrival is definitely a convenient way if you live far from the Vietnam Embassy or there is not any Vietnam Embassy office in your home country. It is a way of getting a pre-approval letter for a valid visa. The approval letter is approved by the Vietnam Immigration Department in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi City. And remember that you must have that confirmation letter before you fly to Vietnam, so you are eligible to get a visa stamp at one of these international airports in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh city, Hanoi City, Hai Phong City, Da Nang City, Nha Trang city and Phu Quoc Island).

These are three steps to get a Vietnam visa on arrival: 

Step 1. Fill in an online application form

It may take you about 5 minutes to fill out the application form online with the required information such as full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, date of arrival, type of Visa, etc.

Remember to check all the information again. Pay for the service fee via Credit/ Debit Card via OnePay/ PayPal or Western Union.

Step 2. Get Pre-Approval Letter via Email

Within two working days applicants will receive your visa approval letter (also known as a pre-approved letter) and the entry-and-exit application form sent to your email.

You then need to print out the letter and the form, and complete the form, prepare 2 passport-sized photos, an original passport (6 months’ validity following your date of entry) and cash for stamping fee to submit when entering Vietnam. 

Step 3. Get Vietnam Visa Stamped at Arrival counter.

Upon arrival at Vietnam airport, present all the documents you have prepared and pay for the stamping fee. You will receive the visa stamp into your passport granted by the Immigration Office.

  • Notes:

Remember that the visa on arrival is available for air travelers. Those arriving by land or cruise are required to contact the local Vietnam embassy to get a full Vietnam visa before departure.

Visa on arrival must be picked up after landing at Vietnam airports. You can find the detailed procedures of visa on arrival at Vietnam airports.