Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia and is spread along the eastern coast of the Indochinese peninsula. You can obtain a Vietnamese visa either on arrival or from Vietnam Embassy. There are two types of visas can be obtained- Single Entry or Multiple Entry visas.
A single entry visa is also known as a single-use visa. The holder of this visa is allowed to enter and exit Vietnam only once during the validity. Your visa automatically becomes invalid, even before the expiry date, once you leave Vietnam. If you want to visit again, you will have to apply for a visa.
A multiple entry visa gives you access to unlimited entry and exit for as long as the validity date of your visa. The first arrival in Vietnam, for a multiple entry visa, has to be by air, and your latter visits can be by land or sea. You can exit and re-enter the country without applying for another visa before or on the date mentioned on the visa approval letter.
Visa via Embassy or Consulate
Vietnamese embassies and consulates are all around the globe. You can obtain a visa by applying with the embassy, though the fees at the embassies are way higher than using an agent, and the process is tedious and slow.
Visa on Arrival
Visa on Arrival (VOA) is received at the airport and is available for entry by air only. You can fill out an online form to apply for the VOA or hire an agent for the same. It is much easier, cheaper, and faster to apply for a VOA and is the same as obtaining a visa from the Vietnamese Embassy without too many long procedures. Before applying for VOA, please note that your passport should be valid for six months or more at the time of applying for the visa.
- Fill the online form with the correct information from your passport.
- Select the type of visa you want to apply for- 1 month, three months, single entry, multiple entries, etc..
- Once you fill the form, make the payment online. You will receive a confirmation via email. Cross-check your information and make sure everything is filled correctly and properly.
- You will receive the visa approval letter within two working days at the maximum for a normal visa.
- Once you arrive at Vietnam airport make sure you have all the necessary documents (passport, printed pre-approval the letter, etc.) along with two colored photographs in standard size 4×6 cm
- Pay the cash as per the type of visa chosen by you in USD
- 25USD/ person single entry (1 to 3 months)
- 50 USD/ person multiple entries (1 to 3 months)
- 95UsD/person multiple entries (6 months)
- 135USD/person multiple entries (1 year)
- To get your visa stamped on your passport, show the visa approval letter to the Immigration authorities at the Vietnam airport.
E-visa
The Vietnam Immigration Department introduced E-visa platforms in 2017, which allows travelers to apply for visas online. Currently, citizens of about 40 countries are eligible to apply for visas online and avail of the E-visa service. E-visas are available to obtain a single entry visa only with a validity of 30 days and are not extendable.
The processing of E-visa takes around three to five days and has not been implemented properly. There are a lot of glitches and several complaints of missing data.
Visa Exemptions
The citizens of certain countries do not require a visa to visit Vietnam for a certain period of time. However, visa policies keeping changing, and it is essential to keep a tab on the same.
List of countries exempt by Vietnam for visa:
- Exempt for 14 days:Myanmar, Brunei
- Free visa for 15 days: Denmark, Sweden, Japan, Russian, Finland, Uk, Italy, Norway, Spain & South Africa
- Visa exempt for 21 days:Philippines
- Vietnam visa-free for 30 days:Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos
How to change a single entry visa to multiple entry visas?
If your schedule has changed due to some unforeseeable reason and you want to change your single entry visa to multiple entries,
You can follow one of the below-mentioned guidelines:
- Firstly, if you have just applied for the visa and not paid the approval fee, you can log in to your account on the website from where you have applied and edit your information, or you can send an email to the website/the agent and request them to help you with the same.
- In case you have applied and made the payment for the service fee, contact your agent or website immediately and provide them with your ID. If your information is not sent t for the process to the Vietnam Immigration Department or if it has been sent but not yet processed by the Immigration Department, your information can be updated and changed.
- However, if the department has begun processing your visa or if you have received the approval letter, there is nothing that can be done to change or update your visa. You will have to apply for a new single entry or multiple entry visa to re-enter. Vietnam Immigration Department has no correction policy towards an issued visa.
Visa extension/ renewal
There are two requirements for a visa extension:
- Your passport has to be valid for six months or more on the date of extension
- There should be at least two blank pages in your passport
Your visa can be extended for single entry only and for a period of 3 months. An ongoing visa can be extended twice at the maximum.
Visa renewal is good for a multiple as well as a single entry, and if you wish to obtain a new visa without leaving Vietnam.
The extension of a tourist visa has to be organized by an agent and costs as low as 10USD. It takes anything between seven to ten working days to process the same. You can extend your visa for 30 days (30USD) or 60 days (60USD) only depending on the visa you hold.
