To attract more visitors, Vietnamese government has made visa regulations simpler and traveler-friendly. The option of visa on arrival is one such initiative that allows travelers to obtain their Vietnam visa with little or no trouble.
The process of obtaining visa on arrival to Vietnam is hassle free and requires little paperwork. But even then travelers end up making mistakes and have to wait for a long time at the airport to rectify their mistakes committed during visa application process.
To prevent travelers from committing any unnecessary mistakes and to and help them in obtaining their Vietnam visa without any delays, we have compiled a comprehensive list of five common mistakes made by travelers that end up in creating unnecessary issues and headaches.
Understanding these five mistakes will enrich your knowledge and will make you smarter. So, when your time of obtaining Vietnam visa comes you are prepared well.
- Not applying online and arriving directly at the airport-
The term ‘visa on arrival’ can be a bit misleading as travelers cannot simply arrive at the Vietnam airport and get a visa to Vietnam. Infact the process for obtaining a visa on arrival to Vietnam starts a lot early.
Travelers are required to fill an online application in advance before arriving at Vietnam airport. After submitting the online application along with prescribed fees, travelers receive a conformation mail and a pre-approved visa application letter which travelers need to submit at the airport to get their visa on arrival.
So, if you wish to travel to Vietnam through visa on arrival do not make the mistake of arriving directly at an international airport in Vietnam. Instead take help from a reputed agency and submit an online application and complete the process.
- Looking forward to receive visa on arrival at Vietnamese border
Fact: The facility of visa on arrival to Vietnam is available to only those travelers who arrive by air.
Visa on arrival to Vietnam facility saves troubles for travelers and offers them liberty to get their visa stamped only after arriving in the country. But it has to be understood that this facility can be enjoyed only when the mode of transportation of travelers is air travel.
Travelers arriving to Vietnam by road or sea are not eligible for visa on arrival facility and they must obtain their visa for Vietnam by visiting the Vietnamese embassy or consulate.
So while finalizing your Vietnam tour package makes sure to check your mode of transport and apply for visa on arrival only if you are reaching Vietnam by air.
Do not make the mistake of arriving at the Vietnamese border and asking the officials to grant visa. This mistake would cost you dearly and would most probably prevent you from entering Vietnam.
- Mistakes in spellings and other typos
To obtain a visa on arrival to Vietnam, you must first fill an online application. Once your application is approved you will receive a visa on arrival pre-approved letter via your email. You have to produce this letter at the immigration desk when you are getting your visa stamped.
The visa on arrival pre-approved letter contains all your personal details such as name, date of birth, nationality and passport information. The visa issuing officer checks all this information and matches it with your other documents. Your visa is stamped only after a scrutinized verification of your documents.
So it is imperative to have all your details correctly mentioned in the visa form. Small yet significant mistakes such as spelling mistakes and other errors can cause delays and can even prevent the officials from stamping your visa.
The details on this letter are printed through the information which you enter while filling the visa application form. So, you have to be extremely cautious while completing your visa application form.
Ideally you should be filling your visa application with a calm head and without hurrying. You should double check all details which you enter in the form and look out for any spelling mistakes.
After receiving your visa on arrival pre-approved letter, go through all details and your personal information mentioned on it. If you find any mistakes or typos in it, inform the concerned officials promptly and get the mistakes rectified.
Issues such as wrong name order can be sorted out without many hassles. You only need to have your full name- first, middle and last name clearly mentioned in your passport. But other issues such as spelling mistakes can become a deal breaker and may result in rejection of your application for visa on arrival to Vietnam.
To avoid such unpleasant headaches fill your visa application neatly and check your visa on arrival pre-approved letter for any mistakes in advance.
- Too casual about date of arrival and validity of visa-
A common misconception about visa on arrival to Vietnam is that travelers believe they can directly arrive at Vietnam international airport at any time, get their visa on arrival stamped and enter the country.
But the fact is that visa on arrival isn’t that simple a process and it comes with some regulations. The rules regarding date of arrival are strict and travelers cannot afford to turn a blind eye on them. Even with a visa on arrival, travelers cannot enter Vietnam on any random date.
When you submit your visa on arrival application form online you are asked to provide your arrival date. This date gets printed in your visa on arrival pre-approved letter and when you arrive to Vietnam, the immigration officers checks your arrival date and then only you are eligible to enter the country.
Remember you are not allowed to enter Vietnam earlier than the date of arrival mentioned in your visa on arrival pre-approved letter. You can however, arrive to Vietnam after that date and anytime during the visa period.
Your visa on arrival to Vietnam becomes valid not from your actual date of arrival in Vietnam but from the ‘date of arrival’ you enter in your application form.
So, be extremely sure of the date you enter in the ‘arrival date’ column of your application form. The best way to go forward is to make an effective Vietnam tour plan and to stick to it.
- Extension of visa-
Vietnam is an exciting country and there are plethora of places and activities to explore. Given the scenic beauty and rejuvenating atmosphere of Vietnam it is natural for travelers to wish to extend their visa and to spend more time in this country.
Travelers believe extending their visa validity would be a piece of cake and they will do it easily when the need arrives. But the reality is far away from this conception.
The rules for visa extension in Vietnam are complicated and eat your precious time. Extending you visa to Vietnam can burn a hole in your pocket as well.
The visa extension rules are subject to frequent changes and the officials feel no necessity of informing the public before making any changes. So chances of your application getting stuck in paperwork and other hassles are immense.
Instead of grinding yourself in these official procedures it is better to plan your Vietnam tour beforehand. If chances of spending more time in Vietnam exist, then you should get a visa on arrival with more validity as this will save you from unnecessary troubles in future. For example, instead of applying for one month validity visa you should apply for three months validity. And if somehow you wish to leave Vietnam early you can do it without any trouble and this won’t put significant burden on your wallet as well.
Extending your visa to Vietnam is expensive and time consuming, so do not make the mistake of planning your Vietnam trip at the eleventh hour.
Vietnam visa on arrival by VIETNAMSVISA has made traveling to Vietnam extremely convenient. But lack of adequate knowledge and casual approach results in committing mistakes that can prevent travelers from entering Vietnam.
The above mentioned five points will help you in obtaining your visa on arrival to Vietnam without any hiccups and will save your time.
