Over 10 million international tourists visited Vietnam in 2016. While holidaying in Vietnam, international tourists love to explore its rivers, beaches, Buddhist pagodas, French colonial landmarks, and museums. In addition to being a popular tourist destination, Vietnam is also one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Hence, many people also visit Vietnam for business, education, and professional purposes. Each individual has option to obtain a variety of Vietnam visas according to the nature and duration of his trip. However, it is also important for the visitor to understand Vietnam’s visa policy and rules.
Understanding Important Provisions of Vietnam’s Visa Policy
Visa Exemption
While applying for Vietnam visa, each visitor must hold a passport which is valid for 6 months. But the visitors holding passport issued by certain countries can visit Vietnam without visa. For instance, citizens of Philippines can visit the country for 21 days and citizens of Myanmar and Brunei can visit Vietnam for 14 days without visa. Likewise, the citizens of Russia, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Finland, and Sweden can visit Vietnam for 15 days without visa. Hence, each visitor can avail visa exemption based on his nationality and duration of the trip.
Single/Multiple Entry Point Visa
Each visitor can travel to Vietnam on either single entry point visa or multiple entry point visa. The single entry point visa allows the visitors to enter and exit Vietnam only once during the validity period. The visa expires automatically once the visitor leaves Vietnam. On the other hand, multiple entry point visa allows the holder to enter and exit the country several times till the visa expires. The tourists can always consider visiting Vietnam with single entry point visa. On the other hand, the people travelling to Vietnam for business or study purposes must consider applying for multiple entry point visa.
Types of Visa
The international visitors can further travel to Vietnam on either e-visa or pre-arranged visa. The country recently launched an electronic visa system that enables citizens of 40 countries to obtain single entry visa. The international visitor has to pay US$25 to obtain the single entry visa which is valid for 30 days. At the same time, an international visitor can also travel to Vietnam through a visa letter issued by the Vietnamese Immigration Department. However, the visa letter must be stamped in Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, or Hanoi. The visitor can obtain pre-arranged visa letter through several Vietnamese travel agents.
Visa on Arrival
Many international visitors find it easier to apply for Vietnam visa online. There are a number of Vietnamese travel agents who help international tourists to apply for Vietnam visa online and obtain visa on arrival. However, the visitor must apply for visa on arrival much before his scheduled trip. Based on the information provided by the tourist, the online visa processing service provider will obtain a visa letter from the Vietnamese Immigration Department. Also, he will send the visa letter to the visitor through various channels. The tourist can obtain visa on arrival by producing the visa letter issued by the Vietnamese Immigration Department at the airport in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Nang.
However, Vietnam’s visa policy and procedure keep changing from time to time. The visitors must gather information from reliable sources to decide the best way to obtain visa to Vietnam. They can even consider availing online visa processing services to obtain visa to Vietnam without putting extra time and effort.
