Getting a Visa to Vietnam can be a draining and all around difficult process. From choosing the correct visa category, duration and fee, to arranging the right documents, checking your passport and finally beginning the application process itself, for so many travellers entering Vietnam can seem almost impossible. Where do you even begin?
DO I NEED A VISA?
If you're Australian then sadly the answer is still 'yes', I know because I'm an Aussie myself and I object, but for some lucky nationals of other lucky countries the answer may well be 'no'. If they fly directly into
Phu Quoc, anyone who fancies a beachside vacation can spend up to 30 days on the island without a visa, but this is only valid in Phu Quoc so if you plan to travel through Vietnam then buying a visa is the best plan. The Vietnamese government has recently issued visa waivers for trips lasting up to 15 days in Vietnam, for the nationals from Norway, Finland, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, Russia and Belarus. It is effective until 2019.
From the 1 July to 30 June 2016 the nationals from the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain will also receive a visa waiver for 15 day visits.
Finally, visitors from the ASEAN bloc (which includes Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The Philippines, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and Vietnam) receive a 30 day visa waiver, aside from Bruneians who receive 14 days. To confirm whether or not you need a visa make sure you check with the Vietnamese Embassy in your country.
WHAT VISA DO I NEED?
As of 1 January 2015 Vietnamese immigration law was amended to include a much more specific array of visa categories. To some this may seem scary! But never fear, it's actually very useful since you're now bound to find an exact fit for your purpose of entry. Check out this handy table for a list of visa categories, the appropriate applicant for that category, and how long that category allows you to stay in Vietnam.
Visa categories
|
Who is it for?
|
Duration of visa
|
NG1 - NG4
|
Diplomats and guests of the government, and their relatives or assistants
|
Up to 12 months
|
LV1 - LV2
|
People who work with the Vietnamese authorities
|
Up to 12 months
|
ĐT
|
Foreign investors and foreign lawyers operating in Vietnam
|
Up to 5 years
|
DN
|
Working partners of Vietnamese Businesses
|
Up to 12 months
|
NN1 - NN2
|
Chief's and head representatives of representative offices of IOs and foreign NGOs in Vietnam
|
Up to 12 months
|
NN3
|
Staff members of NGOs, representative offices and branches of foreign businesses in Vietnam
|
Up to 12 months
|
DH
|
Students or interns coming to study in Vietnam
|
Up to 12 months
|
HN
|
Conference/seminar attendants
|
Up to 3 months
|
PV1
|
Journalists with permanent residence in Vietnam
|
Up to 12 months
|
PV2
|
Journalists with short term residence in Vietnam
|
Up to 12 months
|
LĐ
|
Foreign workers/labourers coming to work in Vietnam
|
Up to 2 years
|
DL
|
Tourists
|
Up to 3 months
|
TT
|
Dependents (wife, husband, or child under 18yrs) of someone with an LV1, LV2, ĐT, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LĐ
|
Up to 12 months
|
VR
|
People who will visit their relatives, or enters Vietnam for other purposes
|
Up to 6 months
|
SQ
|
People who enter Vietnam under special circumstances, for market research, tourism, visiting relatives or medical treatment
|
Up to 1 month
|
WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
When applying for a visa in any category you need a range of IDs and other annoyingly specific documents. Some categories require more specifics than others, and you can read about these
here, but for most visas including tourist visas the following apply:
- Application form for your visa category (you will find this at your Vietnam Consulate, or fill it out as part of your visa on arrival process)
- Passport that is valid for at least 30 days longer than your visa, but many airlines require an even longer validity! Check before you book.
- Visa approval document (your agent or embassy should arrange this for you)
- Passport style photos sized 4 cm x 6 cm
- Cash for a stamping fee if you are making a visa on arrival
HOW DO I GET MY VISA?
There are a variety of ways to get a visa to Vietnam. The processing time is generally from one to three working days, but we advise allowing at least a week for your visa to be ready. Preferably a lot longer! Urgent visas are available but are more expensive. You can check a comprehensive list of visa fees at this agent’s
page on visa fees.
Make absolutely sure you have the appropriate photos when applying for your visa. If you apply online you can check your photo at the official
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam website, and if you apply in person be sure to have a stash of pics measuring 4 cm x 6 cm. Stashes like this are useful when traveling, and let's face it those small passport type pics are fun anyway.
You can apply for your visa via the Vietnamese Embassy in your country, through an agency, visa on arrival, or at a land border.
Embassy: To buy a visa from your Embassy, make sure you have the correct documents and simply turn up. Easy as pie.
Agency: The advantage of going through an agency is they can do a rush visa if you need one last minute. They can also organize all those nitty gritty details for you that just make you want to scream. Visit a travel agent in the neighboring country that you’re in before you cross the border to Vietnam, or use an online service. We can recommend a few good online agencies, including the
Vietnam Visa Corp and
Viet Dream Travel.
On Arrival: Visas online can be cheaper upfront since you don't pay a processing fee, but you will need to pay a 'stamping fee' between $45 US and $95 US depending on your visa category, once you arrive in Vietnam.
Note that online visas can be irritating once you reach Vietnam, as you'll probably be waiting a while in a queue for a visa stamp! A visa through your embassy can also involve queues, but from my experience it's generally a smoother process all around.
Border: Finally, if you're entering Vietnam from Laos or Cambodia, a visa at the border is the best and cheapest option. Most bus operators will organise this for you as a part of their service, but it can help to know a bit about official documents before you go gallivanting across foreign countries.
Your best bet is to ask about visas when you book. Should your bus not offer a visa service, visit the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia or Laos and secure your visa and letter of approval before you get on!
HOW DO I EXTEND MY VISA?
This is not a problem, as far as I know. I do it often, and there seems to be two options. One is to make a trip to a nearby land border and have your visa extended at the border (bring your passport and cash to make the stamp), and the other is to go through a local travel agent.
In
HCMC there are many agents who offer reliable visa extension, and my absolute favorite is at
Viet Dream Travel on 112 Bui Vien,
District 1. This agency extends visas, arranges visas on arrival for you from outside the country, and is generally helpful and smiley. They also run a hostel! Totally worth checking them out.
HELPFUL TIPS
- Keep in mind, during the Lunar New Year (falling sometime in late February and March), agencies will tack on an additional $100-200 US because of the holiday season no matter what type of tourist visa you’re applying for. Once the Lunar New Year celebration passes, the prices once again fall to standard rates.
- Check with more than one or two agencies in order to get the best deal
- Keep that stash of small selfies handy
SOME OTHER USEFUL VISA WEBSITES:
Contact: Vietnam Immigration Department Head Offices
Hanoi: 44-46 Tran Phu St., Ba Dinh District, Open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 11:00 am & 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Telephone: 04 3825 7941
Ho Chi Minh City: 254 Nguyen Trai St., D1, Open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 11:30 am & 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Telephone: 08 3920 2300
(From Zoe Osborne / City Pass Guide)
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