Vietnam Visa - Things you should know

Most visitors still need to apply for a Vietnamese visa in advance to enter the country. Vietnamese visa is inexpensive in comparision to any other countries' visa fees ranging from US$45 - 85 if application is sent directly to the Embassy or US$25-55 if your visa has been pre-approved. A fairly convenient visa on arrival process has recently been introduced, but this requires a pre-arranged application to Hanoi Immigration Department and is generally helpful to nationals of countries without Vietnamese embassies or to avoid complicated "red tape" procedures. Read our who need visa for the visa exemption information.

APPLY FOR VISA ON ARRIVAL ONLINE? (sponsored listing)

My Vietnam Visa
Providing visa on arrival service, guaranteed 2 day processing. Secure payment by credit cards, PayPal. Recommended by travelers on LonelyPlanet and TripAdvisor.
www.MyVietnamVisa.com

Recommended on Tripadvisor: "I went VOA at myvietnamvisa.com - 3mth visa. Paid $40 upfront (debit card) for my approval letter which arrived via email (in colour) within 3 days ready for printing, plus a link to download the form that you have to fill on arrival - fill it in to save time!" (by 69bertie)

1. For visa on arrival, you can enter Vietnam 1 day earlier to the date provided and leave 1 day later after the visa expires.
2. Small typo mistake on the visa or approval letter is acceptable, however, it is strongly recommended that you check your details carefully to make sure that they are correct to avoid problem at Vietnam airport.

VISA EXEMPTION UPDATES

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has given the nod to a new regulation allowing overseas Vietnamese and their families to enter Vietnam without visas as of September 1, and the visa exemption decision meets overseas Vietnamese aspirations. Read more on lotus blog.

5-day visa free: Many travelers emailed us about the The 5-day visa-free stay scheme which was announced in 2002 and it seems to have been wishful thinking, however, we have never heard it used.

Visa tips:

1. Visa regulations are often changing, so check carefully before you are due to travel. Usually, it is possible to extend visas within Vietnam but not during the Party Congresses.

2. Visa extensions are often done with less than 1 week on your ongoing visa, and after 3 extensions, you must get a new visa. The fee is ranging from 18-35USD.

3. In case, you are exempted from visa to Vietnam, and want to stay longer than your allowed time, the fee is quite expensive (50-70USD), so keep in mind this when you plan your travel itinerary.

4. Please apply for a visa to Vietnam one or two weeks in advance to avoid unwanted troubles or urgent fee.

Need help on Vietnam Passport and Visa?

If this page did not answer your questions on visa to Vietnam, or you need more information on visa, don't hesitate to drop us an email at support@guidevietnam.com. We will get back to you shortly. Thank you!

Consular Information Sheet - Vietnam consular sheet - Vietnamese visa
Visa exemption agreements - List of visa exemption agreements between Vietnam and foreign countries (31 December, 2006) by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.