HOW TO APPLY THE VISA FOR VIETNAM?

THREE WAYS OF OBTAINING A VISA FOR VIETNAM
Most people need a visa in order to enter Vietnam, unless they are coming from one of the visa-exempt countries. There are three ways of obtaining such a visa:

Apply for a Visa on Arrival (VOA) or;
Apply in person or by post through your nearest Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate;
Apply for an e-visa online

While there are advantages and disadvantages associated with each of these, we recommend the Visa on Arrival as the best option for the purposes of tourist, business and work considering a trip to Vietnam.

Option 1: Vietnam Visa on Arrival

Vietnam Visa On Arrival (VOA) In brief, is a process of obtaining the letter of approval through a travel agency in Vietnam to check in at the departure airport and pick up the actual visa stamp at an international airport in Vietnam upon arrival.

The Approval Letter is the legal document approved by the Vietnam Immigration Department to allow foreigners enter into Vietnam and pick up visa at the Vietnam’s international airports either Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang or Cam Ranh airport, a legitimate alternative to obtaining a full visa stamp from the Vietnamese Embassy, in your own or another country, is to opt for a very simple and much cheaper, visa on arrival (VOA). Once issued, this visa is exactly the same as a visa issued by any Vietnamese embassy/consulate, with the same limitations and conditions attached to its use.

Key Features:

Convenient, as it can be done by completing an online application form
Can be used to apply for any type of visa (1- 3, or 6 months, or 1 year multiple-entry visa)
You will need to pay two fees: 1. Service fee for approval letter, 2. Stamping fee.
The service fee is paid online to the service provider. The amount depends on the visa type (number of months and number of entries) and service provider.
The stamping fee is paid at the arrival airport when the visa is stamped. The fee starts at USD25 for 1 month and 3 month single entry, USD50 for 1 and 3 month multiple-entry visas. The stamping fee must be paid in cash (USD or VND).
Can only be obtained at Vietnam’s international airports in Hanoi, Danang, Ho Chi Minh, Cam Ranh or Phu Quoc Airport. Hence it is only an option for air passengers.
For tourist approval letter takes about 2 working days to process and can be sped up to 1 day or 4 hours for an extra charge. While the business approval letter takes 5 working days to process

Visa on Arrival is a viable option with various advantages. With Visa on Arrival, you can apply for longer-term and multiple-entry visas, and you do not need to go in person to the Embassy, or apply by post. You just need to submit an online application and get a pre-approval letter.

How long does it takes to get the approval letter?
The Approval Letter is processed and emailed to you within two (2) working days (excluding Saturday, Sunday, and national or international holidays).

In urgent cases, you can receive an Approval Letter from 4 hours to 8 hours

Option 2: Via Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate
Key Features:

Traditional approach to getting a visa
Can be done in person or by post
Can be used to apply for any type of visa
The fee is uncertain as it depends on the consulate/ embassy
Can be used for any entrance point, whether by land, air, or sea
Takes about 5 working days to process, but can be sped up to 1- 2 days for urgent service.
Visa is stamped before departure.

You can apply for a visa through the local Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate either in person or by mail. To do this, you need to fill out and sign an application form, sending it along with your passport and a passport photo.

The advantage of applying this way is that you already have the visa stamped in your passport before leaving for Vietnam, which means you do not need to queue on arrival for your passport to get stamped.

The application process is not the most convenient, however, especially for people who do not live near a Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate. Moreover, the fees vary depending on the Embassy or Consulate, and the processing time is longer.

Option 3: E-Visa
Key Features:

Very recent, was only launched on 1 February 2017
Convenient, as it can be done by completing an online application form
Only costs USD 25, which is non-refundable if the visa is declined.
May be used for any entrance point, whether by land, air, or sea. (There are 28 entrance points, including 8 international airports, 13 international border gates, and 7 seaports.)
Only for 1 month single-entry.
Takes about 3 working days to process, and you’ll know quickly whether the application was accepted or not.
The visa does not need to be stamped on your passport; hence there is no stamping fee and no need to queue for your passport to be stamped on arrival.
Only available to citizens of 46 countries (including the UK and the USA).

Applying for an e-visa is our recommended option for tourists as it is most convenient and cost-effective. However, please note that this visa is only for visitors visiting for less than 30 days. Longer-term visitors will need to consider the other two options.

Please Note that the arrival port must be the same on the documents issued by Immigration Department. If you are to change the arrival port after receiving your E-visa, you should contact them to amend the information on the documents to avoid any issue on the ground.

As this kind of visa is very new, we suggest that visitors contact with Vietnamese Immigration Department via electronic system if having any queries or take a look at the E-visa Frequently Asked Questions.

What is the visa fee for Vietnam?
As of 2016, the visa stamping fee is US$25 for single entry visa (both 1 month and 3 month type) and US$50 for multiple entry visa (both 1 month and 3 month type).

OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO VIETNAM'S WORK PERMIT, VISAS AND TEMPORARY RESIDENCE CARD