How to Apply for a Vietnam Tourist Visa

Visitors who can't enjoy Vietnam visa exemption policy should apply for a visa to enter or stay in Vietnam, no matter how long they plan to stay in the country. There are several options for obtaining the visa for Vietnam: Visa exemption, apply for an e-visa, apply for visa on arrival or apply for a visa at a Vietnamese consulate in a different country.

Visa Exemption

At present, Vietnam grants visa-free treatment to residents of 24 countries and territories. Holders of Certificates of Visa Exemption do not require a visa regardless of nationality. Phu Quoc Island is the only place in Vietnam that does not require a visa. Visitors can stay in Phu Quoc Island without a visa for up to 30 days.

List of passport nationalities which are eligible to enter Vietnam without visa:

• People from Chile can visit Vietnam for up to 90 days with a visa-free entry.

• People who hold passport of Cambodia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand can travel to Vietnam for up to 30 days without a visa.

• Philippines residents can stay in Vietnam for up to 21 days with visa exemption.

• Holders of normal passports issued by Belarus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom (Britain only) can visit Vietnam for up to 15 days with visa-free policy.

• Brunei, Myanmar residents can only stay in Vietnam for up to 14 days without a visa.

E-visa

Vietnam officially launched the e-visa pilot system on February 1, 2017. Applying for an e-visa is the most convenient way to get your tourism visa. It only costs 25 USD and the application should be processed within three working days. If your visa is rejected, the payment is non-refundable. You'll receive an email with your Vietnam E-Visa attached if the application is approved.

Passport-holders from the following 46 countries can apply for e-visa for up to 30 days for single entry visits:

• Argentina, Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Timor Leste, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela

Please make sure you prepare the following documents for your e-visa application process:

• The scan or photo of your passport (must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay in Vietnam)
• Recent passport size ID photos: 4x6cm or 2x2 inches

Visa on Arrival

Visa on arrival is a common and popular way to obtain your visa to Vietnam. The visa on arrival only works for arriving in one of the major international airports in Vietnam: Saigon, Hanoi, Nha Trang or Da Nang.

Procedures for applying for a visa on arrival:

1. Hold a passport with at least 6-month validity from the date of travel.
2. Apply for the visa approval letter online via a third-party visa agent or tour operator based in Vietnam.
3. Print the approval letter and prepare two passport sized photos 4x6cm.
4. Fill out the entry-and-exit form and prepare for an amount of USD for stamping fee ($25 for single entry; $50 for multiple entry visa)
5. Get your visa stamp upon arrival at one of the Vietnam's airports.

Visa from a Vietnam Embassy or Consulate

Apply for a tourism visa directly at the Vietnam embassy or consulate is the most expensive and traditional way to get a visa. The process time can take up to a week, you’d better apply for it in advance. And you don’t have to waste time to queue on arrival for a visa.

The application procedure of Vietnam stamp visa:

1. Prepare the passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel and two recent passport sized photos 4x6 cm
2. Submit a completed visa application form with the required documents to the overseas Vietnamese embassy or consulate in person or by email.