Visa procedure
Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, tourist visa may be valid for 15 to 30 days. Tourist visa can only be obtained in Vietnamese embassies, consulates abroad. Otherwise, you can get a visa at the border gates if you are invitees of some Vietnamese competent organs or you are travelling on a package tour organized by Vietnamese travel companies. To apply for a visa, the requirements are as follows:
– Entry permit form (which can vary from one Vietnamese embassies or consulate abroad to another) – There are two categories of this form: for foreigners and for Vietnamese overseas.
– Two photos (4cmx6cm or 3cmx4cm)
– Original passport
– Visa fee.
You should send your application and photos to a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, which is most convenient to you. On your requirement, the reply will be returned by post (you must provide stamped envelopes with your name and address). It is easier to get your visa from a Vietnamese travel agency. The necessary information to the travel agency include:
– Full name
-Birthdayandplace of birth
– Nationality
– Job
– number of your passport
– Entry and exit dates
– Country you plan to receive your entry visa from the Vietnamese embassies or consulates
Vietnamese overseas are required to provide more information:
– Year and reason to leave Vietnam
– Leave Vietnam by means
– Full names and addresses of relations in Vietnam
Visa exemption:
– Not more than 30 days: for citizens of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos.
– Not more than 15 days: for citizens of Japan and South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland.(Vietnamese diplomatic and official passport holders are exempted from visa requirements to enter Japan).
– French citizens holding valid diplomatic passports are exempt from visa requirements when visiting Vietnam and are allowed to stay for up 3 months at one time or on several visits within six months since their first immigration dates. Vietnamese citizens holding valid diplomatic passports also enjoy similar privileges.
– Citizens of Chile and Vietnam holding valid diplomatic or official passports from one of the two countries are exempt from needing entry, exit and transit visas in the other’s territory and are allowed to stay for up 60 days on each visit.
Visa fee exemption takes effect
The visa fee exemption policy took effect on October 10 after the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) had issued guidelines on the policy over weekend. In a document signed by VNAT’s Deputy Director General Nguyen Manh Cuong, the tourism agency said the exemption of visa fees would be granted between October 10, 2010 and December 31, 2010 to international visitors. However, the incentive is limited to only those tourists who buy packaged tours from international travel companies who have registered to join the country’s tourism marketing campaign named Viet Nam – Your Destination. Tourists can find such companies at The central Government late of last month announced the new policy for international travelers to the country following a request from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Travelers who purchase “Vietnam – Your Destination” program’s tours but make their tours after December 31 will not be entitled to visa fee exemption. The country received more than 383,000 foreign visitors last month, bringing the total number of foreign arrivals to over 3.73 million in the January – September period, up 34.2% year on year.
