13/08/2023
𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲
As you might be aware, since August 15, 2023, Vietnam visa policy will have some changes that make your stay (and hopefully your experience at the airports) much easier. I would like to take this opportunity to summarize all basic information about Vietnam's entry requirements - hope that helps in the planning for your trips.
It depends on your nationalities to identify whether you can enter the country visa-free, you need a visa or anything in between (i.e. landing approval letter), so I will go from the most relaxed category.
𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐀-𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄: You can enter Vietnam without a visa or any pre-registration procedure if you are a passport holder of the following countries (numbers in brackets are the number of days you can stay):
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚: all countries (30) except the Philippines (21), Brunei (14), and East Timor (no visa-free policy)
𝐄𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚: Japan (45), South Korea (45), Kyrgyzstan (30)
𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 (𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬): Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Belarus (all 45)
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚: Chile (90), Panama (90)
*Note that all visa-free are allowed for multiple entries.
𝐄-𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐀: if you are from eligible countries (80 countries), you can apply for an e-visa (official link and list of countries below). The E-visa price is 25 USD and processing time is sometimes between 24 hours and 1 working week, although waiting time in weeks is not unheard of. E-visa is accepted at major border checkpoints, airports, and seaports, with the most notable exception being Lien Khuong Airport in Dalat.
The downside? Technical issues and late/lengthy approval are among the things getting constantly complained about. If you plan to get an e-visa, do it early (read: one month in advance). You can’t change your port of entry either. Once issued, you must follow your plan, or apply for a new one.
𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑: Contradiction to many beliefs, there is no such thing as visa-on-arrival. To get the so-called Vietnam visa on arrival, you need to contact an agent in Vietnam first (there are many in the group) for the Landing Approval Letter. In most cases, a snapshot of your passport, a fee, and about 1-2 working days is enough and you will receive a scanned letter with your information. You must print out the letter and proceed to the visa counter at the airport to receive your actual visa sticker, which is another 25 USD.
The fee for a landing approval letter varies, so shop around. This becomes handy if:
· Your country is not on the eligible list for e-visa
· You had trouble with the e-visa process
· You plan for your trip at the last minutes
Do note that there is an unofficial list of “hard” countries to get the letter (which eventually costs more). This varies from time to time but usually includes some African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian countries.
𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍: In case you are a foreign national of Vietnamese origin, you can be eligible for a 5-year visa exemption (180 days stay for each entry), providing that you possess any documents proving your Vietnamese origin (birth certificate, former citizenship certificate or citizenship renouncement certificate, etc...). Together with a traditional visa, this should be done via a Vietnam embassy or consulate.
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