If you travel to Vietnam you are required to have a valid visa. The visa that you can apply online is the visa on arrival.
After application you will receive an authorization letter within two working days with which you can collect your visa at the international airport in Vietnam. This way you do not have to go to the Vietnamese embassy.
Visa On Arrival has been (temporarily?) stopped by the Vietnamese immigration service
Since the beginning of 2022, the Vietnamese Immigration Service has stopped issuing Visa On Arrivals. At the moment it is only possible to apply for an e-visa of a maximum of 1 month. Read more about the e-visa here.
- What is a Vietnam Visa On Arrival?
- What kind of visa do I need?
- Authorization letter
- Which documents do I need?
- Costs for Visa On Arrival
- Apply for Vietnam Visa On Arrival
- Important to know
- Frequently asked questions about Visa On Arrival in Vietnam
What is a Vietnam Visa On Arrival?
Visa on Arrival (VOA) or Visa on arrival is an alternative way to get a visa for Vietnam, in addition to the traditional way to get a visa at the Vietnamese embassy.
With this type of visa you, “the visa applicant”, must submit an online application for an approval letter (authorization letter), which functions as official permission. This allows you to fly to Vietnam and have the official visa stamped at the airport of arrival in Vietnam. To get a visa stamp, you must submit your Vietnam approval letter together with your passport (at least 6 months validity), two passport photos, a completed visa application form and contact fees for stamping costs at the airport’s immigration service.
What kind of visa do I need?
You can opt for a single or multiple entry visa.
- Single entry: With a single entry visa it is allowed to travel to Vietnam once within the validity of the visa.
- Multiple entry: If you opt for a multiple entry visa you can travel to Vietnam multiple times within the validity of the visa.
In addition, you can opt for a visa for 1 month and a visa for 3 months, with which you can stay in Vietnam for a maximum of 1 month and a maximum of 3 months respectively.
Authorization letter
The Vietnam Visa Approval Letter (Authorization Letter) is a document issued by the Vietnamese Immigration Service (Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam). It functions as an official permission that allows the owner (s) to board the flight to Vietnam and get a visa stamped on the passport upon arrival at Vietnam airport.
Below is an example of a visa approval letter:
The authorization letter or approval letter is written in Vietnamese. This letter allows you to collect a visa “on arrival”. There are two versions of this letter: the public version and the closed version. In the public variant, several travelers (not necessarily from the same group) are invited. With a closed or private letter, only your name or your company is on the letter. We always use the private letter so that your information is not shared with third parties.
The delivery time of the visa for Vietnam is a maximum of two working days. However, you often receive the visa after just one day, quickly and easily.
Which documents do I need?
You do not need any documents for the online application; This means that you do not have to scan documents and e-mail or send them by post.
Read more here about which documents you must prove at the airport.
Costs for Visa On Arrival
To receive your Vietnam visa upon arrival, you must pay two different surcharges: service costs and stamping costs.
The service costs are paid online to rondreisinvietnam.nl to receive the visa approval letter. The total costs depend on the visa you need, the number of applicants and the processing time.
The stamping costs are paid to the immigration service at the airport on arrival. You pay $ 25 for single entry visas and $ 50 for mutiple entry visas.
Apply for Vietnam Visa On Arrival
Step 1: Request your visa authorization letter
Take 5 minutes to complete the online form with the following required information:
- Full name – Same as in the passport
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Passport number
- Date of arrival
- Type of visa
Step 3: Receive authorisation letter by e-mail
After 3 working days (normal service);
- Receive your visa authorization letter via e-mail (attached with visa application form)
Then you must:
- Print this letter and the form,
- Complete the Vietnamese visa application form,
- Prepare 2 passport photos of 4×6 cm and cash for the stamp costs,
- Bundle all the aforementioned items together with your passport.
Step 4: Get a visa stamped on arrival
Upon arrival at the airport, go to the Visa On Arrival desk (VOA) and present the documents, including:
- Your passport
- Visa authorization letter
- 2 passport photos
- Vietnam visa application form
- Cash for stamping costs
When you get your passport back at the VOA desk, you go through the immigration, where an immigration officer has your visa stamped in your passport. Collect your bags and enjoy your time in Vietnam.
Important to know
- A visa on arrival is not an option if you want to enter Vietnam by land.
- You can only go to the airports of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and Nha Trang for a visa on arival.
- Your authorization letter is not the actual visa. You give this letter on arrival at the airport at the immigration desk and you will receive $ 25 or $ 50 there after paying the stamp costs.
- The following visas are available: 1 month single entry, 1 month multiple entry, 3 months single entry and 3 months multiple entry.
Frequently asked questions about Visa On Arrival in Vietnam
What if I changed my airport of arrival in Vietnam?
This doesn’t matter at all. The visa authorization letter (to collect a visa upon arrival) works at all 5 international airports in Vietnam (Noi Bai in Hanoi, Cat Bi in Hai Phong, Da Nang in Da Nang, Cam Ranh in Khanh Hoa and Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City). You can change your arrival between those airports and have the visa stamped without problems.
What if I do not yet know when I will be traveling to Vietnam exactly while completing my application form and the visa authorization letter?
It doesn’t matter at all. In case you are still not sure what your travel dates are, you can specify the planned dates when you complete the VOA Vietnam online application form. But please note that you can enter Vietnam later than the specified arrival date, but that you cannot arrive earlier, so think carefully before entering your dates in the form
Do I have to contact the Vietnamese embassy if I have the authorization letter?
No. When you use Vietnam visa on arrival (or VOA Vietnam), you have nothing to do with regard to the Vietnamese embassy for your visa for Vietnam.
After you have received the authorization letter by e-mail, you only need to print it together with the attached Vietnam visa application form (formerly known as Entry and Exit Form) and you will get the passport stamped upon arrival at Vietnam airport by completing these forms showing, original passport, photos and paying for stamping.
Do I have to provide documents to apply for an authorization letter for a visa for Vietnam?
No. You do not have to show a document when you request an authorization letter online for the Vietnamese visa, you only have to provide your details, including:
Your contact details (name, e-mail address);
Your travel dates;
Information from the applicant (full name, passport number, gender, nationality, date of birth and expiry date of the passport).
Do I have to provide documents to apply for an authorization letter for a visa for Vietnam?
No. You do not have to show a document when you request an authorization letter online for the Vietnamese visa, you only have to provide your details, including:
Your contact details (name, e-mail address);
Your travel dates;
Information from the applicant (full name, passport number, gender, nationality, date of birth and expiry date of the passport).
When do I need to apply for an on arrival visa for Vietnam?
Visa On Arrival is only for people traveling to Vietnam by flight. You can only use it if you travel to Vietnam by plane.
How long in advance do I need to request an authorization letter for a Vietnam visa?
Keep in mind that a normal application takes 3 working days. The Vietnam Immigration is closed on weekends. In addition, urgent requests of 1 day, 4 hours and 2 hours are also possible (also only possible during working hours). So keep in mind to submit your application on time.
Can I enter Vietnam earlier than my permitted arrival date in the visa approval letter?
No you can not. Later is allowed, but earlier arrival is not possible. If you change your plan and want to enter Vietnam earlier than the permitted arrival date, you are advised to request a new visa approval letter.
Can I leave Vietnam later than the starting date assigned in my visa approval letter?
No, you can’t. Earlier is of course allowed, but with a later departure that is not possible. If you want to stay longer than the expiry date of your visa, it is recommended that you apply for a visa extension.
Can I use a Visa On Arrival for my arrival by land or sea?
No that is impossible. With a Vietnam Visa On Arrival only applies to air travel, since the visa applicants must get a visa stamp at the airport of arrival in Vietnam. If you want to enter Vietnam by country, you are advised to contact the closest Vietnamese embassy / to apply for a visa.
What is the difference between a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa?
There is a big difference between a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa for Vietnam:
Single entry visa: you may enter Vietnam once during your visa period. After you leave Vietnam, your visa will automatically become invalid.
Multiple visa: you can enter and leave Vietnam many times during the visa’s validity.
Can I pay for stamp services in Vietnam Dong (VND)?
Yes, that’s possible. You can pay for stamp services in VND or AUD, SGD, etc. but USD is strongly recommended to prevent unbalanced exchange rates at the airport.
