Before you travel to Vietnam you must already have a Vietnam visa. Here you can read everything you need to know: what is the cheapest and fastest way to arrange the visa? What are the costs? And the different ways to obtain this Vietnam visa:
- E-Visa
- Visa on Arrival
- Visa through the embassy
What you can read about the Vietnam visa on this page:
- Vietnam visa: the options
- Vietnam E-Visa
- Vietnam Visa on Arrival
- Visa through the embassy
- Airports and border crossings with visa
Vietnam visa: the options
You can choose 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 choose the length of your visa:
- 1 month visa; for a maximum of 1 month stay
- 3 month visa, for a maximum of 3 month stay
Vietnam E-Visa
Good news if you have a passport from one of the countries in this list, because then you can apply for an e-visa for Vietnam.
Benefits
- Simple
- 100% online application
- Transparent prices: $ 25 USD (total costs, no stamping costs at the airport)
- The processing takes approximately 3 working days (assuming there are no problems)
- 30 day validity
- Valid for 28 different airports and border crossings *
Cons
- Only Single Entry possible
- Only 1 month valid visa possible
- No refund if the application is rejected
- Visa is not renewable
Cost
$ 25 for 30 days of Single Entry
Procedure
- Go to the official website (https://www.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/)
- Enter your personal details as requested.
- Pay $ 25 USD and wait 3 business days for approval.
- You will receive a registration code with which you can check the status of your E-Visa application via this page.
What you need
- A digital passport photo. 4×6 cm large. (Do not wear glasses, hat, scarf, etc.).
- A digital scan of your passport page. This may be in black and white or in color, but it must be clear.
- A credit card to pay the visa costs.
What you need to know
- The form asks for your point of entry and departure point. It contains all 28 valid entry gates.
- You need an address where you stay in Vietnam. Your hotel or hostel is the right address to use.
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months. (the 6 months are calculated from the date of arrival in Vietnam, not the date of your application).
- Your passport must also contain 2 blank pages.
- Don’t forget to print your approved E-Visa and take it to the airport. Save this also for departure from Vietnam.
- When you arrive in Vietnam, you no longer have to stop at the Visa-On-Arrival desk. Take your passport and approval letter directly to the row where immigration service stamps tourists into the country.
Vietnam Visa on Arrival
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.
Via a Visa on Arrival you first request an approval letter (Letter of Aproval). With this letter you can collect your visa upon arrival at the airport.
Benefits
- Available for all travelers arriving by plane
- Multiple Entry possible
- You can opt for 1 month or 3 months visa
- Processing takes two business days and with some websites an emergency service of 2-4 hours is available
- Visa can be extended
Cons
- Unclear price (there are many sites that all offer this visa, all at different costs)
- Online application costs plus extra processing and waiting at the airport
- Only available at the 5 most important airports (so you cannot enter Vietnam by land).
- Lots of paperwork
Cost
- You pay processing costs at the visa office. These costs are between $ 10 and $ 25 for a Single Entry 1 month. The costs are higher for a Multiple Entry and for when you choose a 3-month visa.
- You have to pay stamp costs at the airport. $ 25 dollars for Single Entry and $ 50 for Multiple Entry.
Procedure
- Complete the application form.
- Wait 2 business days to get your Visa Approval Letter.
- Upon arrival in Vietnam, go to the immigration office and provide your Approval Letter, visa application form with an attached photo and passport.
- Then you pay the stamp costs:
- 1 month single entry = $ 25
- 3 months single entry = $ 25
- 1 month multiple entry = $ 50
- 3 months multiple entry = $ 50
What you need when applying
- A digital passport photo. 4×6 cm large. (Do not wear glasses, hat, scarf, etc.)
- A digital scan of the passport photo page. This can be in black and white or in color, but it must be clear.
- A credit card is required to process the visa fee
What you need to know
- You must print the approval letter and take two (4 cm x 6 cm) passport photos with your passport.
- On arrival you show the approval letter and photos at the immigration desk at the airport before you enter the regular immigration line.
- In addition to the online application costs, you also have to pay stamp costs at the airport.
- You must pay this fee in USD or Vietnamese Dong. Take this with you when you arrive, because ATMs are outside customs.
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months. (Note: the 6 months are calculated from the date of arrival in Vietnam, not the date of your request).
- Your passport must also contain 2 blank pages
- The visa on arrival can be extended 30 days after arrival. Request this 7 working days before the expiry of the validity period, since the processing can take a week.
Learn more about Visa on Arrival.
Visa through the embassy
You can also apply for your visa directly at the embassy of Vietnam in The Hague, Brussels or any other Vietnamese embassy.
Benefits
You will quickly pass through immigration at the airport in Vietnam
Valid for 28 different airports and border crossings *
This costs a little more, but you are sure you have your visa before you enter Vietnam.
Cons
You must go to a Vietnamese embassy yourself or arrange this through a visa service or send it by registered mail.
The costs are higher plus you have to go to the embassy yourself or have extra costs to arrange it through a visa service.
Cost
Procedure
3 options:
Go to the embassy. It is also possible to go to a Vietnamese embassy abroad.
Send all required papers and your passport by registered mail to the embassy in The Hague
Have a visa service arrange your visa application.
The visa is directly affixed to your passport.
…
What you need when applying
- Original passport
- Visa application form with an attached photo
- Cash (in euros) to pay the visa costs
What you need to know
- You can apply for a visa at any Vietnamese embassy
- You do not have to make an appointment at the Vietnamese embassy
Airports and border crossings with visa
You can use these airports and border crossings with an E-Visa or visa via the embassy. With a VOA (Visa on Arrival) you can only enter through the selected international airports.
International airports
- Cat Bi Int Airport (Hai Phong)
- Cam Ranh Int Airport (Khanh Hoa)
- Can Tho International Airport (Mekong Delta)
- Da Nang International Airport
- Noi Bai Int Airport (Hanoi)
- Phu Bai Int Airport
- Phu Quoc International Airport
- Tan Son Nhat Int Airport (Ho Chi Minh City)
Land borders
Laos
- Bo Y (Laos)
- Cha Lo (Laos)
- Cau Treo (Laos)
- Lao Bao (Laos)
- Nam Can (Laos)
China
- Huu Nghi (China)
- Lao Cai (China)
- Mong Cai (China)
- Song Tien (China)
Cambodia
- Tinh Bien (Cambodia)
- Xa Mat (Cambodia)
- Moc Bai (Cambodia)
- Ha Tien (Cambodia)
Ports
- Da Nang
- Hon Gai
- Hai phong
- Nha Trang
- Quy Nhon
- Ho Chi Minh City
