Are you preparing for a trip to Southeast Asia, which will include a stopover of a few days in Vietnam? Here's everything you need to know about the entry requirements for citizens in Vietnam, how to obtain a visa and how much it costs.
How to get a tourist visa for Vietnam?
Tourists need a visa to enter Vietnam. The visa is very easy to obtain both online and on arrival.
E-visa
We chose this option because we didn't want to have any hassle. We were going to arrive in Da Nang at 3-4 in the morning, and after two extremely busy days in New Delhi, all we wanted was to get to the hotel as quickly as possible. So, just 4 weeks before, we applied for an e-visa.
The e-visa for Vietnam is very easy to obtain:
- you access this site
- you upload a photo of the passport data page and a "passport-type" photo
- you fill in your travel details
- you pay the visa fee (=25 USD) and note the registration code.
Three days later, you access the same website, in the "status" section, enter your data and registration code and find out if you have received the visa (you will receive it anyway). The visa will be downloaded, printed and placed in your luggage.
Important! The e-visa is granted for a maximum period of 30 days and allows a single entry.
Visa-on-arrival
For VOA you need an approval letter that can be obtained online (there are dozens of websites and agencies that offer this service). Upon arrival, to receive the visa, you must present the letter (in physical format) and pay a visa fee of 25 USD.
It is said that some people are exempt from paying the visa fee, but I have not found any official information. However, I know people who have not paid the 25 USD, so I don't think it's just a rumor.
