# Asia Highlights

# Entering Vietnam – Who Needs a Visa

## News and Updates on Free Exemption

The free visa exemption for holders of United Kingdom, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Belarussian passports is valid between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2016. It is unknown if the exemption will continue after 30 June 2016.

## Quick Facts

- Passport Validity: Six months from the date of your arrival in Vietnam
- Entering by air: Visa on Arrival (VOA) is legitimate and highly recommended with a written approval letter.
- Entering by land or water: A valid visa from the Vietnamese embassy or consulate is required.
- Visa Exemption: Travelers from visa exempted countries only needs a visa exemption document.
- Methods of Application: Travel agencies/online visa travel agents/Vietnam Embassy or Consulate.
- Stamping fee for VOA: Travelers Pay at the airport directly in cash (Dong/US Dollars) $25 for 1 month/ 3 months Single Entry Visa $50 for 1 month/ 3 months Multiple Entry Visa
- Reminder: Asia Highlights recommends our customers keep a photocopy of their passport separate somewhere or keep an e-version of the passport in an accessible email account.

## Free Visa Exemption

As of 2016, citizens from 23 countries could enter Vietnam without a visa for various time periods, most of which are ASEAN members.

Countries | Days
--- | ---
Belarus, *Demark, *Finland, *France, *German, *Italy, *Japan, *Norway, *Russia, *South Korea, *Spain, *Sweden, and *United Kingdom | 15 days
Brunei and Myanmar | 14 days
Cambodia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, | 30 days

*- are required to meet the following:

- Holding a passport valid for at least 6 months from the departure date from Vietnam and at least 30 days have passed since last leaving Vietnam. It is also impossible to extend the visa when the visa has expired.
- Showing a printout of an air ticket to a third country. Note that all kinds of E-tickets are not acceptable.

Notes

1. 1. All travelers can visit Phu Quoc visa free for up to 30 days.
2. 2. All citizens from China, Cuba and North Korea holding passports endorsed “for public affairs” could enter Vietnam without a visa.
3. 3. Holders of diplomatic or official/service passports of most countries can enter Vietnam without a visa.

## Pre-arranged Visa

If travelers do not meet the requirements above, a valid pre-arranged visa is required before entering Vietnam. One can apply for it through an online visa agent or any Vietnam Embassy/Consulate. We highly recommend Visa on Arrival (VOA) for travelers entering Vietnam by an international flight landing in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

## Types of Vietnam Visa

With 20 types of Vietnam visas to choose, most foreigners apply for either Tourist Visa or Business Visa. As of 1 January 2015, under the Vietnam Law on Immigration, new visa codes with new durations have been updated, including: NG,LV,DN,NN DH,HN,PV,LD,DL,TT,VR,SQ.

## Vietnam Tourists Visa (DL)

- For traveling purpose
- Including 1 month single entry and 1 month multiple entry
- Staying in Vietnam up to 30 days
- Allowing one-time extension of 30 days during travelers’ stay in Vietnam
- A valid passport with at least 6 months of validity and a recent passport-sized photo are required for online visa application or any Vietnam Embassy/Consulate application

## Business Visa (DN)

- For people entering Vietnam for business, attending a conference, signing a contract, sales, etc.
- Valid for 3 months with single or multiple entrys
- A sponsor invite letter by a licensed Vietnamese company is required for the application through the Vietnam Embassy
- Other required materials include a valid passport with at least six months validity and two passport-sized photos

## Transit Visa

- Is only issued to escorted group tours by tour licensed companies. The maximum validity of this kind of visa is up to 5 days
- For application of this visa, travelers must show an air ticket to a third country after departing Vietnam and a detailed itinerary provided by a Vietnamese travel agency. The stamping fee is $5, and the processing fee to the travel agent is approximately $20.
- For individuals wishing to take a short tour to kill time before the next flight, you must apply for a tourist visa.

## Diplomatic and Official Vietnam Visa

- It requires the applicant submitting an official letter approved by the concerned agencies of local government, foreign embassies or consulates accredited to the applicant’s country, or accredited international organizations in the applicant’s country.
- No fees are required.

## Single or Multiple Entry Visa

- Both single and multiple entry visas are types of visa mentioned above.
- Visitors could apply for Tourist Visa and Business Visa with either single entry or multiple entry visas..
- Holders of single entry visa can enter Vietnam only once, while a multiple entry allows them visit Vietnam as many times as they can during the validity time of the visa.
- The stamping fee is paid at the first entry only.

Notes

1. 1. Travelers who plan to exit Vietnam and enter it again should hold a multiple entry visa (one month or three month). However, if only entering Vietnam for a transfer and not leaving the airport, a multiple entry visa is not required.
2. 2. For holders of a single entry visa, it is possible to apply for a multiple visa while in Vietnam. Local visa agents in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City can handle such cases. Online visa agents also can provide this service. It takes seven working days. Different agents charge different service fees. Both the visa fee and service fee is higher than single entry.
3. 3. In order to save time and money, Asia Highlights recommends you take every possible situation into consideration before visa application, and apply for the most suitable the first time.