Do I need a visa to travel to Vietnam

Vietnam Visa Requirements

For any traveler a trip planning should start not from booking a flight ticket or arranging a hotel, but from checking the visa policy of the country he would like to visit. Some nationalities can enter the territory of Vietnam without visa. But for majority of the countries it is required. The visitors can obtain a visa from one of the Vietnamese diplomatic missions or via agency on arrival. Also a passport valid for at least 6 months is necessary. Check the policy before you start travelling to avoid problems on the Vietnamese border. Southern Vietnam with extension to Cambodia 10 days

Visa Exemption
Currently 17 nationalities can visit Vietnam without visa for different time periods. In 2014 it was proposed to allow citizens of European Union, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan to enter the country without visa as well. But in September 2014 this proposal was rejected. Vietnamese government extended the list of the visa exemption countries only for Australia, France, Germany, India and the UK. SONG XANH CRUISE

List of the countries that do not require a visa to Vietnam (with a duration of staying): Image Cruise
Brunei (14 days)
Cambodia (30 days)
Denmark (15 days)
Finland (15 days)
Indonesia (30 days)
Japan (15 days)
Kyrgyzstan (30 days)
Laos (30 days)
Malaysia (30 days)
Myanmar (14 days)
Norway (15 days)
Philippines (21 days)
Russia (15 days)
Singapore (30 days)
South Korea (15 days)
Sweden (15 days)
Thailand (30 days)

Do I need a visa to travel to Vietnam

Visit to Phú Quốc Island
Phu Quoc is designated as a Special Economic Zone and the Vietnamese government are allowing tourists to stay on the island for up to 30 days without requiring a Vietnam Visa. To be able to enter Phu Quoc without visa you should arrive to the island from any other foreign country and land at Phu Quoc International Airport. If you are transiting from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, then you must board your flight to Phu Quoc from the international terminal in order to receive your exemption. Also it is possible to come to the island by a cruise ship sailing from the other international ports. However, if you are planning to continue your trip around the country, then visa obtaining is required.

Visa on-arrival
In order to get your visa on arrival, first of all, you should receive an approval letter. First of all, you  have to fill in the Online Application Form and pay the service fee. Normally, within 2-3 working days you will get your Visa approval letter issued and stamped by the Vietnamese Immigration Department. The same document will be sent to Vietnam Immigration checkpoints at the international airports, wo when you arrive, the documents will be prepared for you. With the approval letter you can obtain a visa at airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang for a maximum stay up to 3 months.

Types and cost
The fee depends on a type of visa you would like to obtain and your duration of staying. There are two types of visas in Vietnam: single entry and multiple entry. The service fee for applying starts at USD 17. Stamping fee depends on your type of visa:
Single-entry visas – USD 45
Multiple-entry visas
Valid for less than 01 month – USD 65
Valid for less than 06 months – USD 95
Valid for 6 months or more – USD 135
Transfer of validity of visas or temporary residence from expired passports to new passports – USD 15
(PLEASE NOTE – THESE ARE THE PRICES AT TIME OF WRITING)


Visa extension
Due to recent changes in Visa laws starting 01/01/2015, Visa renewals have become difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible. The rules relating to Visa renewals seem to be unclear at time of writing, with some tourists paying up to $380US to extend their Visa an extra 3 Months. After making phone calls to Immigration, no one can give a clear answer on the renewal process and price.


IMPORTANT
Always ask for information at the Vietnamese diplomatic missions in your countries to check the current visa policy and other relevant and reliable updates.