A valid passport and a visa are required for all foreigners visiting Vietnam. Vietnam Visas are issued by Vietnamese embassies and consulates or Vietnam Department of Immigration. Some overseas offices of Vietnam Tourism and Vietnam Airlines are able to issue tourist visas.

* For more details on passport and visa requirement of other nationalities, select the specific nationalities from the drop-down list above. 

Processing Time and Fee

Processing time vary from country to country and usually take between 5-7 business days to complete. Fees for visa also vary and most embassies require applicants to contact them directly to check the most updated fee. You will also need to pay for the prepaid courier if you do not plan to pick up the visa in person.  

Duration and Number of Entries

Tourist visas are good for thirty or ninety days and may be extended after your arrival in Vietnam. Those planning to leave and come back to Vietnam can apply for a multiple entry visa. You are required to state your intended ports of arrival and departure (for example, arriving in Hanoi and departing from Ho Chi Minh City) and an anticipated date of travel.

Visa Application

In general, you will have to submit your application, passport along with two standard passport photos, and the required fee to apply for a visa. Different embassies and consulates will have different procedures - you can check what you need by visiting our Visa page.  

Another option for those who are rushed for time or do not want to send the passport away is to pre-arrange a  visa on arrival. This can be done online via a number of private companies who have agreements with the Vietnamese government to collect passport details and arrange for an "approval letter". This letter allows you to board a flight into Vietnam and you will receive the visa stamp upon entry to Vietnam Airport.

These agencies charge a small fee for their service and in most case, the total works out to be equal or less than the amount charged by Vietnamese embassies and consulates. It must also be noted that visa-on-arrival works only for visitors arriving in Vietnam by air.