There have been quite a few questions regarding Tourist Visas for Vietnam on this forum lately, so here's an update, including a big change regarding expedited Visas which just changed in the last couple of days.
1.) Visa on Arrival (VOA) hasn't existed for ages now so the only option for a foreign tourist is the E-Visa. It's good for 30 days and one entry. Period. That's it. If you want to visit longer then you have to do a Visa run to Laos, Cambodia, etc. and pick up a fresh E-Visa, then reenter Vietnam.
SEE UPDATE BELOW!
2.) Here is the official government website for the E-Visa application. It's a straightforward application that costs $25 USD and usually takes 3 - 5 business days to process, but submit your application with plenty of spare time because sometimes it takes longer and you can't board the aircraft to Vietnam without it. Lastly, don't use 3rd Party Vendors for the application, they offer no advantage over the official website.
3.) Here are the countries that are eligible for the E-Visa. If your country doesn't make the list then you have to apply for a paper Visa from the nearest Embassy, sorry.
4.) Here is the list of airports, land and sea entry points that accept the E-Visa.
5.) Visa Exemption: A few nationalities are afforded the luxury of Visa Exemption. The time period varies from 14 days to 90 days. All you need is proof of onward travel and you're good to go. There are about 25 lucky nationalities with this perk. (And yes, you can enter on an E-Visa, then leave, then return using your Visa exemption or vice versa.)
6.) Expedited Services: Lastly, up until last week it was possible for a poorly prepared traveller to get an expedited E-Visa via some of the excellent 3rd Party Vendors that provide Visa services. These guys are one of several examples. There has been a new government crackdown on these services and expedited E-Visas by 3rd Party Vendors does NOT exist at this time.
Bottom line: Use the official government website and submit your application with plenty of spare time and you'll find that entering Vietnam with an E-Visa is simple and straightforward.
Happy travels.
UPDATE ON APRIL 14th: In the last few days some the 3rd Party expediters are back at work again after the government crackdown. So if you're a poorly prepared traveller and didn't apply for your E-Visa in time you can once again pay big bucks to get it rushed through before your flight departs. Good luck.
UPDATE ON JUNE 23rd: It finally looks like the E-Visa will be extended to 3 months with multiple entries beginning this summer, likely around August 15th. This is GREAT news for travellers who want to stay longer in Vietnam than the present limit of 30 days with a single entry. No more border runs for a fresh Visa!!!
Submitted April 04, 2023 at 10:06PM by Kananaskis_Country https://ift.tt/QDbi29l
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