Understanding Vietnam Visa Policy Essentials

Dive into the intricacies of the Vietnam visa policy with our detailed guide. Grasp the critical elements, requirements, and nuances ensuring travelers have an informed and seamless journey preparation. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a frequent traveler, stay updated with the latest in Vietnam’s visa regulations. Equip yourself with knowledge and avoid common pitfalls during your application process.

What you need to know about the Vietnam visa

A Vietnam Visa is like official permission from the Vietnamese government. Most foreign travelers need it to enter and stay in Vietnam for a specific period. Travelers can obtain it through official channels based on the purpose of their visit.

Multiple Paths to Your Vietnam Visa Application:

1. In-Person: You can visit the nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate in your country to submit a visa application in person.
2. By Mail: Some embassies and consulates may accept visa applications by mail. Check with the relevant embassy for specific procedures.
3. Online: Utilize the official Vietnam eVisa website to apply for an electronic visa (eVisa) online. This method is convenient and suitable for many travelers.
4. Via Email: Some travel agencies or visa service providers may offer the option to submit your visa application through email. However, be sure to use a reputable and trusted source for this method.

Vietnam visa policy insights on types entry duration

Vietnam designs its visa policy to regulate travelers’ enter and exit Vietnam. The policy outlines the different types of visas available, entry requirements, and the duration of stay allowed. Let’s explore the key aspects:

Types of visas

There are several types of visas, but the six most common ones for travelers to Vietnam are:

• Tourist visa (DL)
• Business visa (DN1, DN2)
• Student/internship visa (DH)
• Investor Visa (DT1, DT2, DT3, DT4)
• Working visa (LD1 – LD2)
• Diplomatic visa (NG)

Other main Vietnam visa types include:

Vietnam Visa Type	Description	Validity
LV1-LV2	Working with Vietnam authorities/parties	Maximum of 12 months
LS	Lawyer visa	Maximum of 5 years
NN1	members of delegations invited by the Secretary-General of Vietnam’s Communist Party of, the President of Vietnam, the President of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister.	Maximum of 12 months
NN2	members of delegations invited by standing members of the Secretariat of the Vietnam’s Communist Party, Deputy President of Vietnam, Deputy President of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister, President of Vietnamese Fatherland Front, Executive Judge of the People’s Supreme Court, Chief Procurator of the People’s Supreme Procuracy, State Auditor General; members of delegations at the same levels of Ministers, Secretary Generals of Provincial Communist Authorities, Presidents of the People’s Councils, Presidents of the People’s Committees of provinces.	Maximum of 12 months
NN3	members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, representative offices of intergovernmental organizations and their spouses, children under 18 years of age, and housemaids during their term of office.	Maximum of 12 months
NN4	Those coming to work with diplomatic missions, consular offices, and representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, representative offices of intergovernmental organizations and their accompanying spouse/children under 18 years old, visitors of members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations affiliated to the UN, and representative offices of intergovernmental organizations.	Maximum of 12 months
HN	Meetings/Conferences	Maximum of 3 months
DH	Student/Internship	Maximum of 12 months
PV1	Journalists with permanent residence in Vietnam	Maximum of 12 months
PV2	Journalists with short term residence in Vietnam	Maximum of 12 months
TT	Dependents of LV1, LV2, LS, DT1, DT2, DT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD1-LD2 visa holders, or foreigners that are parents, spouse, children of Vietnamese citizens.	Maximum of 12 months
VR	Family visits, other purposes	Maximum of 6 months
SQ	in the cases mentioned in Clause 3 Article 17 of Law No. 47/2014/QH13 .	Maximum of 6 months
EV	Electronic visa	Maximum 30 days

Visa on arrival (VOA)

Vietnam visa on arrival is a simple way for travelers to obtain a visa upon arriving at a Vietnamese airport. Applying online in advance, receiving an approval letter, and then getting your visa stamp at the airport once landing in Vietnam. It’s a convenient option for many visitors.

However, this method may have limitations depending on your citizenship, so research is essential.

e-Visa

Vietnam eVisa, which stands for Electronic Visa, is a contemporary and effective travel authorization system launched by the Vietnam Immigration Department. The digital visa system aims to simplify the visa application process for those wishing to explore Vietnam’s culture, landscapes, and history.

While it simplifies the application process, travelers please note its limitations, including single-entry validity and entry restrictions.

Visa exemption

By February 6, 2009, Vietnam had signed visa exemption agreements with 55 countries, of which 54 are currently in effect. The following is the List of Visa exemption agreements between Việt Nam and other countries.

Order	Country	Date of entry into force	Categories of passports covered
1	Argentina	13/11/1999	Diplomatic passports, official passports
2	Albania	1/10/1956	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Group Passports for official mission
3	Algeria	02/01/1995	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
4	Afghanistan	26/2/1988	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
5	Bangladesh	10/7/1999	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports for Vietnamese citizens Diplomatic Passports, International Passports with “official” seal for Bangladesh citizens
6	Belarus	24/11/1993	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
7	Brazil	12/2/2005	Diplomatic passports
8	Brunei	1/11/1997	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
9	Bulgaria	1/6/1966	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports; Group Passports or Ordinary Passports for official mission
10	Cambodia	30/11/1979	Diplomatic and Official passports; Diplomatic and Official Lassez-passezs
11	Chile	25/6/2005	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
12	China	15/3/1992	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission
13	Cuba	Currently in force	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission, Seaman’s Passports for Vietnamese citizens Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Service Passports or Maritime Passports for Cuban citizens
14	Czech	13/2/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
15	Dominica	29/9/2007	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
16	Ecuador	29/9/2007	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
17	France	1/7/2005	Diplomatic passports
18	Hungary	1/8/1993	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
19	India	23/3/1995	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
20	Indonesia	19/9/1998 4/12/2003	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months
21	Iran	1/6/1994	Diplomatic passports
22	Iraq	1/12/2001	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
23	Japan	1/5/2005	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
24	Kyrgyzstan	Currently in force	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission
25	Laos	17/7/1977 05/3/2004	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission, Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months
26	Malaysia	25/11/2001	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports
27	Mexico	4/2/2002	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
28	Moldova	23/5/2003	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
29	Mongolia	6/2/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
30	Montenegro	1/9/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Special passports
31	Morocco	19/12/2004	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Special passports
32	Mozambique	9/2/2009	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
33	Myanmar	11/8/1998	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
34	Nicaragua	Currently in force	Diplomatic passports, Official or Service passports
35	Pakistan	2/3/2007	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
36	Panama	4/11/2002	Diplomatic passports, Official passports for Vietnamese citizens Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Special Passports, Consular passports
37	Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	01/10/1956 01/4/1966	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports; Group Passports for official mission Ordinary Passports for official mission
38	Peru	2/6/2006	Diplomatic passports, Official passports for Việt Namese citizens Diplomatic passports, Special passports for Peruvian citizens
39	Philippines	19/02/1997 16/2/1999 1/4/2000	Diplomatic passports Official Passports, Holders of Ordinary Passports having an invitation to join ASEAN activities organized by ASEAN Secretariat or Governmental agencies Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months, together with return air tickets or air tickets for leaving the country
40	Paraguay	26/10/2008	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
41	Romania	1/12/1956	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports; Group Passports or Ordinary Passports for official mission
42	Russia	20/2/1994	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
43	Serbia	1/9/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
44	Singapore	10/5/1997 01/12/2003	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months, together with return air tickets or air tickets for leaving the country
45	Slovakia	10/8/1992	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
46	South Africa	23/6/2007	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
47	Republic of Korea	13/1/1999	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
48	Sri Lanka	19/9/2003	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
49	Thailand	10/5/1997 9/7/2000	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports Ordinary Passports
50	Tunisia	20/1/2009	Diplomatic Passports, Special passports
51	Turkey	1/10/1998	Diplomatic Passports
52	Ukraine	6/12/1993	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
53	Uruguay	15/6/2008	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
54	Venezuela	17/11/2006	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports

As of August 2023, regular passport holders of 25 countries DO NOT need a visa for Vietnam. The following is the comprehensive catalog of Visa-free Countries  for various durations:

No.	Country	Maximum visa-free duration	Applicable purpose of visit (if any)
1	Chile	90 days	Entries that do not include remunerated activities
2	Panama	90 days	Entries that do not include remunerated activities
3	Cambodia	30 days	Not mentioned
4	Indonesia	30 days	Not mentioned
5	Kyrgyzstan	30 days	Not mentioned
6	Laos	30 days	Not mentioned
7	Malaysia	30 days	Tourism, attending press, conference/coverage, official duty, visiting relatives, business negotiation, investment, sports, or attending seminars or conferences
8	Singapore	30 days	Entries that do not include remunerated activities
9	Thailand	30 days	Not mentioned
10	Philippines	21 days	Not mentioned
11	Brunei	14 days	Not mentioned
12	Myanmar	14 days	Visiting only
13	Belarus	45 days	Not mentioned
14	Denmark	45 days	Not mentioned
15	Finland	45 days	Not mentioned
13	France	45 days	Not mentioned
17	Germany	45 days	Not mentioned
18	Italy	45 days	Not mentioned
19	Japan	45 days	Not mentioned
20	Norway	45 days	Not mentioned
21	Russia	45 days	Not mentioned
22	South Korea	45 days	Not mentioned
23	Spain	45 days	Not mentioned
24	Sweden	45 days	Not mentioned
25	United Kingdom (Not applicable to BNO)	45 days	Not mentioned

Visa extension and renewal

Visa Extension: a process that allows individuals to prolong their stay in Vietnam beyond the initial expiration date of their visa. Typically, travelers request it through the Vietnam Immigration Department and must pay an extension fee.

Visa Renewal: is when you extend your existing visa, allowing you to stay in Vietnam for a longer period. This typically involves leaving Vietnam, applying for a new visa, and re-entering.

Type of Visa	Extend Vietnam Visa	Renew Vietnam Visa
1 month	fr 100 USD	200 USD
3 months	fr 160 USD	330 USD

Entry points

Vietnam has multiple entry points, including international airports, land borders, and seaports. Ensure you’re aware of the specific entry points available to you based on your visa type.

Airports	Landports	Seaports
Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi)	Tay Trang Border Gate (Dien Bien)	Hon Gai Seaport (Quang Ninh)
Tan Son Nhat Airport (Ho Chi Minh City)	Mong Cai Border Gate (Quang Ninh)	Cam Pha Seaport (Quang Ninh)
Cam Ranh Airport (Khanh Hoa)	Huu Nghi Border Gate (Lang Son)	Hai Phong Seaport (Hai Phong)
Da Nang Airport (Da Nang)	Lao Cai Border Gate (Lao Cai)	Vung Ang Seaport (Ha Tinh)
Cat Bi Airport (Hai Phong)	Na Meo Border Gate (Thanh Hoa)	Chan May Seaport (Thua Thien Hue)
Can Tho Airport (Can Tho)	Nam Can Border Gate (Nghe An)	Da Nang Seaport (Da Nang)
Phu Quoc Airport (Kien Giang)	Cau Treo Border Gate (Ha Tinh)	Nha Trang Seaport (Khanh Hoa)
Phu Bai Airport (Thua Thien Hue)	Cha Lo Border Gate (Quang Binh)	Quy Nhon Seaport (Binh Dinh)
Van Don Airport (Quang Ninh)	La Lay Border Gate (Quang Tri)	Dung Quat Seaport (Quang Ngai)
Tho Xuan Airport (Thanh Hoa)	Lao Bao Border Gate (Quang Tri)	Vung Tau Seaport (Ba Ria-Vung Tau)
Dong Hoi Airport (Quang Binh)	Bo Y Border Gate (Kon Tum)	Ho Chi Minh City Seaport (Ho Chi Minh City)
Phu Cat Airport (Binh Dinh)	Moc Bai Border Gate (Tay Ninh)	Duong Dong Seaport (Kien Giang)
Lien Khuong Airport (Lam Dong)	Xa Mat Border Gate (Tay Ninh)
	Tinh Bien Border Gate (An Giang)
	Vinh Xuong Land and Waterway Border Gate (An Giang)
	Ha Tien Border Gate (Kien Giang)

Visa policy map

Applying for your visa

Depending on your citizenship and travel plans, you can apply for a Vietnamese visa through various methods. We recommend checking with the nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information and specific requirements.

For those eligible for eVisas, the process is streamlined and user-friendly. You can apply online, submit the required documents, and pay the application fee via secure payment methods.

Tips for a smooth application

• Ensure your passport has at least six months of validity beyond your intended departure date.
• Provide accurate and truthful information in your application.
• Double-check the entry and exit points that correspond to your visa type.
• Keep a copy of your visa approval letter with you during your travels.

Conclusion

Vietnam Visa Policy is your trusted guide for a smooth journey. We’ve covered visa types, application methods, Visa on Arrival, e-Visas, and Visa Exemptions. Plus, extension and renewal options for flexibility.

Choose your entry points wisely, follow regulations, and consult the nearest Vietnamese embassy. You are now adequately prepared for your memorable adventure in Vietnam.