Frequently asked questions

Visa on arrival is available to applicants from all countries, but we only accept applications from certain countries listed on our application form.

Additional Information:

• Citizens of Southeast Asian nations do not need a visa to visit Vietnam.
• Nationals from Japan, South Korea, and Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden) can stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa.
• If you plan to stay beyond the allowed period, you can apply for a visa on arrival.

Once the Department of Immigration issues your approval letter, the details on it—such as your name, gender, and date of birth—cannot be changed. If you need to adjust any of this information or if you plan to arrive earlier than the approved date, you will need to submit a new application for a revised visa letter.

You are not required to purchase your airline ticket when applying for a visa-on-arrival. In the application form, we simply ask for an estimated date of arrival in Vietnam. However, keep in mind that you cannot enter the country before the date specified in your application.

Begin by completing the online application form, ensuring all required fields are accurate. It’s crucial that your name and passport number exactly match the details on your passport to avoid any issues. After the application has been processed, an approval letter will be sent to your email. Print the letter and bring it with you to the airport for your flight. Upon landing in Vietnam, you’ll need to present your approval letter, passport, two passport-sized photos, and fill out a brief form. The immigration officer will then issue your visa by stamping your passport.

The maximum duration for a stay with a visa-on-arrival in Vietnam is 1 month. However, if you wish to extend your stay beyond this period, you have the option to apply for an extension while you are still in Vietnam.

Normal processing time for a Vietnam visa typically takes 3-5 business days. If you’re in a hurry, you can opt for same-day or next-day processing by paying an additional fee.

For same-day processing:

• If you apply before 8 A.M. (Vietnam time, GMT +7) from Monday to Friday, you will receive your approval letter by noon the same day.
• If you apply after noon, you will receive your approval letter by 5 P.M. the same day.
• Applications made after 5 P.M. will be processed by noon the next business day.

The time it takes to complete the visa procedure at Vietnam airport depends on how many travelers are applying for visas at the same time. Generally, the process takes around 15 minutes and rarely exceeds 45 minutes. However, about 7% of travelers have reported waiting up to 1.5 hours due to a large number of arrivals.

To ensure a smooth process and avoid delays, make sure to have the following documents ready:

• A print-out of your visa approval letter.
• A passport valid for at least 6 months from your exit date from Vietnam.
• Your passport should have at least one blank page for the visa sticker.
• Cash in US dollars or Vietnamese Dong to pay the visa stamping fee (US$25 for single entry, US$50 for multiple entries).
• Two recent passport-sized photos.

Short answer: Yes, Visa-on-arrival (VOA) is completely legitimate.

Detailed answer: A visa for Vietnam can be issued by two different authorities: Vietnamese embassies or consulates abroad, and the Department of Immigration in Vietnam. The VOA is issued by the latter and is fully recognized as an official document by the Vietnamese government. To obtain a VOA, travelers need to apply for an approval letter before arriving, which they can use to receive the actual visa upon landing at designated international airports in Vietnam.

The “Visa approval letter” is an official document that grants you permission to enter and exit Vietnam within a specified time period. Upon presenting this letter, you can obtain your visa upon arrival at one of Vietnam’s five international airports: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang (Cam Ranh Airport), and Da Nang.

Please note: Visa approval letters are normally issued in groups, so you may see your name and details alongside other applicants on the same letter. If you prefer a private letter for privacy reasons, kindly contact us at info@vietnam-visa.org.

Each visa application option has its own benefits. Visa-on-arrival (VOA) is particularly convenient for those who live far from a Vietnamese embassy or consulate. However, one downside is that you may experience longer wait times at the Vietnam airport, especially during busy periods with many arrivals.

For a smoother experience, we recommend applying for a Vietnam e-visa instead. The e-visa allows you to skip the airport queue for VOA, as it is already pre-approved before your trip and can be used for entry at various land, sea, and air ports. Applying online is quick and convenient, offering an efficient alternative to VOA.

We will send your approval letter directly to your email. This is a key benefit of visa on arrival, as it saves time and is completely secure. To ensure smooth delivery, please provide an accurate email address when submitting your application.

We have developed an advanced online payment system where your personal information is completely secure. We currently accept Paypal, Western Unions, Bank Transfer and most major debit and credit cards (Master, Visa, Amex).

For security reason, we do not process payment over the phone.

You will need to provide photographs at the Vietnam airport, but they are not required during the online application process. These photos must meet the following specifications:

• Be a recent and true likeness of you, taken within the last 6 months.
• Be in color (not black and white).
• Be taken against a light grey or cream background.
• The photo size should be 40 mm x 60 mm (4 cm x 6 cm).
• Be free from shadows on your face or the background.
• Be professionally printed or taken in a passport photo booth.

Note: In urgent situations, you can have photos taken at the Vietnam airport for a fee of 5 USD per photo.

Before applying for an approval letter, please ensure that your passport meets the following conditions:

• If your passport is set to expire within 6 months of your planned arrival in Vietnam, obtain a new one.
• If the biographic data pages of your passport (such as the page with your photo or the page containing your parents’ details) are peeling or damaged, renew it.
• Additionally, if your passport is torn, damaged, or has been through any incidents such as being washed or laundered, it is recommended to get a replacement before proceeding with the visa application.

The standard processing time for a Vietnam e-Visa is normally around 5-7 working days. However, during busy periods or holidays, it’s advisable to apply at least a week in advance.

Applicants need a valid passport with at least 6 months’ validity, a digital passport photo, and a scanned copy of the passport’s data page. Payment for the visa processing fee is also required.

The Vietnam e-Visa is valid for 90 days and allows both single and multiple entries. This makes it flexible for travelers who may need to enter and exit Vietnam multiple times within the validity period.

Yes, you can. Just make sure all the information on the application form matches the original documents, and once the approval letter is issued, forward it to the person who will be traveling. This will help avoid any issues during the visa process.

The maximum allowed stay in Vietnam is 1 month. However, you can extend your stay while in the country. To do so, please contact a travel agency in Vietnam for extension service as applicants cannot exend it on their own.

You can track the status of your application by visiting our status page. Your application will display one of three statuses: “Application Submitted,” “Payment Received,” or “Order Complete.

You can use the visa-on-arrival service as long as your first point of entry into Vietnam is through one of the international airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Nang. Once you have entered, you are free to exit or re-enter Vietnam by land, and your visa-on-arrival will still be valid for subsequent entries during its validity period.