Why you need a visa to travel in Vietnam?

Why you need a visa to travel in Vietnam?
A country proud to offer safety and comfort for tourists

If you are a foreigner visiting a new country for the first time, you will undoubtedly need to carry out research to see if you are required to apply for a visa to enter and spend any amount of time within the country.

Visa documents are issued by embassies and are in place to ensure countries are allowing people into their country who have been vetted and approved. A visa is the countries way of giving you permission to enter the country.

This could be for various reasons; study, work, business, or even a diplomat. Visas have also similar universal formats and information so other countries can read and understand them too.

Without visa approval, governments have no idea who and when people are entering their country and in a time where security and safety are high on the list of priorities, visa approvals have become even more important.

Vietnam is a country like every other and will expect you to have applied for a visa prior to traveling and entering the border. The visa process is straightforward and for visits under 30 days, visa's can be applied online prior to travel.

For most people the visa approval process is quick and they will have no issue with being granted access. Visa can be applied for online and fees are usually small.

If you plan to travel extensively you need to obtain ALL of the required visas in your country of citizenship and it is always worth carrying out thorough research before you travel.

Vietnam take pride in the safety they offer their visitors and much of this is handled through the visa process. The embassy is fully aware of who is entering their borders and can enforce the right to refuse entry, where they feel the need.

There are different types of visa to apply for when entering Vietnam if you are unsure of what visa you need to apply for prior to travel, please get in touch and we are here to help and guide you.

If you plan to work in Vietnam, you must obtain a work permit prior to applying for your visa. If you change the purpose of your visit after you have received your visa, you must obtain a new visa.

If you plan on leaving Vietnam via land and visiting another Asian country, you will need to ask for an adhesive visa to be applied for your passport, certain countries require proof you have left the country you have traveled from.

As a way of increasing tourism into Vietnam, in 2017 an online visa application process was launched, with visitors from over 40 countries given the authority to use an online visa application to obtain a visa for 30 days. The visa works on a one entry basis and can be collected at the arrival airport in Vietnam.

Please look at our frequently asked questions section for more details on how to apply for the standard one entry visa.

If you are of Vietnamese origin you may apply for a certificate of visa exemption. If approved the certificate will be issued for five years, during which time you can stay in Vietnam for up to six months without having to apply for a visa. 

If you feel this applies to you, please do get in touch and we will happily assist with your application.

The Vietnam visa application process is improving to ensure visitors can enter the country with minimal effort and cost.

If you need any further advice, please visit our frequently asked questions page or contact us, we would love to hear from.

Vietnam is a country waiting to be discovered, so what are you waiting for? Read our Vietnam visa guide.