Who needs Visas to Vietnam

There is a limited number of nationalities who can enter Vietnam without a visa. Time limits are in place under this regulation as follows:

•    30 days for citizens of neighbours Laos, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.
•    21 days for citizens of Philippines.
•    15 days for citizens of neighbours Cambodia, Russia, South Korea, Japan and the four countries of Scandinavia, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

There are additional exemptions for diplomatic passports from certain countries but that applies to just a very tiny proportion of people.

Everyone else either needs to get an entry Vietnam visa or a pre-approved entry visa in the form of an Approval Letter. The actual entry visa is only available from an embassy or consulate outside Vietnam and it does involve applicants handing over their passports for anything up to 10 working days, effectively two weeks in all. The Approval Letter is defined under the Vietnam visa on arrival system, whereby the actual visa will be stamped into the passport on presentation at an agreed airport at a date no earlier than that on the Letter.

The Vietnamese Government is not being unduly negative by putting regulations for entry in place. Visas are a common means of control in today’s world. It is perfectly natural for any country to want to know who is coming into the country and how long they are hoping to stay. All tourists are welcome In Vietnam and the positive experiences that tourists  are taking home on a regular basis seem certain to ensure that the numbers of tourists will only ever increase.

The numbers that are travelling to Vietnam are increasing year on year. The last full year’s figures have exceeded 10 million and it is already clear that the current year’s figures are higher again. It is a trend that seems certain to continue and the visa system is not deterring anyone. After all, there are companies specialising in offering a visa providing service that work in conjunction with reputable Vietnam tour operators that will process the visa application once they have the required information to hand.

Some of the regulations regarding a cheap visa to Vietnam are in place for a defined period, though they are extended on a regular basis. For example, travellers from the UK, Germany, Spain, France and Italy can get a 15-day visa to Vietnam under existing regulations until mid-2018. That has been an annual regulation that has previously been extended for a further year and was last extended in June of 2017.

The point is that visa regulations are likely to change from time to time. Those who use a quality travel agency and a visa provider service need have no worries about their individual situation relating to their need for a visa and the defined period of time that their tourist visa is valid for. A specialist company will know the existing regulations, and the likelihood of future changes. Put your trust in them and you won’t have a problem.