The Information You Should Know About Visa On Arrival

The procedure of getting an acceptance letter from a Vietnamese travel agency in order to get the visa stamped at an international airport upon arrival is known as "Visa on arrival". Visas on arrival will no longer be available for individuals who are traveling on an organized trip with a local tour operator after 2023. Check out all the innovative updates about this visa in this post below!

DETAILS ON OBTAINING A VIETNAM VISA UPON ARRIVAL

Starting in April 2023, tourists visiting Vietnam on a tour organized by a local operator will be able to apply for a visa on arrival. It is advised that you get an E-Visa if you are not traveling with a tour group.

What does an arrival visa entail?

A valid visa type that permits foreign nationals to obtain a visa on arrival and exit Vietnam. This visa is only offered to individuals who enter Vietnam by air and at one of the eight designated international airports in the country.

Rather than having a visa attached to their passports before departing, applicants must apply for a visa approval letter through a local visa agency in Vietnam. This document is also called a pre-approved visa letter or a visa invitation letter. This letter is then used to obtain a visa stamp on the passport at the airport.

At the airport, there will be signs directing you to the visa or transfer counters. You must turn left at the visa counter if you do not have a passport with visa-free entry. Individuals who don't have a visa in advance also conduct this action. Otherwise, you can proceed directly to Arrival Immigration.

The definition of a visa on arrival to enter an S-shaped nation

Basic information about visas on arrival 

PROS AND CONS OF REGISTERING FOR VISAS ON ARRIVAL

Advantage and disadvantages of visas on arrival can be showed in detail below:

Pros

A visa on arrival is generally recognized for its convenience, particularly for individuals who are unable to visit their home country's embassy or consulate. Expats don't need to submit an application for a visa at the Vietnamese Embassy. In addition, there are some benefits you might not be aware of:

• Convenience: There is no need to prepare numerous documents to be personally submitted to the Embassy. The application form and pre-approved visa letter for a landing visa are required. After that, the visa stamp will be given to you when you enter. With the assistance of the local agency, obtaining a visa approval letter can be completed quickly and easily online.

• Saving time: For people who lack the time to visit the embassy, visas on arrival are the best option. Additionally, in emergency situations, this kind of visa is ideal. It can take just two to three hours to complete the urgent visa application.

• Save money: Visa-on-arrival eliminates the need for document preparation fees, document mailing fees, and travel expenses to the embassy. Obtaining a Vietnam visa only requires paying a small stamping fee at the airport.

• Different entry types: Unlike an E-visa, which only allows for one entry, multiple entries are permitted.

• Applicant eligibility: Although electronic visas are only available to nationals of 80 countries, any nationality can apply for a Vietnam visa on arrival if they plan to enter the country by plane.

Cons

Aside from all the enticing benefits, candidates visiting Vietnam should take into account the following drawbacks of obtaining a visa upon arrival:

• Absent a formal website, foreign nationals are not permitted to apply for visas on arrival on their own. The Vietnam Immigration Department and government agencies do not have an official website for their visa on arrival program. The procedure needs to involve a third party, such as a Vietnamese visa agency. They are all private organizations or agencies, and they will provide you with the pre-approved visa letter.

• Waiting in line at the airport: You must stand in line at the Arrival Immigration area of the airport's Visa Application desk in order to have your visa stamped. It usually takes 10 to 25 minutes in off-peak months (from May to September). In the peak season, from October to April, it may also last between thirty and sixty minutes. Because it's uncontrollable, this could interfere with your plan.

• Checkpoints for entry and exit: Even though eight of the ten international airports in Vietnam accept visas upon arrival, you should confirm if your entry or exit is relevant.

• Pre-approved visa letter: The local agency can create a combined approval letter for a group of foreign nationals. As a result, the names of other foreigners might appear in your message.

• Variable visa charge: There is no fixed visa fee because obtaining a landing visa requires paying two separate payments. The cost of a pre-approved visa letter varies depending on your agency, and the stamping charge ranges from USD 25 to USD 50. The type of visa you possess (entry times or duration of stay) will determine the cost of your visa.  In addition, the stamping charge at the arrival port can only be paid in cash.

A list of eight international airports in Vietnam that accept visas upon arrival:

• Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi)

• Cat Bi International Airport (Hai Phong)

• Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City)

• Danang International Airport (Danang)

• Cam Ranh International Airport (Khanh Hoa)

• Can Tho International Airport (Can Tho)

• Phu Quoc International Airport (Phu Quoc)

• Lien Khuong International Airport (Lam Dong)

WHO CAN APPLY FOR VISAS UPON ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM?

If any citizen of the world is qualified for a traditional visa at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate, the following candidates are eligible for a visa on arrival:

• Travelers: foreign visitors taking part in a Vietnam trip that is arranged by a travel agency in Vietnam.

• Foreign nationals visiting Vietnam on business or for commercial purposes are referred to as business travelers.

• Transit travelers: The applicant is traveling to a number of places, including Vietnam.

• Crew members from other countries who are on the ship in Vietnamese seaports want to get off the ship by going through the border of another nation.

• Returning to Vietnam from abroad includes Vietnamese nationals as well as foreigners who are visiting gravely ill relatives.

• Foreigners who enter Vietnam under special request from a capable Vietnamese agency. Visitors enter Vietnam in an emergency situation such as incident handling, rescue, natural disaster prevention, epidemic prevention, etc.

CRUCIAL REGULATIONS

Foreigners from anywhere in the world can get a visa on arrival if they arrive at or depart from one of Vietnam's eight approved airports. There are a few further prerequisites that expats need to fulfilled, as follows:

• Expats from countries where there is neither a Vietnamese Embassy nor a Consulate.

• Foreigners who currently do not reside in Vietnam but rather in other countries.

• Individuals from abroad whose passports are valid for at least six months before their intended stay in Vietnam.

• Individuals worldwide who are traveling to Vietnam by air and who are able to obtain a visa upon arrival at one of eight international airports.

• As stipulated in Article 21 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners, those who are not prohibited from entering Vietnam.

PREPARE ALL REQUIRED PAPERWORKS

Assemble some documents below in order to be ready for obtaining a visa on arrival:

• A copy of a visa letter that has been pre-approved by the Immigration Department of Vietnam.

• An entry-exit declaration form (Form NA1), which is the visa application form that is supplied by the local visa office.

• 02 images (4x6 or 3x4 of the same size, white or simple background, taken within the last six months, straight-edged, sans scarf or spectacles).

• A passport that is currently valid for at least six months after you depart Vietnam.

THE FORMALITIES OF VISAS ON ARRIVAL

To obtain a visa, there are steps you must follow before your trip and at the arrival port. Here are the three actions you must take:

How to obtain a visa upon arrival in detail for expats worldwide

• Step 1: Apply to a visa agency for a letter of approval for a visa. If you select urgent service, the process could take as little as two to four working hours or two to five working days.

• Step 2: Get the visa application form (NA1) and the letter of approval for your visa by email. Print both of the documents in hard copy. Complete the visa application form completely, and be ready with two passport-sized pictures, a valid original passport, and cash for the stamping cost.

• Step 3: To obtain your visa stamp, show all of the paperwork and items from Step 2 at the immigration/landing visa counter at the arrival port.

PROCESSING DURATION

You must budget time to produce this document in advance of your travel because a pre-approved visa letter is required in order to obtain a Vietnam visa on arrival. A pre-approved visa letter may take several hours to several working days to process. 

While the standard letter takes two to five days, the urgent letter is completed in just two to four hours. Once you have all the required paperwork, depending on the length of the line, getting your visa stamped at the arrival port takes anywhere from fifteen to sixty minutes.

COSTS OF VIETNAM VISAS ON ARRIVAL

There are two fees for a visa on arrival. The price varies depending on the agency and the type of visa. The price increases based on how long you wish to wait to receive your visa acceptance letter.

The fees for a visa upon arrival can be different depending on many variables

Kindly use the accompanying chart to determine the typical service fee:

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Focus on several notices below to make getting a Vietnam visa on arrival easier. 

• In contrast to its equivalent in Cambodia, Thailand, or Laos, which may be obtained directly at the entry border gate, the Vietnam visa is not available upon arrival. In order to have a visa stamped at the international airport in Vietnam, tourists must first obtain a visa acceptance letter.

• Vietnam visas on arrival are only valid for flights. Regardless of your mode of transportation, land or sea, you must obtain a fully allowed visa prior to your trip to Vietnam.

• When foreigners intend to enter this S-shaped nation, their passport validity must remain for a minimum of six months.

• The same price applies to children who have their own passports as it does to adults.

• As of right now, Vietnam visas on arrival service has no official website. Every website offering the permission letter service is run by a private company. Therefore, a range of websites with organizational internet domain TLDs (org, gov, etc.) shouldn't mislead you.

IMPORTANT ADVICE FOR OBTAINING A VISA TO VIETNAM

Some tips below are mentioned for visitors to obtain a meaningful trip in Vietnam:

Tips for making the visa formalities simpler than they have ever been

• Send in early: Try to apply for a visa at least one week before your intended departure.

• Non-refundable fees: There is no reimbursement for the Vietnam visa application fee.

• Finalized application: To prevent instant rejections, make sure your application for Vietnam is complete.

• Recognize visa restrictions: Keep in mind that immigration authorities at the point of entrance have the last say.

• Resolving issues with the electronic system: There have occasionally been payment issues with the official portal. When applying online, make sure you are prepared to troubleshoot any potential payment issues.

The solutions to your questions concerning Vietnam visa on arrival are listed above. If you require more advice while conducting the visa procedure, please get in touch with us at [email protected].