Vietnam Travel Restrictions
International tourism has resumed in Vietnam. Find out all the necessary information and the measures in place by the Vietnamese Government.
Oct 19, 2022
14 min read
Are you planning a trip to Vietnam? Well, then, you're reading the right blog post.
I'll discuss everything about the travel visa requirements, how to get a Vietnam Embassy visa, the required documents, how long the visa application takes, and the types of visas for Vietnam.
Some people from certain countries can travel to Vietnam without a visa which I'll list later in this post. However, if you're not from one of the visa-exempt countries, you need to apply for a Vietnam visa.
Yes, you do. Unfortunately, US citizens can't travel to Vietnam without a visa. This means that you need to apply for a visa before you travel to Vietnam, or you can apply for a Vietnam Visa On Arrival.
Yes, you do. If you're a US green card holder, you must apply for a Vietnam visa before traveling. Luckily, you can use your green card to apply for a visa. The number on the card can play the role of a valid passport number.
We know that getting a visa for Vietnam can be tricky, but Atlys makes this so much easier for you to gather your documents. The app also helps with the entire visa application process.
All you need is to download the Atlys app and type in your details.
It's that simple!
Before we jump into getting a Vietnam visa for US citizens, there are a few things you need to know about. This includes:
A Vietnam Tourist visa is the most popular type of travel visa, and it's typically valid for 15-30 days. The Tourist Visa allows foreign passport holders to enter Vietnam for tourism purposes. However, you cannot work in Vietnam with a tourist visa.
Citizens of the below-mentioned countries can enter Vietnam without a visa and must wait at least 30 days between visits if they want to re-enter Vietnam.
Belarus, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Norway, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom.
US citizens are eligible to get a Vietnam Tourist or business visa. Currently, US passport holders can get a 30 days single entry tourist visa.
Again, if you apply for a Vietnam Embassy Visa, it depends on the Embassy. However, a Vietnam visa for US citizens usually costs around USD 25.
You can get these visas through Atlys directly on your phone for a small additional service cost of USD 6.
The visa processing time for the Vietnam Tourist Visa depends on the Embassy you applied to. However, you can expect to wait anywhere between 5-12 business days.
This does not include weekends or public holidays.
You should know that other things can extend the visa processing time. For example, you might wait longer for your visa if:
If you want to apply for the Vietnam Tourist Visa, you need to make sure that your purpose of travel is tourism. This means that you're not in Vietnam to conduct any business or work.
Depending on validity and number of entries, a Vietnam tourist visa can be divided into:
You can apply for this visa at a Vietnam Embassy or Consulate or online through Atlys.
There are certain eligibility criteria and requirements you must meet before getting a Visa for Vietnam. I'll take you through everything you need to know.
I recommend gathering all the documents you need before getting a Vietnam Visa. You will need these documents for your application. Forgetting to add a document will extend the processing time or, in extreme cases, cause them to deny your application.
Vietnam entry requirements are as follows:
Although it's not required to have travel insurance, it's always recommended to travel with appropriate insurance.
If your picture does not meet the requirements, there is a possibility that they won't process or grant your Vietnamese Tourist Visa. I always say, "rather be safe than sorry."
The requirements for your passport-size picture are as follows:
You can now use Atlys' free passport photo tool to get yours. It's as easy as taking/uploading a photo, and the tool crops and resizes everything for you.
The passport requirements are important. If your passport doesn't meet the requirements, it is possible that officials will deny your visa.
The requirements state that your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your planned stay, and must have two blank pages.
The Vietnamese Government has made it easy for a tourist to apply for visas for Vietnam. Even though you can apply for your Vietnam Tourist Visa in different ways, this post focuses more on a Vietnam Embassy Visa.
If you are not eligible to apply for a Vietnam eVisa, you can apply for a Vietnam Tourist visa at a Vietnam Embassy or Consulate. In this case, you have to find your nearest Vietnam Embassy and then apply in person.
Step 1: Application Form
The first step is to get your application form. You can find your application form at the office of the Embassy you're applying at or on their official website. You can also complete the application form online.
Once you access the website, you'll see that you can't understand where to go because the website is in another language. However, I'll take you through it.
On the homepage, you'll see something like this:
Click on the first picture. This will take you to the visa application form. A notification will pop up that looks like this:
Click "okay." This will translate the application form into English. Then, all you need to do is complete the application form and steps. The application form looks like this:
Then, contact the Vietnamese Embassy to schedule an appointment.
Step 2: Required Documents
Fill out the application form (be sure the details are correct). Attach all the required travel documents (passport, passport photo, payslips) to your application form. Submit these documents to the Vietnamese Consulate.
Step 3: Pay The Vietnam Visa Fee
After you submit your application, you must pay the Vietnam Visa application fee (pricing listed later in the post). Confirm with the Embassy if you have to pay the application fee in cash or with a card.
Step 4: Processing
After you pay the fee, your visa is ready to be processed. If they grant your visa, the Embassy will let you know via email or phone number. Next, collect your visa at the Embassy; they will affix the visa to your passport, which you can use to enter Vietnam.
Depending on what country you apply from, you may be allowed to submit documents via mail. However, depending on the purpose of your travel and the Embassy/Consulate, you may have to submit a Letter of Approval from the Vietnam Immigration Department.
A loose-leaf visa is a travel visa issued on paper, not stamped directly inside your passport. You must carry the visa to show the border agent together with the passport when arriving in Vietnam.
You usually apply for a loos-leaf visa when you have no more blank pages in your passport.
You apply for the loose-leaf visa the same way you would apply for a visa (at the Embassy). However, the visa application form you fill out might be different. You can complete the application form online.
A loose-leaf visa looks something like this:
Your passport and then the separate paper (your visa).
As I've mentioned, this post focuses more on Vietnam Embassy Visas. However, US citizens don't have to apply for a Vietnam Tourist Visa at an Embassy or Consulate. So, let's take a look at the Vietnam eVisa and Visa On Arrival.
Yes, you can. US citizens are eligible to apply for an electronic visa (eVisa) for Vietnam. If you choose to apply for an eVisa, you'll need to provide the documents mentioned earlier in this post.
The fee for a Tourist Visa for Vietnam is usually USD 25. However, there could be a small service you need to pay along with the visa fee.
Yes, you can.US citizens are eligible to apply for a Visa On Arrival for Vietnam. This means you don't have to apply for a visa before traveling to Vietnam.
If you apply for a Vietnam Visa On Arrival, the costs are:
You can get these visas through Atlys directly on your phone for a small additional service cost of USD 6.
There are different types of Vietnam visas you can apply for apart from a tourist visa. However, you can only apply for the visa that suits your purpose of travel. Therefore, you need to make sure that you apply for the right visa. Otherwise, officials will deny your visa.
The different types of visas for Vietnam are:
The Vietnam Business Visa is categorized into:
Similar to a tourist visa for Vietnam, the validity and number of entries of a Vietnam business visa are the same.
You can apply for Vietnam Student Visa if you're attending a university course in Vietnam. Normally this Vietnam visa type is arranged after arrival in Vietnam. You can enter Vietnam with a tourist visa and then apply for a change in visa status at the Immigration Office after enrolling in the course. The easiest way to get this visa for Vietnam is to have an agency do it for you.
A Vietnam Work visa is issued to foreigners who come to work in Vietnam, like teaching, etc. It is categorized into:
An Investor visa for Vietnam is a visa granted to foreign investors in Vietnam. It is categorized as follows:
These tools were created by travelers for travelers to make traveling easier. Here's a list of Atlys' free tools that will make your next visa application a breeze:
The first tip is to use Atlys. With Atlys, it's as easy as downloading the app, entering your travel and personal information, and paying the visa application fee.
Once you've completed the relevant information, Atlys will do the rest for you. No strings attached.
We see that travelers leave their visa applications till the last minute. So please ensure you apply at least 2 months before your planned trip.
Ready, set, apply! Now you know everything you need to know about getting a visa for Vietnam. Experience all the wonders of Vietnam. It's no mystery why they are some of the nicest and happiest people. I mean, who would be sad when living in a place like that?
Hopefully, this post answered all your questions about getting a Vietnam Visa. However, you can check out the FAQ section for more answers if it didn't.
Citizens of the below-mentioned countries can enter Vietnam without a visa and must wait at least 30 days between visits if they want to re-enter Vietnam.
Belarus, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Norway, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom.
Yes, you can! Vietnam opened its borders to all tourists.
The Vietnam Immigration Department issues the following visas to foreigners who wish to enter Vietnam:
The cost for a year visa to Vietnam is around USD 55, and there might be a stamping fee of USD 135.
Yes, Starting from 0:00 on May 15, all Vietnam destinations are open, no self-isolation is required, and all regulations for SARS-CoV-2 testing required before entering will be temporarily suspended.
Yes, you can. If you want to extend your stay past the expiration date of your current Vietnam visa, you must submit an application at one of the Immigration Offices in Vietnam for a re-issuance of your visa.
However, the rules for visa extensions change constantly. Therefore I recommend contacting the local office of the Immigration Department in Vietnam to know if you are eligible.
US citizens are eligible to get a Vietnam Tourist or business visa. Currently, the US passport holders can get a 30 days single entry tourist visa in the form of an e-visa (Vietnam Visa online) that must be obtained before arrival.
The easiest way to obtain your e-visa is to use Atlys.
For a Vietnam eVisa, the processing time is approximately 3 business days. If you apply for a Vietnam VOA (Visa On Arrival), the processing time is between 2-4 working days for the Letter Of Approval. Depending on what company you're using to request the Letter of Approval, it can sometimes take longer. A Vietnam Tourist Visa at an Embassy or Consulate depends on the Embassy.