Vietnam Visa

 Visa On Arrival – What it is all about

1.What is visa on arrival?

2.How to apply for an approval letter?

3.What is the “approval letter”?

4.How long does it takes to get the approval letter?

5.How do I receive my visa approval letter?

6.What does the approval letter look like?

7.Are there any exceptions with this type of visa?

Requirements, Procedures and Tips

8.Do you require a scan of my passport scan?

9.Do I need a photo and if so, what is its size?

10.What if my passport has expired?

11.Should I provide you with the exact date of arrival?

12.What are the procedures at Vietnam airport?

13.How long in advance should I apply for a visa?

Price, Payment and Others

14.How much does it cost?

15.What is stamping fee and how much is it?

16.What credit/debit cards are accepted for online payment?

17.My credit card number is correct, but it was not accepted. Why?

18.How safe are my credit card details? 

19.Is the same rate applied to everyone?

20.I want to ask something else, how can I?

Problems and Concerns

21.When do I have to pay for the approval letter?

22.What should I do if I find out that I entered the wrong passport number?

23.Can I travel without the letter and get the visa when I arrive?

24.What if I change my flight and arrive at another airport in Vietnam?

ANSWERS

1. What is visa on arrival?

This is an alternative way to get your visa for Vietnam. You just need to fill in our "Online Application Form", pay the service fee, get your "Visa approval letter" within 2 working days and pick up your visa at your destination airport (Hanoi airport, Ho Chi Minh city airport and Da Nang Airport) -

After we obtain the approval letter for you, we will forward you a copy by email. Copies of the same document will be forwarded on your behalf to Vietnam Immigration checkpoints at International Airports only. When you arrive in Viet Nam, the Immigration officers will have those documents ready and will be able to issue your entry visa quickly. (See our guide to visa procedure at Vietnam airports)See Also:  You can check out the information below for the detailed airport map where you will pick up your visa when you arrive.

Hanoi Airport Map - Hanoi airport visa-on-arrival counter.

Ho Chi Minh city airport map - Ho Chi Minh city airport visa-on-arrival counter. 

2. How to apply for an approval letter?

Please check out our How to Apply section for more information.  

3. What is the “approval letter”?

The "Visa approval letter" is a document (approved by the Immigration Office) that allows you to enter and exit Vietnam for a given time period. With the approval letter, you can pick up your visa upon arrival at one of the  three international airports in Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang).Note 1: Normally, visa approval letter is usually issued in group and therefore, you may find your name and other information in the same letter as other people. if you want a private letter, please email us at sales@myvietnamvisa.com. The process of getting a private letter of approval may take 4-5 working days.Note 2: The letter of approval can not be amended once it is issued, you are required to apply for a new letter in case you wish to update your information.Visa-on-Arrival Counters:Hanoi Airport Map - Hanoi airport visa-on-arrival counter.

Ho Chi Minh city airport map - Ho Chi Minh city airport visa-on-arrival counter

4. How long does it takes to get the approval letter?

Normally, the approval letter is processed and emailed you within three (3) to five (05) business days (excluding Saturday, Sunday and National Holidays). In urgent cases, you are able to have the approval letter within the time frame below.* Same Day Processing (Working day): If you submit your application and pay the fee before 12.00 PM Vietnam time on a Working day (Monday-Friday), we will send you the letter of approval by 18:00 PM on the same working day.

* Next Day Processing (Working day):  If you submit your application and pay the fee before 12.00 PM Vietnam time on a Working day (Monday-Friday), we will send you the letter of approval by 18:00 PM on the following (next) working day. Note: The above processing time does not apply for Friday afternoon (after 12.00 PM) + Saturday and Sunday. Please consider the time difference between Vietnam and your country. For current Vietnam time, please click here.

**** Note: the visa counter at Vietnam airport is 24/7 open so if you already have the approval letter, you can still pick up your visa at Vietnam airport on weekend.*** 3 month visa: for 3 month visa approval letter, it may take up to 5 working days. 

5. How do I receive my visa approval letter?

A colored scanned copy of the approval letter will be sent to you by email, so please make sure that you have provided us with the correct email address.You can also request a copy by fax.

Note: the approval letter is in PDF format, so please make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat reader in order to open the file. 

6. What does the approval letter look like?

A sample of what the approval letter looks like can be found here. 

7. Are there any exceptions with this type of visa?

Yes, visa on arrival is NOT VALID for OVERLAND ENTRY. The three international airports in Vietnam that you can receive your visa stamp with this approval letter are: Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) and Danang Airport (Da Nang).

Note: If you plan to enter Vietnam by land or cruise, please visit a Vietnamese embassy to get your visa. 

8. Do you require a scan of my passport scan?

In most cases, a passport scan is not required for an online visa application. However, if the Immigration office wishes to verify the information you provide, you are required to send them a scan copy of your passport. In such cases, we will notify you by email immediately.

9. Do I need a photo and if so, what is its size?

Yes, you do. However, photos are required upon arrival Vietnam's airports only, so please remember to bring at least 2 photos of standard passport size (04*06 cm). Note: If you do not have time to prepare those photos before your departure, you can also get them taken at a Vietnamese airport for 2 USD or less per photo.

10. What if my passport has expired?

To apply for a visa to Vietnam, your passport must have at least 6 month's validity. Therefore, if your passport is about to expire, please get a new one before applying for your visa in order to avoid unwanted problems at the airport. 

11. Should I provide you with the exact date of arrival?

No, not necessarily. The arrival date you provide can be earliest date you plan to arrive and you can arrive after that date. However, please note that you must exit the country before the expiry date stated on the approval letter.For example: If you apply for a 1-month visa and submit your arrival date as Jan 1, 2011, the visa letter will be valid from Jan 1, 2011 –  Feb 1, 2011. You can arrive anytime between Jan 1 - Feb 1 but must leave the country by Feb 1, 2011.

Note: The approval letter can not be amended once it is issued, so in case you wish to arrive earlier than the date stated on the approval letter. You are required to apply for a new letter of approval to update the date of arrival. 

12. What are the procedures at Vietnam airport?

Upon arrival at the airport (See the airport map below), expect to fill in a simple form to fill in. Please remember to bring at least 2 passport-sized photos(04*06cm), 25 USD/person for stamp fee per person (1 month single) and 50 USD for the multiple entry. You can expect the process to take about 15 minutes total. (See our guide to visa procedure at Vietnam airports)Useful links: Hanoi Airport Map - Hanoi airport visa-on-arrival counter.

Ho Chi Minh city airport map - Ho Chi Minh city airport visa-on-arrival counter.  

13. How long in advance should I apply for a visa?

A Vietnamese visa application can be applied for 1 day to 6 months in advance. Although it takes only 3-5 working days to get your visa approved, it is strongly advised that you apply for a Vietnamese visa 1 – 2 weeks before your arrival date to avoid any payment or other administrative problems. 

14. How much does it cost?

In general, there are two fees you are required to pay: The stamping fee (paid directly at Vietnam's airport) + our service fee for the approval letter (paid in advance). Our detailed fee schedule can be found here.Normally, 1 month single entry will cost: 19.99 USD for our service fee for the letter of approval + the stamping fee at Vietnam airport.

News & Updates on stamping feeStamp fee at the airport (price per person)

25 USD for single entry

50 USD for multiple entry

 Note: The fee on our site is displayed in US dollars.

15. What is stamping fee and how much is it?

The stamping fee is the fee you are required to pay at the Vietnamese airport in order to get the official visa stamped in your passport. The stamp fee must be in cash, no credit cards are accepted.Stamp fee at the airport (price per person)

45 USD for single entry

50 USD for multiple entryRecommended Curencies:Vietnamese Dong (VND) and USD (US Dollars) 

16. What credit/debit cards are accepted for online payment? 

We currently accept both Debit/Credit cards (Visa & Master) for our online approval letter service.   

17. My credit card number is correct, but it was not accepted. Why?

There are a few possibilities:

•   The card expiration date was entered incorrectly.

•        You have reached your credit limit.

•        There was a computer error.

•        Your Visa Verified password / MasterSecure Code was entered incorrectly. 

18. How safe are my credit card details?

 For secure online payment, we use Secure Socket Layers (SSL) from Comodo Inc. At no time are your debit/credit card details transmitted unencrypted over the internet. For further information, please refer to our privacy statement. 

19. Is the same rate applied to everyone?

Yes, the same fees are applied to anyone who uses our service. 

20. I want to ask something else, how can I?

For questions such as: who is exempted from a visa, or obtaining Vietnamese visa in Laos, Cambodia or Thailand..etc, please visit our visa information center. Alternatively, you can find your answers through MVV Answers!

Notes: Though our working hours are from 8.00 to 16.00, the website service is available 24/7 and is systematically automated. Therefore, you can still apply for a visa even when it is midnight in Vietnam.Local time in Vietnam: please check this page for the current time in Vietnam. 

21. When do I have to pay for the approval letter?

You can pay for the approval letter after you submit your application. Keep in mind that no application can be processed until the full payment is made. 

22. What should I do if I find out that I entered the wrong passport number?

Shortly after you submit your application, you should receive a confirmation email in the email address you provided us with. In this email, we confirm the information you entered earlier

If you do not catch the mistake until later, you will have to re-apply for a new visa with the correct information.

 23. Can I travel without the letter and get the visa when I arrive?

No, you cannot. In order to board the plane, you must show the approval letter to the airlines. This letter is also compulsory in order for you to get the visa at the Vietnam airport. Therefore, we recommend that you leave plenty of time to apply for the visa to avoid having to delay or change your flight. 

24. What if I change my flight and arrive at another airport in Vietnam?

Visa on arrival works if you arrive at any of the three international airports: Tan Son Nhat (in Ho Chi Minh City); Noi Bai (in Hanoi) and Da Nang (in Da Nang). There is no problem with switching between these three airports.