Avoid mistake when applying for a visa arrival to Vietnam

Many people can take mistakes in applying for a visa arrival to Vietnam :
We have listed here a few mistakes that travelers may usually make to help you avoid the same things when you apply for a visa on arrival to Vietnam.

1 - No visa on arrival without applying online: many people believe that they can get a visa directly at Vietnam airport without applying online. That is wrong, you can not until the visa is approved. So, you will need to apply online for an approval letter in order to pick up your visa at Vietnam airport.
2 - Visa on arrival at the border: Visa on arrival works for air travel only. So, if you do not enter Vietnam by air, just make sure you have the visa in advance.
3 - Spelling/Typo mistakes: Many travelers fill in the Application form with wrong detail as: full name on passport, passport number or date of birth. Normally, many people think it is not important but in some cases, your application can be refused by the airline at the departure airport. So, make sure that you entered everything correctly and carefully.
4 - Arrival date: Many people think that the visa validity will start from the date they enter Vietnam, not from the date they provide, however, it is not. The visa validity will commence from the date you provide in advance, not from the date you will enter the country. So, just make sure that you make a clear plan of when to enter before ordering a visa to Vietnam.
5 - Visa extension: many travelers think that it is easy to extend a visa once they are in Vietnam, however, in fact, it is not that easy, and extending a visa may be a costly and time consuming process. So, if possible, just apply for a 3 month visa in advance instead of a 1 month one to save money on visa extension.

Vietnam visa procedure

Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, tourist visa may be valid for 15 to 30 days. 
Tourist visa can only be obtained in Vietnam embassy, consulates abroad. Otherwise, you can get a visa at the border gates if you are invitees of some Vietnamese competent organs or you are travelling on a package tour organized by Vietnamese travel companies. To apply for a visa, the requirements are as follows: 

• Entry permit form (which can vary from one Vietnamese embassies or consulate abroad to another) - There are two categories of this form: for foreigners and for Vietnamese overseas.
• Two photos (4cmx6cm or 3cmx4cm)
• Original passport
• Visa fee.

You should send your application and photos to a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, which is most convenient to you. On your requirement, the reply will be returned by post (you must provide stamped envelopes with your name and address).

It is easier to get your visa from a Vietnamese travel agency. The nehossary information to the travel agency include:

• Full name
• Birthday and place of birth
• Nationality
• Job
• Number of your passport
• Entry and exit dates
• Country you plan to receive your entry visa from the Vietnamese embassies or consulates
• 
  

Vietnamese overseas are required to provide more information:

• Year and reason to leave Vietnam
• Leave Vietnam by means
• Full names and addresses of relations in Vietnam

Getting Vietnam visa in Laos?

How to get a Vietnamese visa from Vientiane, Laos.

1. Visit Vietnamese embassy in Vientiane, Laos

It is pretty easy to get a Vietnamese visa in Vientiane, Laos through Vietnamese embassy. As many comments from travelers, the Vietnam embassy in Vientiane is pretty good. However, the fee is quite expensive, the price is around USD 50(~477,455 Lao Kip), and it may take 3 days to process.

Address: Thatluang Rd., Vientiane, LAO PDR
Phone: (856) 2141 3409; 2141 3409; 2141 4602;
Consular Section:2141 3400
+ Fax (856) 2141 3379; 2141 4601
+ Email dsqvn@laotel.com & lao.dsqvn@mofa.gov.vn

You can also get visa to Vietnam through travel agencies, and the price is much cheaper ranging from 25-65 USD.

Note: Currency exchange rate Monday, December 24, 2007: 1 US Dollar = 9,549.10 Lao Kip (LAK)

2. Getting visa on arrival from Laos

If you travel to Vietnam by air from Laos, visa on arrival is also a convenient method to get your Vietnamese visa online. Our service fee is 25$ US/person and take 2 working days to get it approved.

Getting Vietnam visa in Bangkok, Thailand

 How to get a Vietnamese visa from Bangkok, Thailand.

1. Visit Vietnamese embassy in Bang Kok
83/1 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
+ Tel. 66 (0) 2 251 5836-8
+ Fax. 66 (0) 2 251 7203
E-mail: vnemb.th@mofa.gov.vn

Office hours: Monday – Friday: 08.00-11.30 Hrs. and 13.30-16.30 Hrs.

You are required to provide 1-2 passport size photos and the cost was about 1500 Baht. Normal process takes around 2-3 days, if you need an express one (1 working day), then you have to pay a little bit more.

2. Getting visa on arrival

If you travel to Vietnam by air from Thailand, visa on arrival is also a convenient method to get your Vietnamese visa online. Our service fee is 8$ US/person and take 2 working days to get it approved

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Visa exemption accord signed with El Salvador

An agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders from Vietnam and El Salvador was signed in Hanoi on March 31 as the outcome of talks between the two foreign ministers.

During the talks, Pham Gia Khiem, who doubles as Deputy Prime Minister, and his El Salvador guest, Hugo Martinez Bonilla, reached consensus that the two countries should further tap potential in consumer goods production, agriculture, science-technology, culture, healthcare, education-training and telecommunication to scale up the current modest economic relations.

The two foreign ministers also agreed upon mutual assistance in expanding relations of El Salvador with other countries in Southeast Asia and of Vietnam with Central America .

The duo pointed out the need to speed up negotiations and sign a number of accords of cooperation soon in order to lay foundations for a legal framework on bilateral relations, especially in economics, trade and investment.

They said measures should be taken to encourage and create favourable conditions for businesses from both to take a foothold in each other’s markets and establish direct partnerships.

Host and guest shared a view on promoting the exchange of delegations at all levels to deepen political relations, increase mutual understanding and work out measures for cooperative efficiency.

They also agreed that the two countries should continue with close coordination of action and mutual assistance in international organisations and multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and the Forum of East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).

The two foreign ministers highlighted close relations, with the guest’s invitation for Khiem to visit El Salvador and the host accepting the invitation with pleasure.

The talks concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on establishing a reference mechanism between the two foreign ministries, in addition to the visa exemption agreement.

Vietnam visa tips

1. Tourist visas give holders the permission to enter and exit Vietnam at airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Danang city or through any of twelve border gates of Vietnam, three of which are with Cambodia and China, and six with Laos.

2. The privilege of visiting Vietnam without the possession of Vietnam Visa is only granted to residents of several nations. - Most citizens of ASEAN countries do not need Vietnam entry visa to visit Vietnam within 30 days. - Citizens of Japan, Korea & Scandinavians (Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland passport owners) do not need visa to Vietnam to enter Vietnam within 15 days. - Citizens of other nationalities are obliged to get Vietnam Visa before departure (Vietnam entry visa issued by Vietnamese embassies or consulates in advance of departure ) or pre-approved Vietnam Visa (visa issued on arrival at Vietnam International Airports) supplied before arriving in Vietnam.

3. Tourist visas are applicable to a single 30-day visit only. In case you want to stay longer, from 1 to 3 months, you will need to apply for business visa.

4. You can obtain a visa on arrival with a Vietnamese travel agent. You will need to provide details of your passport beforehand and they will confirm with you the issuance of your visa at the arriving airport. Cambodia is the best nation in Asia to get a Vietnam visa. It costs about US$30 and you can have everything done in the same day. Another place, which is also popular, is Bangkok where a lot of agents provide cheap packages with visa thrown in and an airline ticket.

5. If you plan to spend more than a month in Vietnam, If you wish to stay for more than a month in Vietnam or if you want to leave Vietnam and enter again from Laos or Cambodia, you will need to have a three-month multiple-Visa. In Cambodia, the fee is about US$95 but this is not available in all Vietnamese embassies.
6. Personal appearance can affect how you receive reception from the airport immigration. From our experiences, if you dress in shabby clothing or shorts, look filthy or bristly, you can should anticipate troubles. Try your best to look 'respectable'.

VIETNAM VISA EXEMPTION INFORMATION:
1. No Vietnam entry visa needed for traveling for less than 30 days: Residents of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia and Laos.

2. No Vietnam visa needed for traveling for less than 15 days: Residents of Denmark , Japan, Sweden, Norway, South Korea and Finland.
3. No Vietnam visa needed for traveling for less than 90 days or several visits within 6 months: Residents of France possessing valid official or diplomatic passports.
4. No Vietnam visa needed for traveling for less than 60 days: Residemts of Chile holding valid official or diplomatic passports.
5. No Vietnam Visa needed for traveling for less than 60 days: APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies.
6. No Vietnam Visa needed for traveling to Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam: The application of Vietnam entry visa can be exempted in case Vietnamese and international residents holding foreign passports enter Vietnam through international border gates and subsequently travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay there for less than 15 days. Their passports must have the validity of at least 45 days. Upon their arrival at Phu Quoc Island, if visitors want to travel to other areas or remain in the island for more than 15 days, the immigration department will take responsibility for the issuance of visa right on the spot.