A Traveler’s Guide To Vietnam E-Visa

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Vietnam is a mesmerizing country in South East Asia with myriad experiences in-store. From historic sites, Buddhist pagodas, to rivers, beaches, and incredible natural landscapes- the country has a lot to offer. Vietnam’s increase in popularity as a travel destination is due to it being a convenient, pocket-friendly, and beautiful country. It is also becoming famous as a cheap shopping destination.

Before you head towards Vietnam, you must ensure that you know its visa rules. Now, to digitalize the process, the country has introduced the concept of e-visa. Get to know all the details of the Vietnam e-visa.

Why Do You Need to Apply for a Vietnam E-Visa?

Vietnamese visa, like any other visa, is a travel document with permission to travel to or enter Vietnam. The Government of Vietnam has further simplified the process with the introduction of the Vietnam e-visa. In the case of the electronic visa or e-visa, the Vietnamese Immigration Department issues visa through an online process. The visa has thirty day validity with a single entry. The online visa application process eliminates the need to go physically to the embassies, making the whole process digital, simple, and convenient.

Who Can Apply for a Vietnam E-Visa?

Eighty countries feature on the list of the ones allowed to apply for the issue of Vietnam e-visa (List Of Countries That Allowed For Vietnam E-Visa). Nationals of countries in the list of 80 countries allowed to apply for Vietnam e-visa include USA, China, the UK, Russia, UAE, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and many more. The immigration department of Vietnam has also stated clearly the name of those Vietnamese airports, land ports, and sea ports that allows foreign nationals to enter or exit the country using Vietnam e-visa.

What Are the Conditions of Granting a Vietnam E-Visa?

The conditions that are required to be granted Vietnam e-visa are:

• You need to be a foreign national
• You should hold a valid passport
• You do not fall into the purview of the cases of suspension of entry according to Article 21 of Law dealing with the entry, exit, transit, or residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

Article 20. Conditions for entry

A foreigner may enter Vietnam when fully meeting the following conditions:

1. Having a passport or an international travel document and a visa.

A foreigner who is eligible for visa exemption upon entry under an unilateral visa exemption scheme must have a passport that remains valid for at least 6 months, and the interval between the entry date and the previous exit date must be at least 30 days;

2. Not falling into the cases of suspension from entry prescribed in Article 21 of this Law.

Article 21. Persons and cases subject to suspension from entry

1. Those who do not meet the conditions prescribed in Clause 1 Article 20 of this Law.

2. Under-14 children who are not accompanied by their parents, guardians or authorized persons.

3. Those who have forged papers or mad false declaration to obtain entry, exit or residence papers.

4. Those who suffer mental diseases or infectious diseases which threaten the community’s health.

5. Those who were expelled from Vietnam within the last 3 years, counted from the effective date of the expulsion decisions.

6. Those who were compelled to leave Vietnam within the last 6 months, counted from the effective date of the decisions on compelled exit.

7. For epidemic prevention and control.

8. In circumstance of natural disasters.

9. For national defense, security or social order and safety.

What is the Process of the Vietnam E-Visa Application?

The Vietnamese Immigration Department has laid out the procedure for the application of the Vietnam e-visa. The separate process of applying directly personally and a different method when through an inviting or guaranteeing Vietnamese Organization are:

For Foreigners

Through the process of online Vietnam e-visa, foreigners traveling to Vietnam can personally apply for e-visa.

• They need to upload their pictures (without spectacles) and fill in the form with all the necessary details.
• Once this step is complete, the portal will send a registration code to the applicant.
• Deposit the e-visa fees of USD25.
• To check results, you need to provide your registration code, date of birth, and registration email.
• Take a print out of the Vietnam e-visa, when approved.

A Vietnamese Organization or Authority Applying for a Foreigner’s E-Visa

An authority or Organization in Vietnam guaranteeing or inviting a foreign national to the country, may apply for a Vietnam e-visa on his behalf.

• The first step here is the provision of an account and electronic signature for application use.
• The immigration department provides an account or authorization within three days of receiving the dossier. This procedure of account provision application is done only once, apart from a change of information.
• Once the account and e-signature authorization is provided, the authority can sign in and apply.
• The authority has to provide a photograph, information, and e-signature on behalf of the foreigner.
• E-visa fees need to be paid
• Status of e-visa can be checked through registration code and account.
• The authority has to send the registration code to the foreign national to enable him to take a print out of the Vietnam e-visa.

For Airlines

If an international airline needs information about Vietnam e-visa before the foreigners travel to Vietnam, he will have to follow the process:

• A written request from the airlines to Vietnam immigration department to access foreigner’s account.
• The airlines can then use the account provided to log in and view the details of the e-visa information of the foreign national.

Points to Remember About Vietnam E-Visa

When applying for a Vietnam e-visa, you should keep the following essential points in mind:

• The form will not be accepted in case of incomplete, unidentified, or incorrect information provided in the form.
• The fee for e-visa is paid only through electronic gateways that are mentioned by the immigration department.
• E-visa fees will not be refunded if the application is rejected.
• According to law, e-visa holders will have to reapply for a new visa if invited, guaranteed by any Vietnamese Authority, Individual, or Organization.
• Authorities, Individuals or Organizations inviting or guaranteeing foreigner’s e-visa under Section 1 of Article 16, which deals with foreigners’ entry, exit, transit, and residence can apply for Vietnam e-visa.
• Foreigners who fall under the cases mentioned in Clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Article 8 of the Law that deals with foreigners’ entry, exit, transit, and residence, cannot apply for e-visa.
• Foreigners coming under the clauses of Article 8 mentioned above need to send their visa application through the inviting/ guaranteeing authority to the concerned agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Foreign nationals entering Vietnam should comply with Vietnamese law.
• Various agencies could help you in the visa process and make available a visa-on-arrival. The visa-on-arrival is applicable only for people traveling by air and that through only agencies. There is no government website offering visa-on-arrival.

All travelers should be aware of the traditions and culture of the region they are visiting. All foreign nationals must give due respect to the visiting country’s beliefs, customs, and culture. When traveling to any foreign country, an individual should beware of touts, frauds, and thieves. It is essential to maintain caution to avoid getting in trouble in a foreign country. Be wise and travel safely.