Visa

Tourists of most nationalities must apply for a Visa before entering Vietnam. If you don’t have a visa in your passport when you arrive- you won’t be allowed in!

The exceptions are holders of Thai, Malaysian or Indonesian passports, who may stay in Vietnam less than 30 days, or Philippine passport holders staying in Vietnam less than 21 days.

All other travelers should obtain a Vietnam Visa in advance.
If you are travelling directly to Vietnam, apply for a visa through the Vietnamese embassy in your country, allow plenty of time to process the visa- at least 2 weeks, preferably longer to be sure you get your passport back in time.

Tourists who do not have a Vietnamese embassy in their country may obtain what is called a Visa on arrival, but paperwork needs to be completed in advance and presented when you arrive in the country- ask your travel agent to arrange this.

An easy alternative is to obtain your Vietnam Visa in Thailand or Cambodia if you are planning to travel there first. Allow about one week for your visa to be processed, though usually you can pay a little extra for the express service where your visa will be ready in about 2 days. You can either- visit the Vietnamese embassy yourself and return in a day or two when your visa is ready, or pay a bit extra and let your travel agent do the legwork.

Letting a travel agent arrange your Visa is usually the easiest method unless you fond of waiting in lines. However the fees for this service vary drastically. In Phnom Penh it costs around $32, on Khao San Road in Bangkok anywhere from $30- $50, and takes up to five days.

If you want to visit the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok, it is located on Wireless Road, open 8.30-11.30, and 1.30-4.30.
Take the skytrain to Ploen chit station. Walk down the stairs toward all season place- a huge shopping mall, keep walking for five minutes and you should see the Vietnamese Embassy. At the Embassy, the Visa costs around 1000 Baht. Don’t forget to bring 2 passport photos, there are shops where you can have a photo taken just outside the train station.

The cheapest and fastest place to get a visa is apparently in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, travelers have reported paying just $25 and having their passport back the next day.