How Long Does It Take To Get A Visa To Vietnam?

Are you planning your next trip to the exotic, cultural, scenic country of Vietnam? Vietnam is known for its ancient history, white-sand beaches, and the mesmerizing landscapes that are bound to take your breath away. If you are on your way to apply for a visa to Vietnam, continue reading this article to know about how long it will take for you to get your Vietnam Visa.

A visa to Vietnam can take up to 4 to 5 days to process. The Immigration Department of Vietnam issues a Visa Approval Letter that permits you to visit Vietnam for a particular duration. If it is a matter of urgency, then you can get your approval letter within 30 minutes to 8 hours, depending on how serious the reason is.

People who are traveling to Vietnam must get a visa from the Vietnamese Immigration Department or the Vietnam Embassy. The only exceptions are the people who reside in a visa-exempt country or a country that is eligible for electronic visas. 

Countries with an e-visa permit

How quickly can a Vietnamese visa get processed?

To get a Vietnam visa as soon as possible, you can apply in two ways.

1.    Visa on arrival

This is the fastest and easiest way of getting a visa to Vietnam. This essentially means that you will have a pre-approved letter by the Vietnamese Immigration Department during your departure and receive a visa stamp on your arrival at one of the international airports in Vietnam. 

How to apply

• Step 1: You will first have to apply online for an approval letter. This may take a maximum of 5 days to process unless it is an urgent case, which will then take up to 8 hours.
• Step 2: Once you have been approved by the Immigration Department of Vietnam, you will receive the letter via email. 
• Step 3: Print a copy of the approval letter and keep two passport-sized photos along with your passport ready to go.  
• Step 4: You will need to pay a standard stamping fee of $25 for single entry and $50 for multiple entry visas in cash.
• Step 5: Upon arriving at any of the Vietnam International airports, present the officer with all these requirements, and you will get the visa on arrival stamp on your passport! 

Airports where visa on arrival is allowed

Here is a list of airports where visa on arrival is applicable – 

• Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi)
• Cat Bi International Airport (Hai Phong)
• Da Nang International Airport (Da Nang)
• Cam Ranh International Airport (Nha Trang)
• Phu Quoc International Airport (Kiên Giang)

Fees for different types of visa on arrival 

The fee of your visa on arrival for both service and stamping depends on the type of visa that you apply for. 

The stamping fee is only accepted in cash at the airport in Vietnamese dongs or US dollars.

Please note that once you have received your approval letter, you can modify any details or reschedule your visit. In case you want to, then you will have to apply for a new visa approval letter.

For urgent scenarios 

If your reason to visit Vietnam is due to an emergency, then the Immigration department works to give you your approval letter at the earliest. However, an additional fee will be charged along with it.  

This processing time does not apply to Friday afternoon. The visa counter at Vietnam airports is open 24/7, so you can collect your visa on the weekend as well.

2. Through the Vietnam embassy

This is the second quickest way to get yourself a Vietnamese visa. In recent years, Vietnam has developed strong and healthy relations with almost all the countries in the world and has opened its beauty and culture to foreigners. 

To make it easy for people to visit the country, they have established Vietnamese embassies in almost every foreign country. By doing so, they have made it easy for people to apply for a visa to enter Vietnam just by going to the embassy yourself. 

Application process

To apply for a visa in person from an embassy, you have to submit a few important documents.

•  Application form: You can fill this form online and print it along with your signature on the application. Another way is to download and fill a printed copy of the form, or there are application forms available in the Embassy itself, which you can fill out.
• Original passport:  You can submit your original passport, and if you are not able to do that, then you can give a copy of the first page of your passport that has your identity. This information is required as it validates your passport to be present at least six months before the date of your Vietnam visit. 
• Photo: 1 passport size photo that has been used for your passport as well. 
• Visa fees: The fees have to be paid via a Visa Card or a Mastercard for the visa application. Another option is to send a money order or a cashier’s/company cheque to the Vietnam embassy.
• Additional requirement (if needed): A reprint of the document of your approval for a visa or a provision of the reference number of your approval by any of the relevant authorities of Vietnam. A letter of invitation from your sponsor, host, business manager, family member.
• A self-addressed return envelope: To get your passport and visa delivered back to you, use a prepaid envelope for return to your address, preferably from an authentic mail service such as FedEx for the safe delivery of these documents. 

The Vietnam embassy is not responsible in case of any misplaced or lost documents through mailing services. They provide FedEx envelopes at the embassy as well. Although, you will need to pay an extra amount for this.

Processing time

Regular service – It takes up to 3 standard business days to process your visa once you have submitted all the required documents to the Embassy. 

Advanced service – It can take up to 24 hours to process, and you will have to pay an additional fee. Write an URGENT label on the envelope to get it faster. 

Additional information

• Thoroughly check all the personal information that is written on the visa once you receive it from the Embassy. If there is any inaccuracy, immediately contact the Vietnam Embassy for the changes. If it is observed that you had made an error in the application form, then an extra fee will be asked from you to pay.
• The Vietnam embassy cannot confirm how reliable online visa services are on certain websites. Therefore, it is advised they rather visit the embassy and fill out their visa application forms since they cannot help you out if there is a problem with such online visa forms. 
• The Embassy has the right to request you for extra information and additional documents and even deny the approval of your visa application without providing any explanation.