VISA
Emilie Dando-Crosasso
Vietnam
VISA EXEMPTION
Citizens of certain countries are eligible for a visa exemption. The length of the visa-free stay depends on the passport you hold:
90 days - Chile & Panama
30 days - citizens of some neighbouring countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia
15 days - citizens of some European countries including the UK, France and Italy, as well as Russia and Japan
EVISA (90 DAYS)
The first and most important thing is to apply for the right visa through the right website, which is: https://evisa.gov.vn
Citizens of Guinea, Mali and the Republic of the Congo don’t need a visa but will need to apply for the AEVM online in advance..
The evisa costs $25 USD for single entry or $50 USD for multiple entry and it is easy to apply so please do not pay any agencies/scam sites the $100+ they ask for! They may (or may not) still arrange the visa for you, but it is not worth the risk!
The website says it takes ~3 business days but mine took ~5 (so a full week if you count the weekend). To be safe, organise your visa with 2 weeks to spare.
IF YOUR VISA DOES NOT COME IN TIME
If your visa does not come through before your flight, try sending a WhatsApp to +84 909 333 023 or going to https://www.vietnamvisa.com/emergency-visa.html and they might be able to expedite your visa! The cost is $85 USD for the 4-8 hour speed-up process, so it is not cheap but by some miracle it worked 🙌🏼
VISA EXTENSION
The visa extension process in Vietnam is lengthy, costly and by all accounts not worth the hassle. The easiest way to extend your visa should you need to, is to do a border run to a neighbouring country. Simply leave Vietnam for another country and return on a new visa!
The best land borders are with Laos (if travelling from Sapa, Vinh or Hue/Da Nang) or Cambodia (if travelling from Ho Chi Minh and the south). You can also fly if necessary to these countries as well as Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand.
You can get Visas on Arrival to these countries, so you just need cash in USD and passport photos ready. You must arrange your new Vietnam visa in advance.
ONWARD FLIGHTS
You need to show proof of an onward flight out of Vietnam in order to enter the country. If you have not settled on where/when you are going yet, you can book a cheap onward ticket (usually valid for ~48 hours) from these sites for ~$10:
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