How to get tourist visas to Vietnam online? (E-visa, VOA)

Are you planning to visit exotic SE Asia, namely Vietnam, and do not know what are the visa requirements for Czech citizens (applies to many European countries) visiting this beautiful country? You must apply for a tourist visa to enter Vietnam. The positive news is that this entire process has been greatly simplified in recent years. How to proceed? Read on.

 

In the past, the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (web) stated some unclear and confusing information on the illegality of Vietnamese intermediary agencies. These times are over since now it is clear enough how to proceed.

 

E - visa (single entry, up to 30 days)

Since 1 February 2017, a two-year project has been launched to issue electronic tourist visas. The electronic visa entitles the tourist to stay in Vietnam (single entry) up to 30 days. Thus, if your stay in Vietnam does not exceed 30 days, do not hesitate and submit your request through the official link:

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https://www.immigration.gov.vn/web/guest/home

 

There are plenty of online intermediary agencies that offer to get this visa for you - of course, for an extra fee. Some even try to look like the government's official web site. Avoid unnecessary unpredicted costs and follow the original link above (do not be misled by the absence of https - secure protocol).

On the Vietnam Immigration Portal, click on the e-visa link. The visa application consists of three steps:

 

• Fill out a simple form, upload a passport data page copy and upload a passport photo

• pay a 25 USD fee

• with the registration code you've received, along with your email address and date of birth, you will be able to log into the E-visa search menu (link), where you may verify the status of your application and where you can print the e-visa from

 

On a standard basis, the application should be approved within 3 business days. Electronic Visa entitles you to enter Vietnam via selected international crossings (e.g., Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Hai Phong, Can Tho, Hue).

 

Phu Quoc Island

Tourists who plan to spend their vacation on the tropical Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc don't need to apply for a tourist visa at all. In order to promote tourism in this destination, a visa exemption is granted for stays of up to 30 days on Phu Quoc Island only. However, if you want to move from the island to the mainland, the standard visa requirement applies to you already.

 

Stays longer than 30 days

The application process differs slightly for stays longer than 30 days. As follows is an outdated procedure that has been applied in the past many years.

Now, it is necessary to use the services of a certified travel agency in Vietnam.

To obtain a visa, it is necessary to provide the so-called "Approval letter," issued by a certified travel agency. Personally, I can recommend Vietnamvisapro, which I have successfully used twice in the past 3 years.

 

Visit the Vietnamvisapro website (http://www.vietnamvisapro.com/ or http://www.vietnamvisapro.net/), fill out a simple online form and select the type of visa:

• 1 month, single or multiple-entry, 6 USD

• 3 months, single entry, 15 USD

• 3 months, multiple-entry, 20 USD

 

Prices are quoted per person, within the standard processing time, i.e., 2 business days. The price increases gradually with the urgency of the request (super urgent, 2 hours - business day, extra 30 USD).

You can pay online with the card. The agency will first send you an email confirmation of the payment received and after another 2 business days an email with information and an approval letter in the attachment.

 

Print your approval letter, prepare two passport photos (3.5 x 4.5 or 4 x 6), you might want to fill out the "Entry and exit form" (arrival/departure card you'll get on the plane) and have some cash ready to pay the VOA fee (USD).

At any of the Vietnamese International Airports (Noi Bai Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat Ho Chi Minh, Danang, Cam Ranh Nha Trang, Can Tho, Lien Khuong, Phu Quoc), before entering the immigration, you have to request a VOA visa. Fill out the Visa On Arrival (VOA) form. You can only claim the type and duration of visa, which you have the approval letter for. Together with the fee, hand the approval letter and the VOA request over to the immigration officials.

 

The VOA fee varies according to the type of visa:

1 month or 3 months, 1 entry, 25 USD

1 month or 3 months, multiple entries, 50 USD

The fee is charged in cash and preferably in USD.

 

It takes only a few moments for the officials to verify your information and stick the visa stamp in your passport.

For a standard 3-month single entry visa, you will pay a total of 40 USD per person (15 + 25). For the same visa, in 2015, I paid 66 USD, so there has been a substantial discount in price.

 

Note: Verification of the approval letter should be one of the requirements for issuing a boarding pass to Vietnam at check-in. During the check-in procedure in Jakarta and Prague, they checked our approval letter.

 

Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Prague

If you need to have a visa in your passport before the day of departure, you can apply directly at the Embassy of Vietnam in Prague at Rašínovo nábř. 1897/72. 

As opposed to the options described above, this process may be significantly more lengthy and costly.