According to the new provisions of Law, 51/2019/QH14 on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam effective from July 1st, 2020, Vietnam visas are categorized into 21 types. There are 5 types of visa that are the most common:
- Tourist visa.
- Business visa.
- Work visa.
- Student visa.
- Diplomatic visa.
Vietnam tourist visa
What is a Vietnam tourist visa?
Vietnam tourist visa (DL) is the first common visa in Vietnam. Also, Vietnam visas are categorized into single/multi-entry in 1 month or up to 6 months. Therefore, foreigners can choose to apply for one of the Vietnam tourist visas based on the following types of entry:
- Single entry in 1 month: The visa is valid for 30 days with a single entry. Foreigners cannot exit Vietnam during that 1 month or the visa will be invalid.
- Multi-entry in 1 month: The visa is valid for 30 days with multiple entries. During that one month, foreigners can leave Vietnam many times without making the visa invalid.
- Single entry in 3 months: The visa is valid for 90 days with a single entry. If foreigners leave Vietnam during those 3 months, the visa will be invalid.
- Multi-entry in 3 months: The visa is valid for 90 days with multiple entries. During those 3 months, foreigners can leave Vietnam many times. In other words, the value of this visa does not depend on the number of exits and entries into Vietnam in the 3-month validity of the visa.
Upon your arrival at any of Vietnam’s international airports, you will receive your visa through Vietnam Visa On Arrival, or VOA. Additionally, US passport holders can apply for the Vietnam tourist visa with multiple entries in 6 months or 1 year.
What is the purpose of the Vietnam tourist visa?
The Vietnam tourist visa is for foreigners who enter Vietnam for traveling purposes whether it is backpacking or organized by travel agencies.
Who will need the Vietnam tourist visa?
Every foreigner who wishes to travel to Vietnam on tourism will need the Vietnam Tourist Visa. However, those who are from 88 countries that have visa exemption agreements with Vietnam will not need to apply for the visa.
How long does the validity of the Vietnam tourist visa last?
The validity of a Vietnam visa is based on the type of entry of the visa that foreigners choose. These types are 1 month and 3 months for a single entry or 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year for multi-entry.
However, according to Law 51/2019/QH14, if foreigners enter Vietnam on a tourist visa that has a validity of more than 30 days, they will be granted a 30-day temporary residence permit. The temporary residence permit can be extended. The extension is based on the regulations.
Furthermore, if the foreigners travel to Vietnam on visa exemption and the visa exemption period expired, they will have to renew the visa exemption. Find out more about Vietnam Visa Exemption.
Vietnam business visa
What is a Vietnam business visa?
Vietnam business visa (DN1, DN2) is the second common visa in Vietnam which foreigners must have when coming to Vietnam to work with enterprises.
Foreigners who have a tourist visa can only enter and stay in Vietnam for tourism purposes, but a business visa allows them to travel to other locations that are not stated in the work schedule. Please note that foreigners can also choose different types of entry to apply for the visa:
- Single entry in 1 month.
- Multi-entry in 1 month.
- Single entry in 3 months.
- Multi-entry in 3 months.
- Multi-entry in 6 months (For US citizens).
- Multi-entry in 1 year (For US citizens).
How long does the validity of the Vietnam business visa last?
Because the validity of Vietnam visas are based on the type of entry that foreigners choose, if a foreigner enters on a business visa for 3 months, he/she will receive a 3-month temporary residence permit. This is different from the Vietnam tourist visa.
Who will need the Vietnam business visa?
The Vietnam business visa is for foreigners who work with any company or corporation in Vietnam. Foreigners who offer services for sales, establish Trade representatives, or carry out any commercial activities in Vietnamese territory will also need to apply for the Vietnam business visa.
Vietnam work visa
What is a Vietnam work visa?
Vietnam work visa (LD) is a visa for foreigners who come to stay and work in Vietnam. In other words, if a foreigner is employed by an enterprise or a company in Vietnam, they must have this visa. The Vietnam work visa is categorized into 2 types:
- LD1 – granted for foreigners who come to work in Vietnam that do not have to have a work permit.
- LD2 – granted for foreigners who must have a work permit to work in Vietnam.
How long does the validity of the Vietnam work visa last?
This visa is valid for a maximum of 2 years. However, the Vietnam Government only grants you a 1-year visa. Therefore, foreigners who want to work long term need to apply for a temporary work permit for up to 2 years.
Who will need a Vietnam work visa?
Foreigners who wish to stay in Vietnam and intend to work for a company in the country for a long time will need to apply for a Vietnam work visa.
Vietnam student visa
What is a Vietnam student visa?
A Vietnam student visa (DH) is for foreigners who wish to study or to have an internship in Vietnam.
How long does the validity of the Vietnam student visa last?
The Vietnam student visa is valid for 12 months and can be extended.
Who will need the Vietnam student visa?
Foreign students who are accepted by schools/universities in Vietnam need a Vietnam student visa. Foreigners who come to Vietnam with a tourist visa and then decide to register for a course in Vietnam will need to apply for a Vietnam student visa as well. Please remember to check beforehand if you are from 88 countries that have an agreement with Vietnam on visa exemption.
Vietnam diplomatic visa
What is a Vietnam diplomatic visa?
Vietnam diplomatic visa (NG) is issued to specific members of delegations or government agencies to work on diplomatic missions in Vietnam. There are 4 types of diplomatic visa:
- NG1 and NG2: issued to members of delegations invited by governmental bodies of Vietnam.
- NG3: granted to members of diplomatic missions, consular, and representative offices of international organizations in Vietnam.
- NG4: for people who come to work with diplomatic missions, consular, and representative offices of international organizations in Vietnam.
How long does the validity of the Vietnam diplomatic visa last?
The Vietnam diplomatic visa is valid for 12 months and can be extended.
Who will need the Vietnam diplomatic visa?
There are specific cases that will need to get the Vietnam diplomatic visa when entering Vietnam:
- Guests of equivalent ranks inclusive of presidents and vice presidents, ministers, and vice ministers, of committees provinces who are invited by the Vietnam Government, will be also granted an NG1 visa or NG2 visa.
- Relatives of members of diplomatic missions, consular and representative offices of international organizations who go with them to Vietnam will need to apply for an NG3 visa.
- People who visit members of diplomatic missions, consular and representative offices of international organizations but don’t work with them will need an NG4 visa when entering Vietnam.
Applying for the Vietnam tourist visa upon arrival at Visa2Asia
Applying for a Vietnam visa upon arrival or Visa on Arrival (VOA) allows you to receive your visa at any international airport in Vietnam.
Vietnam tourist visas are not necessary for some nationalities because of the agreement between Vietnam and the other 88 countries on visa exemption. If you are not exempted from one, you can contact Visa2Asia to help you apply for a Vietnam tourist visa upon arrival. The procedure is simple:
Step 1: Fill in the online application form at Visa2Asia.
Step 2: Check and confirm the information.
Step 3: Make the payment for the service.
Step 4: Receive an approval letter after 3-5 working days issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department.
After that, you just need to submit your approval letter along with your passport with remaining validity for at least 6 months and two 2×2 inches (4x6cm) passport-sized photos at the landing visa counter at Vietnam international airports. Then, you can receive your Vietnam visa after paying the stamping fee.
The fees to apply for the Vietnam tourist visa upon arrival
When applying for a tourist visa on arrival, you have to pay the visa stamping fee at Vietnam’s international airports. This fee is based on the types of entry:
- Single entry in 1 month: US$25.
- Multi-entry in 1 month: US$50.
- Single entry in 3 months: US$25.
- Multi-entry in 3 months: US$50.
- Multi-entry in 6 months: US$95 (For US citizens).
- Multi-entry in 1 year: US$135 (For US citizens).
Please remember that all the fees have to be paid in cash (both VND and USD are acceptable), but USD will be much more preferred. Additionally, if you choose Visa2Asia to process your visa on arrival, you will need to pay the service fee. This fee depends on the type of entry of the visa on arrival and your choice of our services.
The processing time when applying for the Vietnam tourist visa upon arrival
Applying for the Vietnam tourist visa on arrival takes 2-4 working days for a travel agency to get the approval letter. Then it will take a couple of minutes to get the visa at the airport.
Extending the Vietnam tourist visa
To extend your Vietnam tourist visas you are going to need:
- An application form of visa extension or renewal.
- A valid passport that still has at least 1-2 bank pages. The passport must not be invalid for at least 30 days from the new intended exit.
You can choose to apply for a visa extension by yourself at the Vietnam Immigration Department. These are the addresses:
- 44-46 Tran Phu, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi Capital;
- 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
It is possible to use the visa extension service from Visa2Asia to extend your visa. You do not have to waste a lot of time going to the Vietnam Immigration Department. You just need to submit some required documents such as scans of your passport, visa stamp, sticker, and proof of your temporary residence to Visa2Asia. The visa is going to be checked if it is extendable. After that, you are going to be informed about the service fee and the date to get the result. After making the payment, please send the original passport to us (directly or indirectly). And do not worry because the passport will be sent back after 5-10 days.
Renewing the Vietnam tourist visa
You only need to renew your Vietnam tourist visa when the validity of the visa expires or you want to change the type of entry of your tourist visa. To know more information about extending and renewing your visa, please read the article How To Extend And Renew Visa In Vietnam.
Exceptional regulations about Vietnam visa during the COVID-19 pandemic
Facing the fact that the COVID19 Pandemic has been spreading all over the world, the Vietnam Government has temporarily stopped allowing foreigners to enter Vietnam from March 22nd, 2020. So will those who enter Vietnam on visa exemption.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading and hopefully, this article will help you understand more about 5 common types of Vietnam visas. If you do not have much time to find out information on your own to apply for or to extend a Vietnam visa, please contact Visa2Asia for your help. The procedure at Visa2Asia is simple and transparent.
