Which visa for Vietnam? Visa Exemption, Visa on Arrival, e-Visa
Pré-requis : Que préparer avant de venir
Avant de venir au Vietnam, assurez-vous d’avoir un passeport valide au moins 6 mois après votre séjour au Vietnam.
Il faut pouvoir présenter une preuve de sortie du pays. Cette preuve est souvent demandée par les compagnies aériennes, dès l’enregistrement (en France par exemple), mais le service d’immigration au Vietnam le demande rarement.
Quel visa choisir ?
Pour les séjours de plus de 30 jours : demandez un visa ou visa à l’arrivée
Pour les séjours entre 15 et 30 jours : demandez un visa, un visa à l’arrivée ou e-visa
Pour les séjours de 15 jours maximum : les citoyens de certains pays (dont la France) sont exemptés de visa
| Type of visa | Duration | Entries | Cost | Validity | Possible extension ? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa exemption | 15 days | 1 | 0€ | All border crossings | No |
| e-visa | 30 days | 1 | 25$ | Some border crossings | Yes but expensive |
| Visa to be applied for at the Vietnameseembassy in France | 30 days | 1 | 60€ | Yes | |
| 30 days | Multiple | 80€ | Yes | ||
| 90 days | 1 | 80€ | Yes | ||
| 90 days | Multiple | 130€ | Yes | ||
| Visa on Invitation | 30 days | 1 | 50$ | Yes | |
| 30 days | Multiple | 55$ | Yes | ||
| 90 days | 1 | 70$ | Yes | ||
| 90 days | Multiple | 75$ | Yes |
Visa exemption
The visa waiver for a maximum of 15 days applies to citizens of the following countries: France, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Finland, Germany, Belarus, United Kingdom & Spain
It is valid at all land, river and airport entry points. In case of multiple entries, you must leave the territory and wait 1 month before being eligible for a second visa exemption of 15 days.
For the island of Phu Quoc, you are entitled to a 30-day visa waiver. But there is no flight going directly from France to Phu Quoc island.
The visa exemption cannot be extended. If you come to Vietnam and get another visa on the spot, you must leave the country and re-enter with the second visa. This is what JB did by spending 2 weeks in Thailand.
e-visa
Since February 2017, citizens of the following countries can apply online for a printable electronic visa, valid for a single entry and for stays of 30 days or less:
- This e-visa can be used in certain land and river stations and in all international airports. The list of authorized borders is available here.
- Simply fill out an online form, upload a photo and pay 25$. When filling out the form, do not make a mistake on the date of entry as the resulting visa will be valid from the date of entry indicated and for 30 days. If you enter Vietnam later, you will lose days within the 30 day limit.
- You will receive the notification 3 working days later by email, click on the link to access and print your visa.
- At immigration, present your passport and your printed e-visa, you will receive a stamp on your passport.
- We wrote a detailed article here
Visa to be applied for at the Vietnamese embassy
The Consulate Department of the Vietnamese Embassy abroad can also issue you a visa, affixed to your passport or on a separate sheet of paper
You can :
- either present yourself on site, without an appointment, with the pre-filled form and the amount requested in cash
- either you can send your file (with acknowledgement of receipt), with or without your original passport by mail to the embassy, including a pre-stamped envelope
The rates are higher if you go through the Vietnamese embassy. The delays of obtaining the certificate are also longer
Update: During the period of the Coronavirus outbreak, visa applicants are requested to contact directly the partner organization or an authorized travel agency in Vietnam to start the visa application process with the Vietnam Immigration Service. After obtaining the visa issuance authorization from this service, applicants can come to the Vietnamese Embassy with the declaration of your state of health for visa application.
Visa on arrival / Visa on invitation
The visa on arrival does not exist. It is an incorrect way to refer to visas on invitation, i.e. you contact a specialized agency in advance and they issue a letter of invitation. When you arrive at the airport, someone from this agency will be waiting for you and will take you to do the steps to obtain the visa.
