Vietnam Visa on Arrival – FAQ
One of the most common topics on the Tripadvisor Vietnam forum is the visa on arrival (VOA) process in Vietnam, an increasingly popular way of getting a Vietnamese visa. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information and confusion on this relatively simple topic, so here’s a quick, simple FAQ on the subject!
Does Vietnam offer visa on arrival?
Kind of. It’s not really a genuine VOA process as operated in Cambodia or Laos, where you simply turn up, hand over paperwork & cash, & get your visa. You need to apply for an authorisation letter in advance (most local tour operators, ourselves included, offer this service for a small fee usually ranging from US$10-15 per person) which you then present at the visa on arrival desk when you land.
How do I apply for visa on arrival?
Once you’ve found a tour operator who provides the service, you need to send them 3 things:
- A scan of your passports (the page with the photo and issue details)
- Your arrival flight details
- Processing fee (if you’re booking a minimum 7-day tour with us, we process VOA for free)
The tour operator will then send you an authorisation letter, which you present on arrival at Hanoi or HCMC airport, along with US$25 (single entry) or US$50 (multi-entry) and 2 passport photos.
What types of visa are available?
You can obtain 30-day single or multi-entry tourist visas, or 3-month business visas on arrival. If you are planning to stay longer, you will need to obtain one of these basic visa types first and then apply for an extension from within Vietnam. This is a far thornier topic altogether and one that has already been extensively discussed elsewhere!
What are the advantages of doing visa on arrival?
The main advantage is that it’s cheaper than going via the Vietnamese embassy in your own country (sometimes as much as 50% cheaper), and it’s also less hassle – having once spent hours queuing up at the Vietnamese embassy in London, I speak from experience!
Are there any disadvantages?
The big disadvantage is that the VOA desk, particularly at HCMC airport, is pretty chaotic with no orderly queue, and can be stressful after a long flight when you just want to get to your hotel. Waiting times can also be quite long if the airport is busy, and with VOA growing in popularity, they are getting longer. Last time I did it it took around 15 minutes, but some guests of ours had an horrendous 2-hour wait just before Christmas when they got stuck behind a group of 40 Russians.
The other disadvantage is that some airline check-in staff in foreign countries are not aware that Vietnam does VOA. I once spent 30 minutes at a check-in desk at Heathrow convincing the staff that my VOA letter was valid to get me into the country – they were trying to charge me for a return or onward flight from Vietnam as they claimed I had no visa. This was in 2005, but I had a similar “discussion” with check-in staff at Heathrow in November last year. Maybe it’s just Heathrow, which wouldn’t surprise me…
Can I do visa on arrival at land borders?
No – it’s only available at international airports, so if you’re coming into Vietnam by land from Cambodia, Laos or China, you’ll need to apply for your visa in advance.
When will Vietnam offer a real visa on arrival process?
The sooner the better in my opinion – it would have a dramatic effect on tourism and would open up the country to whole new markets. But don’t hold your breath…
