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Visa to enter Vietnam While Vietnam has relaxed its tourist visa requirements in recent years, most visitors to Vietnam still need to apply for a visa in advance to enter the country. While the process to get a visa to Vietnam is not always as easy as it should be, most receive visas with limited hassle, and few are turned down. TYPES OF VISA: Tourist Visas Tourist Visas are generally issued as one-month single entry visas. Multiple-entry tourist visas are also available, but they often require special attention and processing to receive. It is quite common to apply for a multiple entry visa and instead receive a single entry visa, so please confirm that you are getting the visa that you need. If you would like to stay longer that one month, you can extend your visa after your arrival in Vietnam. Business Visas: Business visas are usually issued as 3- or 6-month multiple-entry visas, although one-year business visas are also possible with special permission. To get a business visa, you often need a letter from a business sponsor in Vietnam. HOW TO GET A TOURIST VISA Whether you need a business visa or a tourist visa, the process is generally the same. The most common way to get a visa is to contact the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate office in your country of residence or in your travels before entering Vietnam For a tourist visa, you will need to submit: 1) Entry permit form 2) To photos (usually 4cm x 6cm or 3 cm x 4 cm) 3) Your original passport 4) Visa fee The form and the fee can vary by country, so please check directly the Vietnamese embassy or consulate to which you are applying. A business visa usually also requires a letter of support from your sponsor agency or company in Vietnam. In person, the process usually takes 2-3 days, and by mail, the process usually takes 2-3 weeks, depending on the service you use, although times can vary considerably by embassy or consulate. If you are mailing, please note that you need to make arrangements to have your passport with visa returned to you. For assistance, you can process your visa through a travel agency or tour company in Vietnam, with an additional fee, although this is not usually necessary unless you need visa on arrival services. VISA EXEMPTION INFORMATION - No visa required for travel less than 30 days: Citizens of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos. - No visa required for travel less than 15 days: Citizens of Japan and South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland. - No visa required for travel less than 90 days or several visits within 6 months: Citizens of France holding valid diplomatic or official passports - No visa required for travel less than 60 days: Citizens of Chile holding valid diplomatic or official passports. - No visa required for travel less than 60 days: APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies - Special Phu Quoc Exception: Foreigners and Vietnamese nationals bearing foreign passports who enter Vietnam through an international border gate and then travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay in Phu Quoc less than 15 days will also be exempt from visa application. Passports must be valid for at least 45 days. After arriving in Phu Quoc Island, if visitors want to travel other localities or stay in the island for more than 15 days, the immigration department will be responsible for issuing visas right on the spot. - No visa required for Japanese citizens who hold valid diplomatic or official passports when entering Vietnam to implement diplomatic or Government’s official tasks without concerning about the time of stay. For those who entering Vietnam not for the diplomatic tasks but hold valid diplomatic or official passports can be exempted from entry visa and permitted to stay within 90 days.