Vietnam tourist visas are generally valid for thirty days and for a single entry, though some embassies issue visas for three months or longer and may also issue multiple–entry visas.
To apply for a Vietnam tourist visa, you have to submit an Vietnam visa application form with one or two passport-sized photographs (procedures vary) and the fee. Or apply for a Vietnam visa online. The visa shows specific start and end dates indicating the period of validity within which you can enter and leave the country. The visa is valid for entry via Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang international airports and any of Vietnam‘s land borders open to foreigners.
Special circumstances affect overseas Vietnamese holding a foreign passport: check with the Vietnamese embassy in your country of residence for details.
Most major tour agents in Vietnam are now authorized to issue visas on arrival at Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang international airports. It’s not necessarily any more expensive (prices range from US$19 to US$90 for a one-month tourist visa, depending on your nationality and how quickly you need the application processed), but check carefully to make sure you’re quoted a price including the visa and not just the handling fee (see Vietnam visa fee). There’s also an element of risk since you are reliant on the agency completing the paperwork in time for your arrival. However, it can be handy if there is no Vietnamese embassy in your home country. The agency will need a photocopy of your passport, your full name, date of birth, proposed dates of stay, flight details and a fax number or email address to which they will send an “invitation letter” saying you have approval to enter the country. While some agencies are able to process the application in one day, allow at least one week to be on the safe side. If you follow this route, look out for the Visa on Arrival desk at the airport before you pass through immigration.
On arrival In Vietnam, you’ll need to fill in an Arrival and Departure Card, which has to be submitted when you leave the country, so it’s a good idea to staple it into your passport while travelling.
