Additionally, visa applicants should contact their inviter or sponsor in Vietnam to obtain the necessary visa approval document, and SQ visa applicants should contact Vietnamese missions abroad for further instructions.
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Vietnamese Visa Application Requirements
To apply for a Vietnamese visa through a mission abroad, you must submit the following documents:
- Completed application form (available online at http://visa.mofa.gov.vn) with attached photo
- Original passport or passport substitute
- Visa approval document issued by the appropriate government department
- Prepaid return envelope if requesting mail delivery
Note that passport validity must exceed the applied visa validity by at least one month. Additionally, visa applicants should contact their inviter or sponsor in Vietnam to obtain the necessary visa approval document, and SQ visa applicants should contact Vietnamese missions abroad for further instructions.
Entry Requirements for Foreigners into Visa to Vietnam
1. Overseas Vietnamese and Stateless Persons
- An overseas Vietnamese without a passport, who wishes to visit relatives in Vietnam and possess valid entry/exit documents issued by their country of residence, can apply for a visa through diplomatic channels.
- Stateless persons wishing to visit relatives or travel to Vietnam must submit a visa application form and a valid international travel document issued by their country of residence.
2. General Provisions
- Foreigners entering and leaving Vietnam must have a valid passport and visa issued by the competent authorities of Vietnam, except in cases of visa exemption. Passport substitutes must be accepted by Vietnamese authorities through diplomatic channels.
- Vietnamese nationals residing overseas with foreign-issued travel documents accepted by Vietnamese authorities through diplomatic channels may enter Vietnam.
3. Visa on Arrival
Under Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on entry, exit, transit, and residence status of foreigners in Vietnam, the following foreigners are eligible for visa on arrival:
- Departing from a country without a Vietnamese visa-granting authority
- Traveling through multiple countries before entering Vietnam
- Visiting Vietnam through tours organized by an international travel agency operated in Vietnam
- Foreign crewmembers on board vessels anchored in Vietnam’s seaport wishing to exit through other border checkpoints
- Visiting Vietnam to attend a relative’s funeral or to visit a seriously ill family member
Entering Vietnam for emergency response, search and rescue, disaster or epidemic control
Foreign nationals who wish to enter Vietnam for emergency response, search and rescue, disaster or epidemic control, or other special purposes at the request of the competent authority in Vietnam must apply for a visa approval before arriving at the border checkpoint. They should submit their passports or international travel documents and a completed visa application form with an attached photograph at Vietnam’s border control authority. Children over 14 sharing passports with others must fill out a separate visa application form. The visa on arrival will be granted after the border control authority completes the necessary checks.
Types of visas, validity, and categories
Types of visas:
- Visa sticker: A visa that is directly labeled into a passport.
- Loose-leaf visa: A visa issued separately from a passport.
Validity:
- Single entry visa: A visa that allows entry and exit from Vietnam one time.
- Multiple entry visa: A visa that allows entry and exit from Vietnam multiple times.
Visa categories:
- NG1 – issued to members of delegations invited by high-ranking officials of the Vietnamese government.
- NG2 – issued to members of delegations invited by government officials at lower levels.
Title: Types of Vietnam Visa
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| NG3 | Issued to members of diplomatic and consular missions, representative offices of international organizations under the United Nations and inter-governmental organizations; as well as their spouses, children below 18 years old, and private servants during their term of office. |
| NG4 | Issued to working partners of diplomatic and consular missions, representative offices of international organizations under the United Nations and inter-governmental organizations, visitors of members of the said missions and organizations. |
| LV1 | Issued to working partners of committees, agencies under the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly, the Government, the Central Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front, the People’s Supreme Court, the People’s Supreme Procuracy, State Audit Agency, Ministries, ministerial and governmental agencies, the provincial and municipal Party Committee, the People’s Councils, the People’s Committees of cities and provinces under the central administration. |
| LV2 | Issued to working partners of socio-political organizations, social organizations, Vietnam’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry. |
| ĐT | Issued to foreign investors and foreign lawyers operating in Vietnam. |
| DN | Issued to working partners of Vietnam businesses. |
| NN1 | Issued to the chief representative of representative offices/ projects of international organizations and foreign NGOs in Vietnam. |
| NN2 | Issued to heads of representative offices, branches of foreign businesses; representative offices of foreign economic, cultural, and other professional institutions in Vietnam. |
| NN3 | Issued to working partners of foreign NGOs, representative offices, branches of foreign businesses, representative offices of foreign economic, cultural, and other professional institutions in Vietnam. |
| DH | Issued to interns and students. |
Visa Types and Processing Information for Foreigners Visiting Vietnam
Visa types available for foreigners visiting Vietnam include HN, PV1, PV2, LĐ, DL, TT, VR, SQ with different validity durations ranging from 30 days to 5 years. The processing time for NG1 and NG2 visas is one working day, while other types of visas take up to three working days to process. Visa validity must be at least 30 days shorter than the passport or international travel document’s validity. Expired visas can be renewed.
Eligibility for Loose-leaf Visa
The following individuals are eligible for a loose-leaf visa:
- Those who possess a valid passport with no remaining blank pages for a visa sticker.
- Individuals whose passports are issued by countries that have not yet established diplomatic or consular relations with Vietnam.
- Holders of valid international travel documents.
- For diplomatic, national defense, and security purposes.