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Visa

VIETNAM – VISA EXEMPTION EFFECTIVE 1st JAN 2018 FOR 6 COUNTRIES

We are pleased to advise that the Government of Vietnam has agreed to extend Visa Exemption period for British, German, French, Spanish and Italian citizens, Republic of Belarus which will come into effect from 1st January 2018 and run until 30th June 2021. This unilateral visa exemption is being granted by Vietnamese Authorities to citizens from these countries in order to promote tourism in Vietnam.

The conditions for visa-free entry into Vietnam are as follows:

  • Applicable to citizens holding a passport from the following countries: United Kingdom, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Spain, Republic of Belarus, and the Italian Republic who meet all the conditions prescribed by the law of Vietnam
  • This visa exemption is able to be applied for entries at all official international border checkpoints.
  • Passport validity must have at least 06 months remaining from the date of exiting Vietnam
  • Length of stay in Vietnam to not exceed 15 days from the date of entry and is for a single entry visa. If length of intended stay is more than 15 days, then the traveler is not eligible for exemption and will still require a Vietnam Visa in the normal manner.
  • Travelers wishing to enter Vietnam using this visa exemption will need to show their return air ticket. Clients who enter via a land border checkpoint or by cruise are not required to apply for a Vietnam Visa in advance.
  • For those who have visited Vietnam before, this new entry date must be over 30 days since the previous exit in order to re-enter with visa exemption.
  • This policy of visa exemption applies from the date 01st Jan 2018 to end of 30th June 2021 and will be considered for extension under the Provisions of the Law of Vietnam.

International visitors travel to Phu Quoc island will be exempted for 30 days of Vietnam Visa.

Foreigners holding British National Oversea (BNO) passports are not exempted from visa requirement, thus must have appropriate visas to enter Viet Nam.

 

NEW ENTRY PROCEDURE

  • From 1st January 2018 on arrival in Vietnam, travelers who are eligible to enter Vietnam under this visa exemption will need just to show the passport and their return air ticket. The Immigration official will check the passport and stamp the entry date stamp in the passport. When the traveler is departing Vietnam, the Immigration officer will check the entry date stamp in the passport to ensure that the traveler has not overstayed, before stamping the exit date in the passport
  • For travelers who are entering Vietnam from 1st January 2018 who already have a Vietnam visa in their passport, the Immigration Department will apply the normal entry procedure.
  • Travelers entering Vietnam from 1st January 2018 who already have a Visa on Arrival Pre-Approval document but no Visa yet will not need to show the Approval document nor get a Visa on Arrival (provided they meet all the other conditions for Visa exemption). On arrival in Vietnam they will just need to proceed direct to the Immigration counter (and not to the visa counter!) to show their passport and return flight ticket, then the Immigration official will stamp the entry date into their passport. This entry to Vietnam under the Visa Exemption is free of charge. If a fee is being charged, then it means the traveler is most likely at the incorrect counter (i.e. at the visa counter and not at the immigration counter).

 

RE-ENTRY

Travelers who are eligible to enter Vietnam under this Visa exemption may do so for consecutive visits, provided the re-entry date is at least 30 days after the previous exit date from Vietnam.

Travelers who exit Vietnam to another third country (but not their home country) and then return Vietnam within 30 days from the exiting date (Itinerary: Native country – Vietnam – 3rd country – Vietnam), may apply for a Visa on Arrival directly at the airport without the normal Visa Pre-Approval letter. In this case these documents must be provided:

  • Valid passport for at least 6 months after the exit date of Vietnam
  • Vietnam Visa Application Form NA1 (available at the airport or via Easy Vietnam Trip)
  • 2 recent passport-sized photos with white background
  • Valid flight tickets (including departure flight from Vietnam)
  • Visa on Arrival Stamping Fee: USD 25 (payable in cash at the airport)

The validity of this Visa on Arrival will be according to the return date on the flight ticket, but no more than 15 days.

The above does not apply for travelers who return to their home/native country and then return to Vietnam within 30 days – in this case they will need to follow the standard visa process and obtain a Visa on Arrival Pre-Approval Letter prior to arrival, and then a Visa on Arrival can be issued at the airport.

 

EXTENSIONS

If, after entering Vietnam under the Visa Exemption, a traveler needs to extend their stay for more than 15 days then an application may be lodged by a licensed local travel company with the Immigration Department to issue an extension (note that the traveler can not apply directly). These are the conditions:

  • Traveler has entered Vietnam under the visa exemption
  • Traveler provides evidence of return air ticket, following tour program of the Travel Agency
  • Current stamping fee is USD 10 (subject to change without notice and excluding service fee).
  • Application must be lodged at least 3 working days before the deadline of 15 days after entry under the exemption

 

IMPORTANT NOTES

  • Fees that have already been paid by passport holders of the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain and France for Vietnamese visas that have already been issued are non-refundable.
  • For all travelers entering Vietnam, an arrival card no longer needs to be completed. A health check card may need to be completed in special cases where travelers are arriving from certain countries.
  • Easy Vietnam Trip will still require travelers’ passport details prior to date of travel in order to meet the requirements of hotels, airlines and cruise companies.
  • Until now, the Government of Viet Nam has at present unilaterally waived visas for holders of passports from 12 countries for stays of less than 15 days, namely the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Russia Federation, Demark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain and France. Tourists holding Thai, Indonesian, Lao, Cambodian, Malaysian and Singaporean passports do not need a visa for a visit up to 30 days. Philippines passport holders do not need a visa for a visit up to 21 days.
  • Tourists visiting Vietnam who are not eligible for any Visa exemption will require a Tourist Visa to enter the country. Please refer to our detailed Vietnam Visa Information document on our Travel Trade website for more information about the Vietnam Visa process. Easy Vietnam Trip can assist and facilitate applications for Tourist visas. For information about other types of visas, please consult the official representatives of Vietnam (Embassy or Consulate) abroad.
  • The above information is provided to the best knowledge of Easy Vietnam Trip and will be updated regularly. We will update you further should there be any changes to the conditions for Visa Exemption or the interpretation and its effects for our travelers. Should you have specific questions for special cases or require more information, please do not hesitate to ask your Easy Vietnam Trip Consultant.