If you decide to travel to the embassy location, you will have to incur expenses on travel and stay. At the embassy, you will be asked to fill the Visa application form. Along with the duly filled form, you will have to submit documents such as one recent passport size photograph, one self-addressed envelope and your original passport. Besides these documents, you will also have to submit the Visa fees, which can be paid to the Embassy of Vietnam by way of money order or cashier’s cheque.
The embassy will take at least five days to process your documents. Once your documents are processed, you will be issued a fully stamped Visa. Although this process allows you to get a fully stamped document before your departure to Vietnam, it is time consuming and expensive.
If you decide to send in your documents for processing by postal mail, you stand to lose your valuable documents if your package is misplaced or lost in transit.
• Apply for Visa on Arrival
The Visa on Arrival is a far more convenient option. To apply for Visa on Arrival, you will have to get in touch with a travel agent based in Vietnam. You will be required to fill an online application form on the travel agent’s website. You will have to key in details such as your name, occupation, purpose of visit, duration of stay etc. While filling the purpose of visit section, you will have to choose from options such as business, tourist and transit. A business Visa allows you a validity of one month, three months or six months. A tourist Visa comes with a validity of one month and transit Visa comes with a validity of less than five days.
Once your online application is processed, you will be issued a letter of approval by the Vietnam Immigration authorities. Your travel agent can collect this letter of approval on your behalf and have it forwarded to you. On reaching Vietnam, you are required to submit this document at the Visa on Arrival counter of the airport you arrive in. Along with the letter of approval, you will have to submit the Visa stamping fees.
The Visa on Arrival facility is extended only to those travelers who arrive in Vietnam by air. Those taking land routes are required to carry all their documents with them while traveling.
