If you want to travel to Vietnam, you need to be well prepared. A number of important things need to be kept in mind. For instance, applying for a Vietnam visa.
All travellers, including minors, must possess their own Vietnam visa. It is also useful to already exchange some money at the airport. In Vietnam, people pay with the Dong, and pounds and euros are not accepted.
About Vietnam
Vietnam is a country inhabited by no less than 90 million people. It is the sixteenth most populous country on earth. The capital is Hanoi and it is visited by a large number of tourists each year. Hanoi is considered one of the prime jewels of Asia. Another city frequently visited is Ho Chi Minh City.
Other tourist attractions include the Mekong Delta, Halong Bay and Sapa. Islands such as Phu Quoc and Cat Ba are also very popular.
Travelling within Vietnam
Are you planning to travel inside of Vietnam? This is relatively easy to do. It might prove difficult to rent a car, however. In many cases you need a special card for that, or the car is only offered with a driver included. These can be quite pricey. A cheaper option is using domestic flights. Aside from that, taxis are frequently used in Vietnam and are relatively cheap.
Keep a close eye on the meter, drivers have been known to tamper with them. Another option is using a ridesharing app like Uber. This service is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the major cities.
Prices and money
The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong. The currency of the Dong fluctuates heavily. It is very attractive for Europeans to travel to Vietnam, because you can get a relatively large amount of Dong for a few euros or pounds. Vietnam is one of the cheapest countries in Asia and thus very popular. The prices are particularly favourable for travellers from the United States and west-Europe.
Spending the night in Vietnam can already be done for €10 a night for backpackers or around €30 per night for couples. Airbnb is also active here. Vietnam is one of the safest countries in Asia and therefore does not need to be avoided.
Vaccinations
Generally, a vaccination is required when travelling to certain parts in Asia. For Vietnam, it is recommended to get protections against hepatitis A and malaria. Which diseases are endemic depend on the routes taken. A vaccination for yellow fever might be mandatory. When in doubt, always consult your physician.
Paperwork: Vietnam visa
Travelling to Vietnam means getting your paperwork in order. Most European travellers require a visa to visit Vietnam. Some countries, such as the UK, allow their citizens to stay in Vietnam for up to 15 days without needing a visa. For longer stays, a Vietnam visa is required. Applying for a visa takes five minutes and costs £54.95 per person.
This visa is not the same as a visa on arrival. This means that you don’t need to wait in line at the airport. All costs have already been paid for, meaning no stamping fee is charged. The government of Vietnam strongly advises against using the visa on arrival.
The official visa is approved and granted before departure. On arrival in Vietnam, travellers can then walk straight through the passport check. Applying for a Vietnam e-visa is very simple and quite a bit cheaper than the visa on arrival.
Requirements Vietnam visa
When applying for the visa, the Vietnam visa requirements. Anyone wishing to qualify must meet these requirements. For instance, during the application the traveller must indicate when they will arrive. This can be an estimate; an exact date does not need to be known yet. No flight needs to have been booked yet either.
The Vietnam e-visa allows you to enter and leave the country once. The stay can last a maximum of 30 days, and a place to stay must already have been arranged.
The visa must already be in your possessions before getting on your flight, and the passport must be valid for at least 30 days longer than the visa, and the traveller cannot have any mental or contagious diseases. Travellers that have been deported from Vietnam in the past 3 years are not allowed to enter. Furthermore, you can only arrive on and leave from the selected airports, seaports or border posts.
Vietnam visa application
Applying for a Vietnam visa is cheaper, easier and faster than using the visa on arrival. Applying can be done 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A passport scan and passport photo needs to be uploaded. After that, the application is checked by hand.
Apply for the visa several months in advance. Those already leaving for Vietnam in a few days can make an urgent application. An added fee is charged for that. Urgent applications are generally approved within three workdays.
Please note: this news article about the visa for Vietnam is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Vietnam.