How to get Vietnam visa for US citizens
Currently, the demand for entry to Vietnam by foreigners is increasing. Foreigners come to Vietnam to travel, study, work, do business, visit relatives, get married, etc, including US citizens. In general, they have many reasons to enter Vietnam. And before entering Vietnam, these foreigners need to apply for an entry visa. In today’s article, we will provide to you the procedure to apply Vietnam visa for US citizens. Let’s follow up.
I. New regulations on applying for Vietnam visa for foreigners 2023-2024
As we often know, if foreigners want to enter Vietnam openly and legally, they need to have “agreement” from the Vietnamese side. In other words, they need to get an entry visa. In case foreigners enter Vietnam without applying for a visa, they are not allowed to enter or may be expelled from Vietnam.
1. Do US citizens need to apply for a Visa when coming to Vietnam?
Vietnam has always been a hospitable country, open to welcome citizens, workers, students, students and visitors from all over the world. That is why many foreigners are tending to Vietnam to live and work long-term. Especially American citizens.
As of January 2022, Vietnam is exempting visas for citizens of 25 countries (ordinary passports), in which:
- Vietnam exempts bilateral visas for citizens of 12 countries
- Vietnam exempts bilateral visas for citizens of 13 countries, including 11 European countries.
However, US citizens are not on this list. For holders of US nationality, when entering Vietnam, they need to bring the original passport valid for at least 06 months from the date of entry to apply for an entry visa in accordance with regulations. At the same time, that person must meet all entry conditions and must not be banned from entering Vietnam.
Americans who want to enter Vietnam can currently apply for a visa:
- Tourist visa period from 15-30 days.
- Visa to visit relatives who are sponsored by relatives and prove the relative relationship as wife, husband, child, father and mother of Vietnamese. Visa validity is 1 year.
- Business visa with guarantee company. The company must be eligible to sponsor foreigners to work.
In short, all Americans MUST have a valid visa to enter Vietnam, whether it is for tourism, business or work purposes.
2. Subjects are eligible for visa exemption.
Subjects are eligible for visa exemption.
- Vietnamese people living abroad.
- Foreigners are spouses and children of overseas Vietnamese or Vietnamese citizens.
Visa exemption conditions.
- Have a valid passport or international travel document valid for at least 1 year.
- Subject to visa exemption according to regulations.
- Not in the cases of entry and exit bans.
Expiry date of visa exemption certificate.
- maximum validity of not more than 5 years
- Shorter than the expiry date of the passport. Or valid international travel document of the grantee at least 6 months.
II. How to get Vietnam visa for US citizens
Procedures for applying for a Vietnam visa for US citizens will be different, depending on the purpose of entering Vietnam. In general, there are 3 ways to apply for a Vietnam visa for US citizens, including:
- Apply for visa at Vietnam Embassy/Consulate
- Apply for a visa at the airport (also known as a visa on arrival)
- Apply for an electronic visa (also known as E-visa)
1. Get Vietnam visa by applying for visa at Vietnam Embassy/Consulate
American citizens can apply for a Vietnam visa for Americans at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate in the United States
Pros:
You will get a visa stamped on your passport immediately if the visa is approved.
Cons:
- The cost is quite high
- Complicated procedure
- The possibility of visa rejection is high
- It is difficult to apply for an urgent visa on the same day.
If you want to apply for a Vietnam visa at a Vietnamese consulate in the US, you can follow 3 steps:
Step 1: Prepare documents for Vietnam visa application
- Original passport;
- Vietnam visa application form according to the prescribed form;
- Photo card 4×6 cm, taken in the last 6 months;
- Invitation letter from guarantor company in Vietnam (if applying for business visa DN);
- Letter of invitation / letter of guarantee from relatives in Vietnam (if applying for a visa to visit relatives);
Step 2: Bring the documents to submit at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate in the US
Step 3: Get the passport back with the visa result (visa stamped on the face of the passport) if passed.
2. Apply visa at the airport
This is a method of applying for a Vietnam visa exclusively for travel agencies, organizations and businesses in Vietnam. They have the ability to guarantee foreigners who are partners and customers to enter Vietnam. Der performs many different purposes such as tourism, business, business, investment, commerce, …
Pros:
- Fast
- Simple procedures
- Soft costs
- Meet urgent requests
- Have many options for purposes and number of entry times.
- Cons:
It is only convenient when you come to Vietnam to work or travel and the organization is committed to doing visa procedures - Not applicable when entering by land or by routes other than flights
The steps to apply for entry into Vietnam in this form are as follows:
Step 1: Fill in your personal information in the application form for a visa to enter Vietnam, pay the service fee (around 270 USD with processing time about 5-7 working days)
Step 2: Receive entry letter via email within 2 working days (for tourist visa) or 7 working days (for commercial visa), or faster with Vietnam visa urgent service.
Step 3: Present the printed entry document with the immigration declaration and personal passport to the customs officer to complete the procedures upon arrival at Vietnam airport.
Step 4: Stick the visa stamp on your passport and enter Vietnam.
3. Get Vietnam visa for US citizens through E-visa
Electronic visa application (E-visa) is a way to apply for a visa applied by many foreigners, including US citizens.
Pros:
- Convenience
- Relatively low cost.
Cons:
- Website interface is not user-friendly
- Difficult to manipulate.
- The e-visa allows only one entry and a 30-day stay.
- The waiting time for the visa application is quite long.
To apply for a Vietnam e-visa, follow these instructions:
Step 1: Visit the link Evisa.gov.vn to declare declarations, submit documents and fees.
Step 2: Fill in the information according to the instructions in this attachment. After that, you will be given an electronic record code by the system
Step 3: Pay the Vietnam e-visa application fee at a cost of 25 USD.
Step 4: Track the visa result using the electronic file code. If the application is approved, you proceed to print the visa to complete the entry procedures to Vietnam.
So the article has shared quite detailed about the procedures and ways to apply for a Vietnam visa for US citizens. If you want to go to Vietnam for a long time, hope you can get a visa easily.
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