Vietnam Visa On Arrival For Indian Citizens – How To Apply

  • October 02,2023
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Vietnam is a lovely Asian country, so it draws visitors due to its vibrant city life, quiet seas, and dense forests. To travel to Vietnam, it is necessary to apply for a visa as a compulsory stage. As a result, the blog will explain the availability and information on the Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian residents.

WHAT IS A VISA ON ARRIVAL FOR INDIANS?

It is legal for foreign nationals to obtain a visa for entry and exit into Vietnam upon arrival (VOA). In contrast to visas at the Embassy and E-Visa, which are both available for various ports, including airports, landports, and seaports. Visas on arrival are only available for travelers who enter Vietnam by air and at one of the eight international airports listed.

Instead of having a visa added to their passports ahead of time, applicants must first apply for a visa approval letter through a local visa agency in Vietnam. They can then use this letter to get a visa stamp added to their passports once they arrive at the airport.

You'll see a sign for the transfer or visa counters when you arrive at the Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City airport. If you enter with an exemption visa, you can proceed directly to the arrival counter at the Vietnam airport. Otherwise, you must turn left to reach the visa on arrival desks.

VIETNAM VISAS ON ARRIVAL IN BRIEF

Available visa types

  • Tourist visas (1 month / 3 months)

  • Business visas (sponsor required)

  • 1 year of visas for individuals who hold a US passport.

Entry types

  • Only for air travel

Designated airports

  • Hanoi International Airport

  • Ho Chi Minh City International Airport 

Essential documents 

  • Two passport photos (4x6cm)

  • An approved letter in advance

  • Entry/exit forms

  • Visa fees

  • Passports (at least 6 months of validity).

Visa fees

  • Approval letter fees vary from Embassy to Embassy.

  • Stamping fees are paid at the Vietnam airport ($25 for a single entry and $50 for multiple entries).

Photo criteria

  • A light background

  • Frontal shot of the bald head 

  • Absence of sunglasses

Handling time

  • 1-2 business days for the approval letter (which can be processed in 3-4 hours in urgent cases).

  • 15 to 30 minutes to get a visa stamped at Vietnam airport (several hours during peak season).

BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF GETTING A VISA ON ARRIVAL FOR INDIA RESIDENTS

Pros

Visa-on-arrival is typically recognized for its convenience. Indian citizens who are unable to visit the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate to apply for a visa can consider this visa type. A number of advantages that you might not be aware of include:

Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian - benefits of visa

Benefits of the Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian residents

  • Convenience: Foreigners don't need to send their passports to the Vietnam Immigration Department. Moreover, there is no point in preparing numerous pieces of documentation to present in person at the Embassy. Only a few pieces of information are needed for the application form and letter of pre-approval to land a visa. When you enter, a visa stamp will be given to you. With the assistance of the regional office, obtaining a visa approval letter is a simple online process.

  • Time-saving: For individuals who lack the time to visit the Embassy, a visa on arrival for Indian visitors is the best option. Additionally, this visa type is ideal for urgent cases where foreigners from India do not have time to conduct the visa procedure in person. Obtaining an urgent visa might just take two to three hours.

  • Saving money: With a visa-on-arrival, you won't have to pay for document preparation, postage to transmit your paperwork, or transportation to the Embassy. To obtain a visa to Vietnam, you simply need to pay a stamping fee according to Vietnamese government regulation.

  • Different entry types: In contrast to an E-visa, which only allows for one entry, multiple admissions are permitted. Visas on arrival are suitable for individuals who wish to be permitted more than one entry.

  • Eligible applicants: If E-Visa applications are only accepted from citizens of 80 countries, all other nationals may enter Vietnam with a visa on arrival.

Cons

In addition to all the enticing pros, visitors to Vietnam should take into account the following drawbacks of a visa on arrival for Indian residents:

  • Having no official website: Foreign nationals cannot apply for a visa on arrival by themselves. The Vietnam Immigration Department or other government agencies do not have an official website for their visa-on-arrival service. The procedure must involve a third party (a Vietnamese visa agency). They are all private firms or agencies, and they will give you the pre-approved visa letter.

  • Queuing at the Vietnam airport: You must wait in line at the visa application counter in the airport's Arrival Immigration section in order to have your visa stamped. In the off-season (May to September), this stage often requires 15 to 20 minutes. Nevertheless, during the peak season (October to April), it might possibly last for 30 to 60 minutes. 

  • Checkpoints for entry and exit: Even though 8 out of 10 international airports in Vietnam accept visas on arrival, you still need to confirm that your entry or exit checkpoint is applicable.

  • Letter of authorization for a visa: The local agency may create a combined approval letter because the visa approval letter may be applied to a number of foreign nationals.

  • Variable visa fee: Since you must pay two different types of fees for a landing visa, there is no set visa fee. The cost of a pre-approved visa letter varies by agency. The stamping charge ranges from USD 25 to USD 50, depending on many elements such as visa types, stay periods, and single or multiple entries. Moreover, the stamping charge is only accepted in cash at the arrival port.

8 international airports in Vietnam that accept visas on arrival:

International airports

Noi Bai International Airport 

Danang International Airport 

Tan Son Nhat International Airport 

Cat Bi International Airport 

Lien Khuong International Airport

Cam Ranh International Airport 

Phu Quoc International Airport 

Can Tho International Airport

WHO IS QUALIFIED?

Applicants who qualify for a visa on arrival for Indian passport holders include those who qualify for a traditional visa at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate:

  • Tourists: foreign visitors taking part in a Vietnam trip planned by a travel company in Vietnam.

  • Businessman: Foreign nationals visiting Vietnam on business or for other commercial interests

  • Transit travelers: The applicant's itinerary includes a number of locations, including Vietnam.

  • Those foreign crewmen who are on the ship in Vietnamese seaports and want to leave Vietnam through a border crossing in another nation

  • Foreigners and overseas Vietnamese are coming back to Vietnam to see sick or grieving relatives.

  • Foreign residents who enter Vietnam urgently to handle an emergency, rescue someone, avoid a natural disaster, stop an epidemic, etc.

ENTRY CONDITIONS

There are some additional requirements that you must meet in addition to traveling to Vietnam by air. According to the immigration law, foreigners can land at one of the eight airports in order to get a visa on arrival for Indian passport holders. The requirements are as follows:

  • Foreigners arriving from a nation without a Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate.

  • Foreign residents who are not currently present on Vietnamese soil but who currently reside in other nations.

  • Foreigners with valid passports that are at least six months ahead of their intended stay in Vietnam.

  • Foreigners flying into Vietnam and passing through one of the eight international airports with entry/exit checkpoints that accept visas upon arrival.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR A VIETNAM VISA ON ARRIVAL FOR INDIAN RESIDENTS

There are several steps that visitors need to consider when getting a Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian citizens.

Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian - how to get

The final stage of the visa-on-arrival procedure is that you get a visa stamped at the airport

Preparation stage

You must prepare all of the following in order to obtain a Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian citizens:

  • A tangible copy of a visa approval letter that has been approved in advance by Vietnam's Immigration Department.

  • A form (Form NA1) submitted by the local visa office that serves as the applicant's arrival and exit declaration.

  • Two photos (4×6 or 3×4, similar size, white or plain background, recently taken within six months, straight-looking, without spectacles or scarf) are required.

  • A passport that is current and has at least six months left on its validity after your trip to Vietnam.

  • Cash stamping charge, ranging from $25 to $50 depending on your visa type.

Application form for a visa on arrival

To obtain a visa, there are steps you must take both before your travel and at the port of arrival. You must take the following three steps:

  • Step 1: Apply to a visa agency for a letter of approval for a visa first. If you select urgent service, the procedure may only take 2 to 4 working hours or 2 to 5 working days.

  • Step 2: The Vietnamese government will email an issued visa approval letter to foreigners before departure. Prepare two passport-sized images of an original India passport to submit along with the letter. Bring enough cash to pay the stamping fee after showing all the visa documents.

  • Step 3: At the immigration visa counter at the arrival port, foreigners need to show all the essential visa documents to the immigration officer to get their visa stamp.

Process duration

You must budget time to prepare all required documents in advance of your trip. It is vital for a Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian citizens that the pre-approved visa letter be presented. A pre-approved visa letter can be processed in a few hours or a few working days.

An ordinary letter takes two to four days, whereas an urgent letter only needs two to four hours. Depending on how long the queue is, visitors from India need to wait 20 minutes to an hour to have a visa stamped at the checkpoints.

VIETNAM VISA ON ARRIVAL FEES FOR INDIANS

A Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian residents is subject to two main fees. According to the visa type and agency, different fees might be imposed on foreigners to pay. The price increases in direct proportion to how quickly you want the visa approval letter.

Please take note of the following table's standard service fee:

Visa types

Service fees for Indians

Stamping fee paid to the government

Single entry (1 or 3 months)

USD 20 – 30

USD 25

Multiple entries (1 or 3 months)

USD 25 – 45

USD 50

Multiple entries (12 months)

USD 60

USD 135

REASONS FREQUENTLY CITED FOR DENYING INDIANS THEIR VISAS UPON ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM

A Vietnam visa issued at the airport for Indian passport holders may occasionally be rejected. At certain entry ports in Vietnam, the permission letter enables qualified visitors to apply for a visa upon arrival. However, the immigration officer has the final say in the visa results. Denial of the Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian citizens may result from a number of circumstances. Among them are:

  • Documents with errors or insufficiencies: The form submitted by the applicant may result in the denial of a visa if it is missing crucial supporting papers or is incomplete.

  • Immigration or security concerns: If the immigration officers have good reason to be suspicious of the applicant's intentions or past immigration history, they may reject the Vietnam VOA.

  • Failure to satisfy eligibility standards: If a candidate does not meet eligibility conditions for Vietnam VOA, such as sufficient funds, a valid passport, or a good reason for the visit, the visa application may be rejected.

We hope the information provided on the Vietnam visa on arrival for Indian citizens will help you complete your application smoothly. Please be informed that the likelihood of a Vietnam visa application being approved increases when all paperwork requirements are precisely met. Contact us at +1 315 715 8498 or email support@e-visa-gov.com to ask for our support at any time you want.

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