Currently, there are two available options foreign travelers could choose from to apply for Vietnam visa.
The second option means you get a visa approval letter in advance, and then get the visa stamped onto your passport at the arrival airport in Vietnam.
For those of you who plan to travel to Vietnam and do not know where to start with the visa application, the simple guides below could be of some help. Please refer to the table below for detailed instructions for each country.
First, please check if your nationality is included in Vietnam visa exemption list.
The Vietnam visa exemption list is a list issued by Vietnamese Government that grants citizens from a number of countries the right to enter Vietnam without visa for a certain number of days.
The countries on this list are: Brunei, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia and Finland; France and Chile (holding valid diplomatic or official passports).
Second, there is a Vietnam embassy in your country / nearby?
If this is the case, one could apply for a visa either by directly contact the embassy or use visa on arrival service with vietnam-visa.com if your nationality is supported.
Please keep in mind that the visa on arrival option is not available for every nationality and only applicable for those traveling to Vietnam by air. Check the list below to see if your nationality is supported with this option.
For those:
You should contact the nearest Vietnam embassy for detailed instructions and procedure. Vietnam embassy information could be found here.
Third, if there is no Vietnam embassy near where you are staying?
In this case, your best option is to apply for a visa on arrival to Vietnam if your nationality is supported. If not, you should find the nearest Vietnam embassy in neighbor countries to apply for Vietnam visa.