Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam. Tourist visa may be valid for 15 to 30 days.

Visa exemption

Vietnamese people that hold foreign passports and foreigners who are their husbands, wives and children are exempt from visa requirements to enter Vietnam and are allowed to stay for not more than 90 days. In order to be granted visa exemption certificates at Vietnamese representative offices abroad, overseas Vietnamese need conditions:

Foreign-issued permanent residence certificate (PRC) with the validity of at least six months since the date of entrance. 
Visa exemption paper (VEP) is granted by Vietnamese appropriate authorities.
Those who expect to stay more than 90 days must apply for a visa according to current stipulations before their entrance.

Bilateral visa exemption agreement

Citizens of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos holding valid ordinary passports are exempt from visa requirements and are allowed to stay for not more than 30 days; Philippines is allowed to stay for not more than 21 days.
By February 2011, citizens of China, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, and Rumania holding valid ordinary passports for official missions. Citizens of 60 countries holding valid diplomatic or official passports are exempt from visa requirements including Argentina, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, France, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela.
Unilateral visa exemption

Visa with 30-day validity is exempted from officials from the ASEAN secretariat holding different kinds of passports.
Citizens of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Japan, South Korea and Russia holding different kinds of passports are exempt from visa requirements and are allowed to stay for not more than 15 days.
Others who want to enter Vietnam must be provided with a visa.

The tourist visa is valid in 30 days.
Visa is issued at the Vietnamese diplomatic offices or consulates in foreign countries. Visa is possibly issued at the border gates to those who have written invitations by Vietnamese competent agencies or tourists in the tours organized by Vietnamese international travel companies.
Application files for visa: the entrance application (printed form); two 4x6 cm photos; passport and fee for the visa issuance.

Visa extension: Served by all international travel companies.

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