Here are some travel tips and a list of requirements you need to prepare for your Vietnam visa:
1. A 6 month validity passport
2. Check if you require a visa
3. Confirm if you arrive Vietnam by plane
4. Prepare your documents
5. Prepare CASH!
6. Patient at the visa application counter

Tip 1: Always check your visa status before you travel
Tip 2: Make sure your information are correct on the visa
Tip 3: Not to exchange your money at airport
Tip 4: Buy the taxi ticket at the counter at airport
Tip 5: Do not bring too much cash
Tip 6: Do not overstay your visa.
Bonus tip: List of Vietnamese public holidays
Tip 7: Do not drink tap water
Tip 8: Only use Mai Linh and Vinasun taxi brand
Tip 9: Keep your valuables at hotel
Tip 10: Try to avoid motorbike taxis
Tip 11: Bring Diarrhea pills with you
Tip 12: Don’t touch anything when you go shopping
Tip 13: Foods in Vietnam are amazing!

Lets go into more details!

1. A 6 month validity passport

Many people never check the expiration date of their passport until it is too late when you arrive the border gate. For most of the countries, without a 6 month validity passport is a big NO. You probably have to pay extra to enter the country.

2. Check if you require a visa

Some countries are exempts from visa to visit Vietnam, you can check here. If your country is on the list, Great! you can just sit back and relax! Not on the list? Relax, you can quickly apply for your Vietnam Visa here. Here is a step by step guideline to show you how to get a Vietnam Visa.

⭐ Tip 1: Make sure you check the list every time before you travel as the policy always changes.

3. Confirm if you arrive Vietnam by plane

The Vietnam Visa On Arrival visa is only valid if you arrive in Vietnam on an international flight. If you arrive Vietnam by the other way, you need to contact your local travel agent or Vietnam embassy / Consulate for a valid Vietnam visa.

4. Prepare your documents

After you apply for a Vietnam visa, you will receive an official approval letter. (Don’t be panic if you found there are other names on the letter too. It is completely normal). You need to:

  • Print out the visa approval letter
  • Prepare 2 passport-sized 4x6cm photos
  • Print out the visa application form and fill in all your details

⭐ Tip 2: MAKE SURE your information (your name, passport number) is correct. In some cases they refuses you because of the incorrect information.

5. Prepare CASH!

When you arrive the visa application counter at airport, you need to pay the visa stamping fee (by cash in USD). They do not accept card. Prepare some USD or you may have to pay an extra fee. For more details about the visa stamping fee, you can visit here.

⭐ Tip 3: Usually there is a currency exchange counter just after the border gate. We suggest not to exchange your money and buy your phone card there. You can exchange small amount of money at airport outside the gate for taxi, usually the exchange rate is not very good.

⭐ Tip 4: Buy the taxi ticket at the counter at airport. Do not hire a taxi outside the airport, there are a lot of fake taxi. Yes you probably will pay more for the taxi ticket but it saves you time not to deal with the taxi driver.

⭐ Tip 5: Do not bring too much cash. If you have Vietnamese Dong in excess of VND 150,000,000 or foreign currency in excess of 5,000 U.S. dollars or equivalent you must declare. Otherwise you will be in trouble…

6. Patient at the visa application counter

Sometimes it takes a while (usually 5 – 10 min) for the officers to process your visa. Don’t be panic. It is completely normal.

⭐ Last Tip: Do not overstay your visa. Vietnam government has now stopped extending visa for all nationality. If you plan to stay longer, you should apply for a 3 month Multiple Entry Vietnam visa.

⭐ Last Last Tip: Below is the list of Vietnamese public holiday 2018, if you arrive Vietnam on one of these holidays especially Tet holiday (Vietnam New Year) some shops and service may be closed.

1st JanuaryNew Year day
14th FebruaryTet holiday (First day of Vietnamese New Year)
15th FebruaryTet Eve (Vietnamese New Year Eve)
16th FebruaryTet holiday (Vietnamese New Year)
17th FebruaryTet holiday (Vietnamese New Year)
18th FebruaryTet holiday (Vietnamese New Year)
19th FebruaryTet holiday (Vietnamese New Year)
20th FebruaryTet holiday (Vietnamese New Year)
25th AprilHung Kings Temple Festival
30th AprilReunification Day
1st MayInternational Labor Day
3rd SeptemberNational Day

Some advices from our customers ..

⭐ Tip 7: Do not drink tap water directly. Buy bottled water.

⭐ Tip 8: There are a lot of taxi brands, however only 2 brands are reliable – Mai Linh and Vinasun. ALWAYS insist to use meter. Use Hanoi Star if you are in Hanoi.

⭐ Tip 9: Keep your valuables in the hotel safe. Pickpocketing is common in Vietnam.

⭐ Tip 10: Try to avoid motorbike taxis (xe om). They are cheaper but greater risk of injury. And not to mention you will be breathing traffic fumes.

⭐ Tip 11: Bring Diaharrea pils with you. You may also need a Travel insurance just in case.

⭐ Tip 12: When you go shopping, avoid touching anything if you do not want to buy. Some owners will force you to buy even if you don’t like.

⭐ Tip 13: The foods in Hanoi are Amazing! You should definitely try Bun cha (grilled pork with noodle), mi quang (a mixed noodle dish), spring rolls, pho (Chicken and beef are both very nice), sticky rice and local Vietnamese coffee (a very strong coffee).

If you find these tips useful, don’t forget to Share with your friend!
Apply for a Vietnam Visa. If you have any question about Vietnam Visa, please find more information here or simply contact us


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