Vietnam: Russians may not need a visa for trips up to 15 days

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Thanks to its mild climate and exotic nature, Vietnam is considered one of the most beloved Asian countries among Russians. Many people choose it for their vacation because of visa-free entry and the ability to obtain a document at the airport. In addition, Russian citizens are exempt from consular fees; they only need to pay for the invitation letter, which significantly saves the travel budget.

Visa-free entry to Vietnam

In order to enter the country without a visa, the following conditions must be met:

• the trip lasts no more than 15 days;
• a month has passed since the last flight from Vietnam;
• purpose - tourism, visiting relatives, solving business issues or transit;
• The passport is valid for at least another six months;
• the traveler is not on the list of persons prohibited from entering the country.

If all these conditions are met, you do not need to pay a consular fee; at the border, your passport will be stamped with the date of arrival (it will be checked on the way back). When going through security, be sure to take your return ticket and hotel reservation with you.

The visa-free entry rule applies only to one visit to the country within a month. That is, a tourist who wants to travel to neighboring countries, for example, Cambodia or Laos for a week, and then return to Vietnam, must obtain a visa.

In case of serious illness of the traveler or other serious reasons, visa-free stay can be extended upon application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but this cannot be done without compelling reasons.

Features of visa-free stay

A visa to Vietnam is not required if your stay is no longer than 15 days. This can be a trip once every 30 days. There is one significant nuance that needs to be taken into account when going for 15 days to one of the cities of this distant country.

15 days do not require a visa if the visit is only as part of a Vietnam tour. If the excursion tour is a combined one, then you will have to obtain a visa permit to enter the country. You will be allowed to leave it, but to return to fly back, you need to apply for a visa.

For example, you will not be able to go on an excursion to Malaysia or Cambodia and return back to Vietnam if you do not have a visa.

Also, a visa to Vietnam is not required if you plan to visit Phu Quoc Island (Ho Chi Minh Province), where visa-free stay is allowed for 30 days. A visit there should be related to recreation, tourism purposes and an excursion tour.

For visa-free entry you need to show only 2 types of documents:

• A valid foreign passport (the document must be valid for at least another 6 months);
• Return air ticket.

Based on this, border patrol officers will place an entry stamp on the passport indicating the number of days. During this period, foreign tourists can stay in the country.

Visiting Phu Quoc Island

If a tourist goes to Phu Quoc Island, a visa-free stay there can last not just two weeks, but a month, subject to the following conditions:

• the trip lasts no more than 30 days;
• The passport is valid for at least another six months;
• the traveler does not leave the island;
• return ticket available;
• the guest arrives by international air or water transport from another country.

If the visa-free visit rules are violated, a fine will be issued - up to 15 USD for each day of delay. Prices on the page are for December 2021.

Is it possible to stay in Vietnam without a visa for more than 15 days?

Since you can visit Vietnam again without a visa only a month after departure, it makes sense to find out how to extend your permit. This procedure is possible

. If you see that the allowed period is not enough for you, you need to contact the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The tourist must have a good reason for such treatment. Usually we are talking about diseases in which transporting a tourist can negatively affect his health.

Applying for a visa yourself upon arrival

If you need to re-enter the country within a month, or the trip lasts more than 15 days, you can obtain a visa on arrival at the country's international airports. This is not possible when crossing a land or sea border.

In order to apply for a visa, you must fill out an online application, where you indicate your name, passport number, travel dates, preferred payment method (bank card, PayPal, etc.). Then pay for the paper: from 15 to 25 USD depending on the duration of the visa and the number of entries. Within two days you will receive an invitation letter by email; you need to print it on a color printer and take two photographs measuring 4x6 cm.

Upon arrival, you must provide an invitation letter, photo and return tickets at the border, as well as fill out a short form. Those who are not citizens of the Russian Federation must also pay a fee of 25 USD for a single visa or 50 USD for a multiple visa; for Russians this fee has been waived. The entire procedure at the border lasts from 15 minutes to an hour.

Design rules

First of all, you need to decide on the purpose of the trip. The next important step is to order an invitation (Approval Letter). They order it from travel agencies. The paper is prepared within 2-5 days, urgent processing takes 2-4 hours. The invitation received by email must be printed. After this, other documentation according to the list is placed in the folder and submitted to the embassy or intermediary company.

Rules for document preparation.

List of documents

Before going to the diplomatic mission, you need to first prepare a package of documents:

• Approval Letter (you will need the code from the confirmation letter);
• a foreign passport, the validity of which will expire no earlier than six months after its holder returns to his homeland;
• 2 photographs 40x60 mm;
• return tickets;
• a completed visa application form with the personal signature of the applicant.

The requirements for the photograph are standard: light background, neutral facial expression, gaze directed straight. There should be no glasses on the face, and headgear is not allowed.

Documents for the child

A small tourist also needs a visa and a confirmation letter to visit Vietnam. The price of the procedure for children and adults is the same.

The child must have his own foreign passport, which can be issued at any age.

Documents for a child on a trip.

Children do not have any difficulties crossing the Vietnamese border. In this case, the child must be accompanied by legal representatives. If parents are not traveling, they must issue a power of attorney for the removal of their son or daughter, certified by a notary and translated into English. In some cases, border guards can be presented with a certificate of death of one of the parents or a divorce document.

Children under 18 years of age cannot cross the border without an accompaniment (or a power of attorney).

Additional Documentation

Other papers other than those listed in the main list are not provided. In the questionnaire you only need to indicate the purpose of the trip: treatment, business, study. The exception is a work visa. Its issuance is possible if a request is submitted by a Vietnamese enterprise, and only to highly qualified foreign citizens.

Documents for a visa to Vietnam

Required documents to obtain a Vietnam visa upon arrival:

1. Invitation letter
   Read above about how to receive it;
2. International passport
   Validity must exceed 6 months from the date of departure from Vietnam;
3. Photograph
   Two photographs (see photo requirements below);
4. Insurance policy
   Medical insurance, which can be purchased online; you should choose the type based on the expected risks;
5. Return air ticket
   Fully purchased;
6. Hotel reservations
   We accept both prepaid reservations and simply completed requests for accommodation;
7. Cash
   Only for those who are not Russian citizens, fees are accepted in both USD and VND;

Do Ukrainians and Belarusians need a visa?

For citizens of Ukraine, a visa to Vietnam is issued under the same conditions as for citizens of Russia. There is no visa-free entry agreement between Ukraine and Vietnam, so citizens of this country must obtain an entry permit. As for Russians, a visa on arrival is available for Ukrainians - in this case, the permit period will be 30 days with the possibility of a single entry; as well as at the Embassy. The representative office of Vietnam in Ukraine is located in Kyiv; you can apply for a visa there for a long stay, but personal presence is required.

To open a visa at the Embassy, ​​Ukrainians need to prepare a very simple set of documents, consisting of:

• international passports;
• visa photographs;
• visa applications;
• salary certificates from work.

But for citizens of Belarus, a visa to Vietnam is not required for a trip of up to 15 days. Belarusians can enjoy this privilege until 2021 - this period is covered by the Agreement between the governments of the countries. And when traveling for a longer period of time, you cannot do without going to the Embassy. You can find it in the city of Minsk.

Moreover, the set of documents for obtaining a visa for citizens of Belarus is minimal:

• international passport;
• visa photo 4x6 cm;
• visa application;
• ticket to Vietnam and back.

Photo requirements

You must provide two color photographs measuring 4x6 cm. The photographs must be clear, without glare or shadows, taken no earlier than six months ago. Background is white. The distance from the top of the photo to the top of the head is 6 mm. From the chin to the top of the head - approximately 3.5 cm (70-80% of the area). The photo is taken from the front, the gaze is directed at the camera, you can smile slightly. The neck and shoulders should be visible in the frame. It is advisable to keep your ears open.

Head coverings must be removed, with the exception of those worn for religious reasons and if they do not cover the face.

Complex hairstyles, large hair accessories and extravagant glasses are not allowed. A simple frame that does not cover the eyes does not need to be removed.

All colors in the photo (skin and hair tone, natural eye tone, etc.) must correspond to reality. Strangers and objects cannot be present in the frame: for example, children's toys, bags, etc.

Registration of national visas

If tourist permits are often made online, then for other types of visas to Vietnam you will have to visit the consular services.

Visitor visa

To communicate with friends or relatives, they are required to have an invitation in the form established by Vietnam and certified by the migration service.

The rest depends on the source of funding for the voyage:

1. If the expenses for the guest are paid by relatives, the application is no different from a tourist visa.
2. If the guest takes on the expenses himself, then the consulate will have to confirm his financial solvency and intention to return to his homeland.

The visa is issued for a period of no more than 3 months .

Work Visa

Highly qualified and scarce specialists, for example, doctors and programmers, receive legal invitations from employers.

The applicant’s application is reviewed not by the consulate, but by the Labor Department, that is, the application is submitted on the spot. Review period – 15 days, fee – 20$.

To obtain a work visa to Vietnam for Russians, the following are added to the main package of documents:

• diploma or certificate of specialized education;
• certificate of no criminal record;
• medical certificate of health;
• 1 more photo 3x4 cm.

Instead of a tourist form, fill out a special form.

The visa is issued for a period of 1 to 3 years with the possibility of extension .

If a Russian changes his place of work, the residence permit will have to be issued again.

Business visa

If searching for clients, negotiating with them, and organizing your own business takes from a month to a year , you will have to contact the consulate. Application review – 2 days. Vietnamese visa costs:

• single entry for 90 days – $25;
• multiple for 90 days – $50;
• semi-annual – $95;
• annual – $135.

You cannot be hired on such a visa.

Consular fee

Issuing a letter of invitation for a one-time visa for a period of 1 month costs 15 USD per person, the same document for a quarter of a year will cost 25 USD. For 18 USD you can get a multiple visa for 30 days. This payment is made when filling out an application on the website; you can pay with bank cards or online payment systems.

If you apply in groups of 3 or more people, the cost is reduced to 13, 11 and 10 USD depending on the number of applicants. For urgent processing an additional 15 USD is charged.

In addition, Russian citizens do not need to pay anything, and other travelers pay a fee upon entry: 25 USD for a single visa and 50 USD for a multiple-entry visa.

Required documents to obtain a visa

A visa to Vietnam on arrival is issued only if you have a set of papers, which the border service officer will ask you to present at the border control point. These should include documents such as:

• An original foreign passport that is valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Vietnam;
• Invitation letter from the Vietnamese side;
• Tickets that will confirm that the foreigner plans to fly out of the country;
• Two photographs measuring 4 by 6 centimeters;
• A form to be filled out in English or Vietnamese. The form can be downloaded from the official website of the Vietnamese Embassy. There is also an example of filling out a visa application form for Vietnam. If you have difficulty filling it out, then you can take several copies of blank forms with you and fill them out at the airport. There at the checkpoint there is a sample form filled out correctly;
• Confirmation of financial solvency.

Russians receive a visa upon arrival in Vietnam before passing through passport control, and they immediately pay a migration fee. This can be done in the following monetary units:

• Dongah;
• Dollars;
• Euro.

At the checkpoint you need to go to a special window where it says “Visa on Arrival” and give all the necessary papers and passport. After verification, a visa will be issued, which will be issued after checking all documents.

Applying for a visa at a checkpoint in Vietnam

You can get a visa on arrival at airports in cities such as:

• Nha Trang (Cam Ranh Airport);
• Hanoi;

• Danang;

• Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

Everyone except Russians pays the visa fee. For them, a visa is issued at the airport free of charge. The waiting time is usually from 20 minutes to 1 hour.

Formatting an invitation letter

An invitation or Approval letter allows you to enter Vietnam. You can order this service, called “visa support,” online by paying a certain amount of money from 8 to 30 dollars. The letter is prepared by the Vietnamese side in order to present it at the embassy, ​​at the border, or at the visa center.

You can make an order through travel companies or agencies, or find specialized sites on the Internet, of which there are a lot. You should not be afraid of deception, since the managers of such portals care about their authority in order to attract customers.

This video explains how to receive an Approval Letter.

To receive such an invitation, you will need to scan and send the following types of papers to the company:

• A copy of airline tickets;
• The first page of the foreign passport, so that the information about the applicant is clearly visible;
• Desired length of stay in Vietnam;
• Receipt for payment for services.

Prices may vary on different sites, but the average cost of such an invitation is given below:

• Single-entry visa for 1 month – $8 per person;
• Single entry for 3 months – $21;
• Multiple for 1 month – $13;
• Multiple for 3 months – $30.

The cost will increase if two or more people are required on the invitation.

The invitation is issued within 2 or 3 business days, and when ready, it is sent to the applicant by mail.

The price of an invitation for a visa on arrival for 30 days will be $30, a multiple entry visa for 30 days will cost $50, and a multiple entry visa for 90 days will cost $65.

Children must also be included in the invitation, but payment for them is required if the children are over 18 years old.

Visa validity periods

The visa is issued for a period of 1 or 3 months from the date of the first border crossing. You can stay in the country for as long as the document is valid; the number of entries is determined by the type of visa - single-entry or multi-entry.

You can return to Vietnam within 30 days only if you have a multiple-entry visa; a single-entry visa does not give you this right; you will not be able to travel to neighboring countries using it.

If necessary, the visa can be extended on the spot, it will cost 10 USD. This is done through local travel agencies. The application must be submitted in advance before the previous permit expires, otherwise there will be a fine.

Those who plan to stay in Vietnam for a longer time need to travel to any neighboring country and apply for a new visa there. The same should be done if the extension is refused on the spot.

Vietnamese visa categories

The Vietnamese Embassy issues several categories of visas to Russians:

• tourist;
• business;
• for other purposes.

The issued permit allows you to stay in the Republic of Vietnam from 30 to 90 days. A single entry visa is issued for one entry, and a multiple entry visa for several entries.

Electronic visa

Recently, travel to Vietnam is available with an e-visa. This version of the document can be used at all air terminals and sea checkpoints.

The Vietnam e-visa is available to residents of 40 countries, including Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.

An electronic visa is issued for 1 entry, allowing you to stay in the country for a month. Its cost is $25.

Re-entry visa

This type of document is required if a foreigner who has received a single-entry visa needs to leave Vietnam. In this case, a simple permit becomes invalid, so you can go back by completing a Re-entry in advance. These visas are issued by Vietnamese travel agencies.

It makes sense to use this option only in extreme cases, because registration involves additional financial and time costs. You should also take into account that the next time you leave the country you will have to request Re-entry again. For this reason, if you plan to visit neighboring countries, it is better to immediately issue a multiple permit document.

Work Visa

If a Russian citizen decides to work in Vietnam, he will need a work visa. Local companies offer cooperation to foreigners with appropriate education and qualifications. Areas in demand include shipbuilding, mining, hotel business and education. If an employer is ready to hire a Russian citizen, the latter needs to submit an application to the local Labor Department.

Work visa to Vietnam.

To do this, you need to prepare the following documents:

• a completed application form for a work permit;
• confirmation from the Vietnamese company of employment;
• paper confirming no criminal record;
• autobiography with photograph;
• medical certificate;
• photocopies of educational documents;
• color photos 30x40 mm, 3 pieces.

The application and the entire package of documents will be considered within 15 working days, after which a work visa will be issued. Its validity period is 1 year, sometimes the permit is issued for 36 months. When the visa expires, it can be extended by submitting the same package of documents to the Department of Labor.

Embassy and consulates of Vietnam in Russia

Embassy of Vietnam in Moscow

Consular Section of the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow

Consulate General of Vietnam in Yekaterinburg

Consulate General of Vietnam in Vladivostok

Features of cost and timing

Depending on what kind of visa a citizen plans to apply for and how urgently he wants to obtain the desired permit, the cost of this document will also change:

The cost of the consular fee also depends on the type of document being processed and can range from $25 to $100.

Answers to questions about obtaining a visa to Vietnam

• Will there be problems entering Vietnam the day after the wedding?
• Where is the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow?
• What documents are required to stay in Vietnam for more than 15 days?
• What documents are required to obtain a visa to Vietnam?
• What documents are needed when entering Vietnam?
• Who can issue an invitation to Vietnam for a visa for 2 months
• Is it possible to get a visa on arrival at Cam Ranh Airport?
• Is it possible to get a Vietnam visa for more than 15 days at the airport?
• Do citizens of Tajikistan need a visa to Vietnam and where can they get one?
• Do you need a visa when traveling to Vietnam for more than two weeks?
• Do Russian citizens need a visa to Vietnam if their stay is less than 15 days, but they plan to travel to Cambodia?
• Do I need to apply for a visa to Vietnam if my stay in the country is 15 days?
• Will a 17-year-old teenager be able to travel to Vietnam with a power of attorney only from his mother?
• Is a visa invitation to Vietnam required if the flight back is on the 16th day?
• Is a hotel reservation an invitation when applying for a visa to Vietnam?

Ask your question

Electronic visa (E-Visa)

If the period of stay in the country is from 15 to 30 days

, and the tourist is a citizen of one of 40 countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, then you can apply for an electronic visa yourself on the online website.

Conditions for obtaining an electronic visa to Vietnam

• citizen of one of 40 countries, including Russia;
• period of stay in Vietnam no more than 30 days;
• single entry;
• Entry into the country will be carried out through one of the border points: 8 international airports, 13 land crossings and 7 sea ports.

Documents for obtaining an electronic visa (E-Visa) online

• international passport
  ;
• color photograph
  4x6 (without corners and ovals, on a light background and no more than 6 months old).

Cost of e-visa

• 25$
  - paid online.

How to apply for an e-visa to Vietnam online

• in order to obtain an E-Visa, go to the web portal for obtaining an E-Visa electronic visa to Vietnam;
• upload a photo and scan of your passport;
• fill out a short form;
• pay the fee;
• receive your visa by email;
• print it out and use your e-visa at passport control, receiving a permission stamp to enter the country.

The processing time for the application and issuance of a visa is up to 3 working days.