Travel Advisory on COVID-19
Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Vietnam Government has closely monitored the situation and implemented a series of measures to combat the spread of the virus within the country and prepare its public health facilities.
Vietnam's Immigration Department has announced that all foreigners who entered Vietnam after
1st March 2020 on visa exemptions, e-visas or tourism visas will be given automatic stay extensions at no charge until
30th June 2020. Travellers still in the country should declare their temporary residence to local police, through their landlords or hotels, and must complete Vietnam's online health declaration
here.
Visitors who entered the country before
1st March 2020 may be considered for the extension, provided they can show an official letter from their embassy or consulate stating they were unable to leave the country due to objective reasons. Foreigners who have undergone quarantine or treatment for Covid-19 in Vietnam are also eligible for the extension. They must bring their certification documents to show immigration officials when leaving Vietnam.
For questions about the new policy, please contact:
Vietnam Immigration Department
Address: 44 – 46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84 24 3938 7320
Working hours: Morning: 8:00 – 11:00 | Afternoon: 13:30 – 16:00
Hotline: +84 24 38264026
Website:
https://xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn
Email:
contact@immigration.gov.vn
Ho Chi Minh City Immigration Office
Address: 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 28 38299398 – Hotline: 0357500832
Working hours: Morning: 8:00 - 11:30 | Afternoon: 13:30 - 16:00
Visa Requirements
Most foreigners wishing to visit Vietnam need to apply for an entry visa in advance. The only exception is if your country has a bilateral consular agreement for visa exemptions. You can check on your government’s website to find if yours is one of the few that apply for this program. A recent change in policy has allowed international tourists a 30-day visa exemption if they enter Phu Quoc island by sea or through the international transit lounge at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Visas on arrival are available through various travel agencies and online visa services who, for a fee, will fill out the appropriate paperwork for a visa approval letter. It’s not really a “visa on arrival” but this makes it easier than having to deal with sending your passport off to the Vietnamese consular office or embassy in your country. This is only accessible for those flying into the country, so if you are entering through a land border, you will have to apply for one in your home country or one of the countries bordering Vietnam.
Fees
Tourist visas are valid for 30 or 90 days and can be single or multiple entry. The stamping fee varies from US$25 for a one-month, single entry visa, to US$50 for a three-month, multipleentry visa. For an additional “expedite service” fee, you can bypass the normal processing time of three to four working days. Check with your local Vietnamese embassy or consulate, or with a travel agent or online visa service.
Extensions
Visa extensions are available for a fee of US$10 if you go directly to the immigration office. However, this takes some local language skills and quite a bit of patience. Due to this, most travellers rely on travel agents to deal with their extensions. This comes with a fee but definitely saves time and hassle. Most travel agencies offer this service for a fee and it can take up to 10 days to process. The length of your visa extension is dependent on your original visa. You can only extend the same amount as your original visa - for example, a onemonth visa can only be extended by one month.
Local Insight: The visa extension should be applied for at least 5 days before it expires.
