Vietnam visa: Buy airline ticket before getting visa, should or should not?

If you want to enter Vietnam, we highly recommend you to apply for Vietnam visa first and buy your airline ticket later since it will be safer.

However, when you apply for visa for certain countries, the embassy of these countries in your country may require you to make a flight reservation. In this case, you just need to call the booking-office and book your flight to get visa. You do not need to pay the ticket but if you are sure that you can get visa and you have an urgent task, it is impossible to receive immediately the ticket.

In contrast, if you cannot be 100% sure about getting visa, paying airline ticket can cause many damages. After the confirmation of the embassy about your visa, you should ask for your ticket in order to get visa because if you do not have airline ticket or your airline ticket is different from ticket booked, you will not get visa at the embassy.

What will I do if I lose my airline ticket?

If you lose your ticket, you need to contact immediately airline and fill out a lost ticket application by giving your personal information (full name, flight date, booking day, telephone number). The airline will check your information and issue a replacement ticket. You usually have to pay some money for service charge or penalty.

Vietnam visa: Buy airline ticket before getting visa, should or should not?

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Vietnam visa: Difference between visa and passport

If you have a travel to Vietnam, Vietnam visa and passport are a critical part. Certain people think that they can enter the country with only the passport but in fact, it is almost impossible (exempt some cases). If you do not know the difference between two documents, this article will be a great help.

Passport is a form of identification issued by a national government and used for abroad travels. Its purpose is to certify the nationality and the identity of its owner.

Nowadays, Vietnam passports can be divided into 3 types:

- Popular passport: Popular passport is granted to all Vietnamese citizens who have permanent residence, identity card and full of citizenship rights.

- Official passport: Official passport is issued to the government employees who traveling abroad for works related to government.

- Diplomatic passport: Diplomatic passport is issued to the diplomats or to the consuls for their work related travels.

Visa is an official document that allows a citizen enters a country. It is an endorsement, granted by a government official and stamped or pasted into a passport.

In Vietnam, there are different types of Vietnam visas for foreigners:

- Tourist visa: Vietnam tourist visa is issued to visitors who want to enter a country with the purpose of tourist travels.

- Business visa: Business visa is issued to businessmen who travel to a country for commercial activities.

- Temporary residence card: Temporary residence card is issued to foreigners who work or invest permanently in a country.

Vietnam visa: Difference between visa and passport

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Vietnam visa: Throw a sprat to catch a herring!

In recent years, number of international tourists arriving to Vietnam increases constantly due to a series of effective measures, including visa exemption for visitors from certain key markets of Vietnam tourism. However, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently said that Vietnam have lost about 50 million each year when visitors from these markets are exempt from Vietnam visa. Thus, what is the truth?

Vietnam visa exemption policy is available for visitors from Japan, South Korea, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. However, according to the latest news, the Vietnam government could abolish the visa exemption policy. In the eyes of tourism experts, the abolition of visa exemption for 7 countries will harm the tourism industry of country and reduce its competitiveness. The visa policy change could immediately decrease at least 50% of tourists from these countries.

Meanwhile, according to statistics given by the General Department of Tourism, the number of international visitors to Vietnam in 3 first months of 2013 reduced to 6.2 % from last year’s same period. The abrupt reduction of number of international visitors arriving to Vietnam in the early months of 2013 is not a good signal for tourism.

In fact, the government could loss several tens of millions of dollar, but in turn could earn billions of dollar from international visitors. The Vietnam government should review its new intention.

The big worry of the majority of visitors is cost and time spent on visa. Thus, visa exemption policy is one of effective solutions to attract international tourists. They do not have to apply for Vietnam tourist visa and can save money with this policy because the visa application procedures in Vietnam are not quick and easy.

Vietnam visa: Throw a sprat to catch a herring!

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Vietnam tourist visa – one of indispensible things to take on holiday in Vietnam

Personal papers, cash, bank card and personal hygiene objects are things you cannot go without, especially when you go to a foreign land.

Personal papers

Identity card, Vietnam tourist visa and passport are important papers you need to take on vacation in Vietnam. In addition, you also need to remember to bring your airline ticket, personal papers for hotel and service registry… Here are first items on the list of indispensable things when you prepare your luggage.

Cash and bank card

Before each trip, you should plan a certain amount of money which will be spent on shopping. Do not take too much money with you, the bank card (ATM card) is better for your safe. You need to exchange your money into Vietnam dongs and get information about the price of merchandises in Vietnam.

Personal items

Personal items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, facial cleanser… should be put in a small bag. In particular, you had better buy shower gel pouch or shampoo pouch or put them into small bottle. Although every hotel prepares face towel and bath towel for client, you should bring your own towel to assure cleanliness and hygiene.

In addition, body lotion and sunscreen are also indispensable if you arrive to Vietnam in the summer. Do not make your skin weak after just a short trip.

Camera and battery charger

To keep the memories of the trip, camera is very necessary in your backpack. Many people will use the camera on smart phone. Whatever you use to take photo, do not forget battery charger and extra battery and make sure that your machines work well.

Flats and strap sandals

Vacation is time for you to visit and discover nature, you will walk a lot. Thus, buy a pair of shoes, soft sole slippers which make you feel comfortable to travel or to climb.

Medicines and first aid kit

You cannot know when influenza or sudden accident attack you or members in your trip. A small bag with medicines such as cold medicine, motion sickness medicine, anti insect medicine… and some quick first aid supplies such as cotton, bandages, antiseptic… is always useful.

Vietnam tourist visa – one of indispensible things to take on holiday in Vietnam

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Common ASEAN visa

Member countries of ASEAN establish mechanism for common ASEAN visa implementation.

ASEAN visa system is similar to that in EU, in which citizens from countries outside the bloc, after getting ASEAN visa would be able to visit all member countries of the bloc. For example, instead of using Vietnam tourist visa to visit Vietnam, tourist can arrive to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia… with only common visa.

This mechanism is expected to be concretized in 2015 with special efforts because each country has its own visa mechanism. ASEAN members need a long time to adjust their visa grant process before the common visa system is realized.

Common visa policy could be divided into different stages. For example, at the first stage, visa will only be granted to diplomats and for the next stage, it will be issued to citizens of certain countries such as Japan, Korean and China since many visitors from these countries come to ASEAN member countries.

However, before adopting the common visa system for visitors from countries outside ASEAN, the bloc must agree on common visa for citizens of ASEAN countries.

To achieve the objectives of “ASEAN Tourism Strategy Plan (ATSP) 2011-2015” adopted in ASEAN Tourism Ministers Meeting held on 17 January 2011 in Phnom Penh, ASEAN members have agreed to present actively tourism destinations to habitants in the bloc. The ATSP will contribute to the overall goals of ASEAN Community in 2015. ASEAN, with a population of approximately 600 million people (about 8, 5% of the world population) and with high economic growth of member countries, is potential for intra-regional tourism.

Nowadays, ASEAN includes Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Common ASEAN visa

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Vietnam visa on arrival for tourist

You are foreigner and want to get visa to enter Vietnam? You can get visa on arrival (receive your visa at Vietnam International Airports) or visa approval code (receive your visa at the Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam in your country). 

In recent years, it is easy for tourist to enter Vietnam. Instead of getting visa stamped at Vietnam Embassy, visitor can also get it at Vietnam International Airports. We highly recommend you to choose Vietnam visa on arrival since this type of visa is quite simple and there is no additional cost and no error.

We present to you process of Vietnam visa requirement with these following steps:

Firstly, fill the form of visa application. You go to the website http://visavietnam.asia/formula/ and enter your exact personal information.

Secondly, check carefully all information and ask for payment. Please consult the page http://visavietnam.asia/tariffs/ to get necessary information about the tariff.

Thirdly, receive Approval letter and instruction to get visa. Normally, you will get the letter, immigration form and important instructions by email in 2-3 working days. If there is no mistake in the letter, print it out, you need it to get your official visa at Vietnam International Airports.

Finally, get visa stamped into your passport on arrival. Please show your passport, visa approval letter, immigration form, two pieces of picture 4×6 and some cash to the police at Vietnam International Airports. Do attention that your passport needs at least six months validity and all information is correct.

Vietnam visa on arrival for tourist

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Vietnam visa on arrival: The most common mistakes

You are student who wants to study in Vietnam? You are businessman and arrive to Vietnam for work? Or you are tourist and want to discover this country? Whoever you are (excluding a number of cases), and you will fly into the country, you always need a visa. However, everything is not always in the black since you can make mistakes that delay your journey, waste your time and your money.

Here is a list of the most common mistakes that you can make. We hope that it can help you to avoid the same things in visa application for Vietnam.

• 
  Dictation errors: Full name on passport, passport number, date of birth, passport expiration date are the details which you should do attention while filling the Application form. Normally, this may not be a big problem but in some cases, you will be refused by airlines at the departure airport by reason of wrong information. Therefore, make sure that you have filled correctly and carefully the form before you submit it.


• 
  Not applying for Vietnam visa on arrival online: Many foreigners think that there are some types of visa (Vietnam Urgent Visa for example) that they can get directly at Vietnam airport. That a big mistake! Your trip could be canceled! Thus, you need apply for Vietnam visa on arrival online and expect to pick up your visa at the Vietnam airport.


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  Visa for overland crossing? No. There is no visa for foreigners arriving to Vietnam through sea route. The visa is only valid for air travel. If you do not enter Vietnam by plane, you should apply for visa at Vietnam Embassies or Vietnam Consulates in your country.


• 
  Misunderstanding about visa validity: Some people think believe that the validity period begins from the date they enter country. However, it is not right. The visa validity begins from the date of entry provided in your visa, so a clear plan of enter Vietnam is indispensable.


• 
  Misunderstanding about the process of visa extension: It is not easy to extend a visa as people think. In fact, that need some time. Thus, make necessary procedure in advance if you can.

Vietnam visa on arrival: The most common mistakes

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