Vietnam Visa procedure and customs information

VIETNAM VISA PROCEDURE 

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. 

Tourist visa can only be obtained in Vietnam embassy, consulates abroad. Otherwise, you can get a visa at the border gates if you are invitees of some Vietnamese competent organs or you are travelling on a package tour organized by Vietnamese travel companies. To apply for a Vietnam visa, the requirements are as follows: 

Entry permit form (which can vary from one Vietnamese embassies or consulate abroad to another) - There are two categories of this form: for foreigners and for Vietnamese overseas.
Two photos (4cmx6cm or 3cmx4cm)
Original passport
Visa fee. 

You should send your application and photos to a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, which is most convenient to you. On your requirement, the reply will be returned by post (you must provide stamped envelopes with your name and address). 

It is easier to get your visa from a Vietnamese travel agency. The nehossary information to the travel agency include:

Full name on passport
Passport number
Date of birth
Nationality
Date of arrival/ exit
Date of issue
Date of expire

Please make sure that your passport is still valid for 6 months
Country you plan to receive your entry visa from the Vietnamese embassies or consulates 

Vietnamese overseas are required to provide more information:

Year and reason to leave Vietnam
Leave Vietnam by means
Full names and addresses of relations in Vietnam 

VIETNAM VISA EXEMPTION:

By February 06, 2009, Vietnam inked 56 visa exemption agreements and treaties with 55 countries, 54 of them have come into effect. The following is the List of visa exemption agreements between Vietnam and other countries.

Order	Country	Date of entry into force	Categories of passports covered
1	Argentina	13/11/1999	Diplomatic passports, official passports
2	Albania	1/10/1956	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Group Passports for official mission
3	Algeria	02/01/1995	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
4	Afghanistan	26/2/1988	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
5	Bangladesh	10/7/1999	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports for Vietnamese citizens Diplomatic Passports, International Passports with "official" seal for Bangladesh citizens
6	Belarus	24/11/1993	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
7	Brazil	12/2/2005	Diplomatic passports
8	Brunei	1/11/1997	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
9	Bulgaria	1/6/1966	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports; Group Passports or Ordinary Passports for official mission
10	Cambodia	30/11/1979	Diplomatic and Official passports; Diplomatic and Official Lassez-passezs
11	Chile	25/6/2005	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
12	China	15/3/1992	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission
13	Cuba	Currently in force	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission, Seaman’s Passports for Vietnamese citizens Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Service Passports or Maritime Passports for Cuban citizens
14	Czech	13/2/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
15	Dominica	29/9/2007	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
16	Ecuador	29/9/2007	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
17	France	1/7/2005	Diplomatic passports
18	Hungary	1/8/1993	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
19	India	23/3/1995	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
20	Indonesia	19/9/1998 4/12/2003	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months
21	Iran	1/6/1994	Diplomatic passports
22	Iraq	1/12/2001	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
23	Japan	1/5/2005	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
24	Kyrgyzstan	Currently in force	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission
25	Laos	17/7/1977 05/3/2004	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports for official mission, Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months
26	Malaysia	25/11/2001	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Ordinary Passports
27	Mexico	4/2/2002	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
28	Moldova	23/5/2003	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
29	Mongolia	6/2/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
30	Montenegro	1/9/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Special passports
31	Morocco	19/12/2004	Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Special passports
32	Mozambique	9/2/2009	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
33	Myanmar	11/8/1998	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
34	Nicaragua	Currently in force	Diplomatic passports, Official or Service passports
35	Pakistan	2/3/2007	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
36	Panama	4/11/2002	Diplomatic passports, Official passports for Vietnamese citizens Diplomatic passports, Official passports, Special Passports, Consular passports
37	Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	01/10/1956 01/4/1966	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports; Group Passports for official mission Ordinary Passports for official mission
38	Peru	2/6/2006	Diplomatic passports, Official passports for Vietnamese citizens Diplomatic passports, Special passports for Peruvian citizens
39	Philippines	19/02/1997 16/2/1999 1/4/2000	Diplomatic passports Official Passports, Holders of Ordinary Passports having an invitation to join ASEAN activities organized by ASEAN Secretariat or Governmental agencies Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months, together with return air tickets or air tickets for leaving the country
40	Paraguay	26/10/2008	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
41	Romania	1/12/1956	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports; Group Passports or Ordinary Passports for official mission
42	Russia	20/2/1994	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
43	Serbia	1/9/2000	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
44	Singapore	10/5/1997 01/12/2003	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports Ordinary Passports with valid periods of at least 6 months, together with return air tickets or air tickets for leaving the country
45	Slovakia	10/8/1992	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
46	South Africa	23/6/2007	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
47	Republic of Korea	13/1/1999	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
48	Sri Lanka	19/9/2003	Diplomatic passports, Official passports
49	Thailand	10/5/1997 9/7/2000	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports Ordinary Passports
50	Tunisia	20/1/2009	Diplomatic Passports, Special passports
51	Turkey	1/10/1998	Diplomatic Passports
52	Ukraine	6/12/1993	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
53	Uruguay	15/6/2008	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports
54	Venezuela	17/11/2006	Diplomatic Passports, Official passports

CUSTOMS  

Customs procedures in Vietnam are quick and simple. To enter and exit Vietnam, visitors are required to fulfill the arrival - departure declaration. 

Customs Information 

1.- Passengers are given duty free allowance for not more than 1.5 liters of liquor with above 22 degrees of concentration of alcohol and two liters of liquor below 22 degrees of concentration of alcohol; 400 cigarettes; 100 cigars; 500 gram of raw tobacco. 

- Other items which are allowed in accompanying baggage are duty free with value not over VND 5,000,000. 

- Passengers bringing goods exceeding the amount as above stated are required to fill in the declaration form No. HQ/2002-PMD and pay duty(ies) according to Vietnamese laws.

2. Passengers whose goods are not subject to customs declaration on page 4, 5 (For customs declaration) do not have to declare.

CURRENCY 

Vietnamese đồng (VND) is the official currency in Vietnam.

- Paper notes include: VND 500,000; 200,000; 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200 and 100. Coins include VND 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500 and 200.

Cheques with value as Vietnamese đồng include: VND 1,000,000 and 500,000.

- Foreign currencies and tourist cheques can be exchanged into Vietnamese đồng at banks or foreign exchange agencies.

- Credit cards are popularly used, especially in cities and big tourist centers. 

Vietnamese đồng can be changed into foreign currencies at the airport

By: vietnamvisaprovider.com