Travel Visa to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Travel Visa to Vietnam:

Traveling to Vietnam is getting easier, thanks to the simpler entry requirements. As of 2025, the country offers visa exemptions for citizens of 37 countries to enter and stay in Vietnam without a tourist visa. For the countries that are not in the list of visa exemption, a tourist visa on valid passport is required.

What is a tourist visa?

Tourist visa is a kind of visa granted to foreigners entering Vietnam with the purpose of tourism or vacation. According to the Vietnamese Law on foreigners’ entry, exit, transit and residence in Vietnam 2014. Tourist visa is abbreviated as DL Visa and has a maximum validity of 3 months. Foreigner visitors are allowed to stay in Vietnam not exceeding 30 days for each entry. And you can extend the stay once arriving in Vietnam.

Tourist visas can be classified by the duration of stay and number of entries including (1) 1-month single-entry (2) 1-month multiple-entries (3) 3-months single-entry, and (4) 3-months / multiple-entries.

Vietnam tourist visa in brief:

Who needs a tourist visa for Vietnam?

There are 25 countries exempt from tourist visas in Vietnam. If your nationality is not included in this list OR you are exempted from a tourist visa but wish to stay longer than the permitted visa-free duration (maximum 90 days), you need to apply for a tourist visa.

Tourist visas are not applied for business purposes, and foreign visitors are not allowed to work or do business activities during their time in Vietnam.

List of 25 Vietnam visa exemption countries:

To enter Vietnam with a Vietnam visa exemption, eligible travelers are required to ensure:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months following their date of arrival in Vietnam; and
• Passport has at least 02 blank pages.

Note: Visa exemption cannot be extended anymore

Conditions for Tourist Visa:

In order to get a tourist visa, foreigner visitors must meet the following conditions:

• Foreigners currently stay outside of Vietnam.
• Foreigners have a passport with at least 6 months validity upon the arrival date.
• Foreigners have a hotel room booking or tour organized by a Vietnam travel agency.
• Those who are not prohibited from entering Vietnam

How to apply for a tourist visa?

It is now easy to get a visa for Vietnam. Here is the steps to get:

1. Preparation:

Here are the things you need to prepare to apply for a tourist visa:

• A passport with at least 6 months of validity and 2 blank pages
• 02 photos in passport size (4x6cm, recently taken, white background, showing the entire face, not wearing glasses or scarf covering hair, looking straight)
• Date of entry and exit from Vietnam
• Entry port
• A visa application form (NA2)
• Visa fee

2. Application:

There are 3 ways for foreign visitors to get a Vietnam tourist visa, including:

2.1. Tourist visa at Embassy/Consulate

The most common way people do is get a visa at the Embassy/Consulate. If you prefer to get everything done in person and a visa already stamped on your passport in advance of your trip. This is the way you should choose.

• Get to the Vietnam Embassy/Consulate in your country and submit all documents as required. You should check the requirements carefully since the procedure may vary among different embassies in different countries.
• Pay the visa fee (varied by embassy).
• Return to the embassy. If your application is approved, get your original passport back with the visa affixed to it.

2.2. Visa on arrival for Tourists:

Only airway travelers can apply for a visa on arrival. In fact, visa-on-arrival is one of the most convenient ways for foreign tourists coming to Vietnam.

• Step 1: Contact a Vietnam visa agency to apply for a pre-approved visa letter online. This letter is compulsory for boarding the flight and getting a visa stamp at Vietnam airports. The service fee varies by agency.
• Step 1: Print the letter for visa approval and arrival form provided by the agency. Prepare 2 passport-sized photos to hand in at the airport and some cash for visa fee (25 USD for single entry and 50 USD for multiple entry).
• Step 3: Present the visa approval letter and all documents needed (02 passport-sized photos, original passport, and stamping fee in cash) to get a visa stamp at one of 8 international airports in Vietnam.

2.3. E-visa for Foreign Tourists:

E-visa applies for citizens of 80 countries all over the world and those entering Vietnam via one of 33 designated ports including airports, seaports, and landports. Travelers do not need to submit an original passport and prepare too many documents, and all procedures are conducted online which is much time-saving for travelers.

• Access e-visa’s official website at https://evisa.gov.vn/ and provide full information (portrait photo, photo of passport data page, personal information and your trip schedule). Save the Registration Code provided.
• Pay the fee (USD25).
• Check the result by Registration Code via Search Menu bar on the website. Download the visa and print a hard copy for use at the airport.

Tourist Visa Extension:

Foreign Tourists who overstay in Vietnam with an expired visa will have to pay administrative fines. If you plan to stay beyond the allowed period, a visa extension is compulsory.

1. Conditions for Visa Extension:

• Foreigners must have a guarantor travel agency in accordance with the provisions of the tourism law
• Foreigners still temporarily reside in Vietnam
• Foreigners are not deported or forced to leave Vietnam

2. Things to prepare for Visa Extension:

• Application form for visa issuance, stay extension (NA5)
• Original passport with a validity of at least 6 months
• Travel license of the guaranteeing travel agency
• Legal documents of guaranteeing travel agency (for first-time application)
• Schedule of travel program
• Introduction letter of the guaranteeing travel agency sending a representative to do the visa extension for foreigners
• Visa extension fee

3. How to extend Visa?

The extension of a visa for tourists must be conducted at one of Vietnam’s Immigration Offices in Hanoi, Danang, or Ho Chi Minh City. Here are 3 steps you need to follow:

• Step 1: Contact a Vietnam travel agency for instructions on all needed documents and procedures for visa extension.
• Step 2: Send your valid passport with all the needed documents and pay the service fee.
• Step 3: Receive the passport and visa extension after around 06 – 08 working days.

Processing Time & Fee for Tourist Visa:

1. Processing Time:

The processing time of a foreign tourist visa takes different times depedning on the way you choose to apply. Here is the approximate time you can refer to:

• Visa at an Embassy/Consulate: 5-7 days
• Visa on arrival: 3-5 days for regular service and 2-4 hours for urgent service
• Visa online (e-visa): 3 days

2. Fee for Vietnam Tourist Visa:

• Visa at an Embassy/Consulate: Depending on each Embassy/Consulate
• Visa on arrival: USD20-60 for approval letter service and USD25-50 for stamping fee at the airport (USD25 for single entry and USD50 for multiple entries for 1 or 3-month visa)
• Visa online (e-visa): USD25

Travel Visa to Cambodia:

From Oct 2014 all visitors who wish to enter Cambodia can apply Cambodia e-Visa through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International. Please check it out here at: www.evisa.gov.kh. Note: E-visa is only issued for those who arrive at the international airports of Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.

Alternatively, you can obtain the Cambodia visa upon arrival at the airport.  You do not need to get the visa stamp at the Cambodian Embassy before your visit. Instead, you just need to prepare the following documents:

• A Passport valid within 6 months
• One photo (3 x 4 cm) in color, front view and with a plain/white background.
• US$ 30 Cash for tourist visa fee (Paid directly to the Immigration)

Travel Visa to Laos:

Same to Cambodia, you won’t need to arrange Laos Visa in advance as thirty-day visas are now available on arrival at International airport of Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse. What you need are:

• A Passport valid within 6 months
• Three photos (Size 4x6cm)  in color, front view and with a plain white background.
• You can just pay 45 USD directly to the Immigration for the visa fee when you arrive.