E-visas for visitors to Vietnam
Just like the rest of the world, the tourism industry in Vietnam has taken a drastic plunge due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past month, having managed to keep the outbreak in check, the Vietnamese government has been trying to reboot domestic tourism by offering plenty of incentives to local travelers.
Now, seemingly moving to the next step, it has issued a new resolution listing 80 countries whose residents will be eligible to apply online for an e-visa to Vietnam.
Residents from 80 countries can apply for e-visas
Image adapted from: @therealfavian
The new resolution, recorded as Resolution 79/NQ-CP, is set to come into effect on 1st July. According to it, residents from 80 countries including the US, the UK, China, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and more will be able to enter Vietnam using an e-visa. The full list of countries can be viewed here.
To apply for the visa, valid passport holders of these 80 countries simply have to go to the National Web Portal on Immigration and follow the instruction. A passport photo must be provided, as well as the basic information such as full name, nationality, passport number, etc. The entire process costs a fee of USD25, which will not be refunded if the application is rejected.
Applications are processed within 3 working days. Applicants will also receive a registration code, which they can use to check their application process on the E-visa search menu. If approved, the e-visa is valid for a maximum of 30 days, and for a single entry.
E-visas are accepted at several airports and border gates
8 international airports in Vietnam will accept e-visas
(Photo for illustration purposes only)
Image credit: @fiobe26621
Resolution 79/NQ-CP also specifies the airports and border gates in Vietnam that will accept e-visas. These include:
8 international airports:
- Nội Bài International Airport, Hanoi
- Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, Hồ Chí Minh City
- Cam Ranh International Airport, Khánh Hòa Province
- Đà Nẵng International Airport, Đà Nẵng City
- Cát Bi International Airport, Hải Phòng City
- Cần Thơ International Airport, Cần Thơ City
- Phú Quốc International Airport, Kiên Giang Province
- Phú Bài International Airport, Thừa Thiên Huế Province
16 land border gates:
- Tây Trang Border Gate, Điện Biên Province
- Móng Cái Border Gate, Quảng Ninh Province
- Hữu Nghị Border Gate, Lạng Sơn Province
- Lào Cai Border Gate, Lào Cai Province
- Na Mèo Border Gate, Thanh Hóa Province
- Nậm Cắn Border Gate, Nghệ An Province
- Cầu Treo Border Gate, Hà Tĩnh Province
- Cha Lo Border Gate, Quảng Bình Province
- La Lay Border Gate, Quảng Trị Province
- Lao Bảo Border Gate, Quảng Trị Province
- Bờ Y Border Gate, Kon Tum Province
- Mộc Bài Border Gate, Tây Ninh Province
- Xa Mát Border Gate, Tây Ninh Province
- Tịnh Biên Border Gate, An Giang Province
- Sông Tiền Border Gate, An Giang Province
- Hà Tiên Border Gate, Kiên Giang Province
13 sea border gates:
- Hòn Gai Border Gate, Quảng Ninh Province
- Cẩm Phả Border Gate, Quảng Ninh Province
- Hải Phòng Border Gate, Hải Phòng City
- Nghi Sơn Border Gate, Thanh Hóa Province
- Vũng Áng Border Gate, Hà Tĩnh Province
- Chân Mây Border Gate, Thừa Thiên Huế Province
- Đà Nẵng Border Gate, Đà Nẵng City
- Nha Trang Border Gate, Khánh Hòa Province
- Quy Nhơn Border Gate, Bình Định Province
- Dung Quất Border Gate, Quảng Ngãi
- Vũng Tàu Border Gate, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu Province
- Hồ Chí Minh City Border Gate, Hồ Chí Minh City
- Dương Đông Border Gate, Kiên Giang
No official announcement on the reopening of borders yet
Vietnam has been closing its doors to all foreign visitors to contain COVID-19
(Photo for illustration purposes only)
Image credit: @olarosa_priv
It is also worth noting that the resolution doesn’t mention anything about the reopening of the Vietnamese border.
In an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Vietnam has been closing its doors to all foreign arrivals since late March. So far, there has not been any official announcements on when the country will welcome international visitors again, or what measures will be implemented to prevent COVID-19 infections.
Vietnam to accept e-visas from international visitors
Even though there has not been any official confirmation yet, the fact that the resolution is set to come into effect on 1st July suggests that restraints around borders will be eased before then. We will probably see further directives in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more updates.
For more stories, check out:
- World’s longest cable car to open in Vietnam
- Vietnam’s first Japanese-style hot spring opens
- Bamboo Airways offers more travel destinations
Cover image adapted from Hà Thái