Vietnam Visa – Do And Don't
DO check for up-to-date information: regulations change frequently, as do visa lengths and fees. Once you are on your way to Vietnam, usually on the flight or when you arrive at the airport, you will be asked to fill in an entry/exit form and to keep a (yellow) copy.
DON’T lose this form, you may need it to open a bank account or show an officious hotel receptionist and if you do mislay it, you may have to fill out another one before you leave the country.
DO beware of the double dating system. Your visa will contain a termination date and your passport will most likely be stamped with a permit to stay until… date. These two dates are rarely identical! And, of course, the earlier of the two is the one that counts.
In case of staying for work in Vietnam.
DON’T leave home or lose a copy of your employment contract or an official letter from the company or agency as this is required for issuance and extensions of your visa.
DO contact www.vietnamvisaonline.net in Hanoi for extension of your tourist visa. A long-term visa must be renewed, although, in special circumstances, it can be extended for a few days. However, if you need to change visa category (for instance, from a tourist visa to a business visa), you will have to leave the country in order to get the new visa issued.
If you plan to leave Vietnam during your visit, for example to visit a neighboring country and then to return to Vietnam, DO make sure that it says multiple entry or double entry on your visa, or you will not get back into Vietnam without a fresh visa!
If you know where you wish to enter or exit Vietnam (other than at the three international airports in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Hochiminh City), BEFORE you apply for your visa, DON’T forget to specify these border crossings so that they can be added to your visa. Otherwise, you can have them added from within Vietnam, but with a little more hassle – and money, of course.