Frequently Asked Questions

Friends Travel Vietnam only request tourist VOA's Visa on arrival letter

The following visas are available

•  01 month single entry - Allows you to stay in Vietnam for 1 month and only enter the country once.
•  01 month multiple entry - Allows you to stay in Vietnam for 1 month and enter and leave the country several times.
•  03 months single entry - Allows you to stay in Vietnam for 3 months and enter the country once.
• 03 months multiple entry - Allows you to stay in Vietnam for 3 months and to enter and leave the country several times.

* Please note that requests made in the month of February for March can be counted as 28 or 29 days as an exception!

With a single entry you can enter Vietnam once. As soon as you leave the country, the visa expires.

With a multiple entry you can enter Vietnam several times within the validity period.

This is ideal for travelers who want to do a short visit to a neighboring country, for example.

See the example below. Make sure you write clear and in capital letters. 

Extra: ID-number is your passport number including letters and numbers.

You can leave number 17 open and write the name of your family members +  relation at number 11   

You can leave this one open. It's not nesesary to fill in.

Fill in your family members + relationship. For example: Jack Doe + Father

You can start the application 12 months in advance. 

An application for a VOA takes 1-4 working days (excluding Saturday, Sunday and public holidays).

If you want to request a VOA urgently, then there is the urgent VOA procedure. This application takes 1 to 2 days. (excluding Saturday, Sunday and public holidays)

No, you can’t arrive earlier than the start date mentioned on your letter.

It's no problem to arrive day(s) later then the requested date.

Please keep in mind that you visa will start on the requested date anyway!

If there a chance that your flight will be moved forward?

Then make sure that the date on the invitation letter starts 2 days earlier.

Keep in mind that your end date is 2 days earlier as well. Arriving later than the start date is possible.

No Unfortunately not. ALL documents need to be printed out to receive your visa. The Visa Application Form must even be printed twice.

Do not forget to print everything. 

Yes. This is not a problem at all. As long as you enter via an international airport, you can apply for your visa.

Make sure you have printed out the correct documents. You can enter at the following airports: Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Phu Quoc, Da Nang and Cam Ranh.

No. In this case you have to apply through an Vietnamese embassy or consulate in the country you are staying.

Yes. With the visa you can leave the country through all borders.

With a multiple entry visa, except for the first time (when you need to arrive by plane), you can travel back into Vietnam via the borders as well.

Yes. You can enter and leave through all international airports. 

You can pay Friend Travel Vietnam by credit card online or PayPal. At the airport you have to pay the immigration department in US dollars or Vietnamese dong.

There are no ATM’s at the airport, so make sure you already have dollars with you. 

Sometimes credit card payments don’t work. You can simply try again or contact us for assistance. In most cases we can help you right away.

Usually we send a PayPal link to you email, which you can use to pay. If you are not sure whether the payment is successful or not, you can contact us.

This is the amount that you pay to the Vietnamese government for the visa processing at the airport.

After the payment you get your stamp in your passport and you can enter Vietnam.

For Single entry the costs are 25USD per visa and for multiple entry 50USD per visa. Make sure you have this amount in cash with you (in USD).

If there is an error in your approval letter (including small spelling/typos) contact us directly.

The letter is not valid and you can be refused by your airline or by the immigration department.

Always check if the information on the letter is right when receiving the letter from us. Don’t wait until the departure date.

It is important that the information in the approval letter is correct. We can’t change the application letters, but will apply for a new letter with the immigration department on your request.

The standard processing time of 1 - 4 working days after you apply. 

All correction requests, with a processing time of 4 working days, with exception of visa type and visa start entry date, are free of charge, if we didn’t process the correct information. 

An emergency visa application is possible to request with us, see our price listing

For changes in visa type or the start date charge will be applicable following our price listing

It might has ended up in your ‘spam-box’. Check your spam folder.

If you find it here keep an eye on your spam folder because our other emails might also go directly into your spam folder.

Otherwise, mail us directly!

No. It may be other photos. Vietnam is not as strict as the European requirements. Make sure that both photos you submit are the same and in color. Formats accepted: 4x6, 3x5 or 2x4.

By plane to Vietnam? Then is your best option to use our Visa on Arrival service.

Per country? Then you can unfortunately not use this and we recommend you to apply for a visa at an Vietnamese embassy, travel agency or hostel. The amounts will be higher than a VOA request

Yes. This can easily be done at a travel agency. We also extend visas at our office. You get your passport with visa back after a few days. But the extension cost can be high!

No. Friends Travel Vietnam only request tourist visa on arrivals for their clients.

When you arrive at the airport you go to the immigration desk before you go through customs.

Hand over the correct forms and wait until the visa is ready. Make sure you have the right papers and hand over the amount in US dollars.

Yes. Children need a visa just like adults. For this you simply follow the same online procedure.

If your child is still in your passport, you only need the authorization letter. With an own passport you also have to pay a stamp fee for children.

Yes, every traveler must apply for a separate visa for Vietnam. Both children and adults. You can’t enter Vietnam without a visa.

If this is unfortunately the case, we will refund the purchase price if the application is rejected. Then contact your consultancy or Vietnamese embassy at the place you are livingThey can help you further.

No. Your visa has to be applied for before departure using the VOA procedure or an embassy or consulate.

When checking in the airline will ask to show your visa or approval letter. If you can’t present it, you can’t board the plane.

Yes, both visas are identical.

The cost is lower with the VOA procedure

- You can apply easily online

- You don’t have to send or temporary give your passport

- You can do the VOA procedure from anywhere in the world

- You can contact us 24-7 with your questions

When arriving on the airport in Vietnam, you will have to wait for your visa to be ready.

Waiting time is between 10 and 50 minutes depending on how many co-applicants are there.

You can give your documents to the visa officer and wait for your visa to be ready so you don’t have to wait in line.

The approval letter is a letter issued by the Vietnamese immigration department which allows you to get a visa on arrival at an international airport in Vietnam.

In this letter you will find some of your personal details and the validity period for your visa. 

When you fill out the application form with Friends Travel Vietnam we send it to the immigration department in Hanoi. Make sure that you print the approval letter.

You show the letter on the airport (together with the other necessary documents) in order to receive the visa. 

No. The VOA is the authorization letter with which you can collect your visa at the airport.

Take this letter to the immigration office at the airport and you will receive your visa after paying 25USD or 50USD. It's depend on type of VOA you requested.

You can apply for your VOA online from anywhere in the world. This will be done online and we send the authorization letter to you by e-mail.

Then you only have to print it out. It's that easy!

The Vietnamese government is doing this to save costs and time. There are random persons on the same letter. If you don’t want this, you can request a private letter for a small additional charge (€ 3 per person). This ensures that only your details are on the letter.

When you are a Vietnamese passport holder, but you are not living in Vietnam you can travel to Vietnam visa-free. We do advise to contact the Vietnamese Embassy for further information what will be required. 

There is a possibility that you need to apply for a visa exemption document, which you have to present upon arrival. Unfortunately, Friends Travel Vietnam can’t help you with this. 

Friends Travel Vietnam uses your personal information for the visa application. This goes through a secured connection. We won’t provide your personal information to third parties, except for the Vietnamese immigration department.

We conform to legal requirements regarding saving personal information. They will be deleted one year after we received them.

Via our website you pay through your (payment) method of choice. In case you have further questions about the security of the VOA procedure please contact us. 

Friends Travel Vietnam takes customer satisfaction very serious. Should there be any reason you are not satisfied with our services, we provide a money back guarantee based on the complaint.

If your visa application gets denied, we always refund the paid amount.

Yes. Send an email to visa@friendstravelvietnam.com with the application number or the email address used for the application. We will send your invoice/receipt to your email.

Yes the immigration department is always open 24/7.