Indian citizens who are planning to come to Vietnam might get the Vietnam visa easily because at the present time, besides the traditional way to get a visa from the Embassy of Vietnam in India, they have another way to take it: Visa on Arrival. From the beginning, this option is used by more and more Indians who want to enter Vietnam. Please remember that people can get a visa at the Vietnam Embassy or choose Visa on Arrival, but it is different between 2 ways.
So, what is a Vietnam visa on arrival?
Visa on arrival is another way to get a Vietnam visa from getting it at the Vietnam Embassy. This is a visa that is accepted at the airport instead of at the Vietnamese Embassy in India. To get a visa on arrival, travelers have to fill out the online form to take an approval letter that is provided by Vietnam Immigration looks like a permission paper that allows them to get on a flight and get a visa stamp at the airport. If the travelers do not have this kind of paper, they will not be allowed to get on the plane and get a visa stamp (Unless they have sent their application to the Vietnam Embassy or their nationalities belong to the visa-fee list).
Please pay attention that this kind of visa is only applied for travelers who come to Vietnam by air from India.
Legality
Visa on arrival is 100 percent legal although your visa application was sent to a travel agent and you received an approval letter through that agent’s email. Your approval letter is provided by the Vietnam Immigration, not that agent. While you are waiting for an approval letter, the travel agent has sent your visa application to the Vietnam Immigration. The travel agent received the approval letter from the Vietnam Immigration and sent it to your email. As a result, when you receive the approval letter, you are secured to get a visa stamp if you bring enough essential papers (approval letter, passport, 2 standard portrait pictures, Vietnam visa form, visa stamp fee).
The Article 6, Chapter III of the Ordinance No. 24/2000/PL- UBTVQH 10 dated April 28, 2000 on Entry, Exit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam specifies that foreigners who enter Vietnam for visit under programs organized by international tour enterprises of Vietnam will have to deal with a travel agent who will forward their visa applications over to the immigration office.
Pros:
- Process of getting an online visa is pretty easy.
- Visa on arrival saves time for people, especially for those who do not have much time or live far from the Vietnam Embassy.
- You do not need to send your passport or go to the Vietnam Embassy, you just need to send an online print of your original passport.
Cons:
- Visa on arrival for travelers is only for those who come to Vietnam by air.
- It might take 15-20 minutes to get a visa stamp because you have to stand in line and wait for your turn.
- You might find your name on an approval letter with other names you may not know – and that also happens to those people.