Vietnam visa regulations
Related to entry, exit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, the Standing Committee of Vietnam National Assembly issued a National Ordinance No. 24/2000/PL-UBTVQH10 on the 28 April, 2000. The Ordinance includes 07 chapters and 26 articles stating specifically who is responsible for what in term of Vietnam visa issuance, and who and how and how long can get a visa to entry Vietnam. Of the 26 articles, the following ones might help you – a potential Vietnam visa applicants know why a travel agency can assist you to get Vietnam visa approval letter.
Article 2
1. Vietnamese agencies and organizations, Vietnam - based foreign agencies and organizations as well as international organizations, Vietnamese citizens and foreigners lawfully residing in Vietnam may invite foreigners into Vietnam.
2. Agencies, organizations and individuals that invite foreigners into Vietnam shall have to ensure the compliance with foreigners’ entry purposes, ensure financial matters and their cooperation with the State bodies to settle arising problems for foreigners.
Article 5
1. Agencies, organizations and individuals that invite foreigners into Vietnam shall send their written requests to the entry and exit management agency of the Ministry of Public Security or the consular office of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
2. A written request shall be replied within no more than 5 working days after the receipt of the request.
Article 6
1. Foreigners applying for entry shall be granted visas at Vietnam's international border gates in the following cases:
- They enter for funerals of their relatives, for visits to their seriously ill relatives;
- They depart from countries where Vietnamese diplomatic missions and/or consulates are not available;
- They enter for visits under programs organized by international tour enterprises of Vietnam;
- They enter to provide urgent technical support for programs, projects; to give first-aid to seriously ill persons, accident victims; to provide rescue for victims of natural disasters and epidemics in Vietnam;
- For other urgent reasons.
2. The exit and entry management agency of the Ministry of Public Security shall issue visas as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article.
For the full version of the Ordinance, please download here: National Ordinance No.24/2000/PL-UBTVQH10.
Decree No. 92/2007/ND-CP
Recently, Vietnam Government has issued Decree No. 92/2007/ND-CP on detailing the implementation of a number of Articles of the Law on Tourism has regulated about rights and obligations of international travel enterprises, in which, international travel agencies has the rights to request a competent state agency to approve the entry, exit or transit of tourist as said in the Article 13 of the Decree. Accordingly, you can know why an international travel agency can request Vietnam Immigration Department to get visa approval letters for tourists:
Article 13. Rights and obligations of international travel enterprises
1. An international travel enterprise has the following rights:
a) To enjoy business autonomy and take responsibility for tourism business activities;
b) To request a competent state agency to approve the entry, exit or transit of tourists;
c) To have their lawful tourism business activities protected by the State;
d) To participate in tourism promotion activities; join in professional associations;
e) Other rights provided for by law.
2. An international travel enterprise has the following obligations:
a) To set up, register and conduct its business in accordance with law;
b) To employ only tourist guides who possess international tourists guide's cards to guide foreign tourists and observe regulations on the employment of laborers;
c) To notify the provincial-level state agency charge of tourism of the replacement of its travel business administrator within 30 days after such replacement;
d) To monitor and make full and accurate statistics on the number of tourists to whom it has provided tourism services;
e) To assure the conditions for, an interests of, tourists in accordance with the concluded agreements;
f) Other obligations prescribed by law.
For full English Translation Version, please see here: Decree No. 92/2007/ND-CP.
Is there any problem if I travel Vietnam by myself?
Some people wonder if they are eligible to get visa on arrival if they travel Vietnam by themselves.
Actually, once you applied for a visa on arrival via www.e-vietnamvisa.com, you engaged in an agreement to use our company service (an international travel agency service). Accordingly, we will submit the documents including a nominal program to the Vietnam Immigration Department for their approval on your entry (the program can be changed later). We may ask you to provide tour programs and make a change if necessary, or we will take full responsibility on the nominal program given. Therefore, if you travel Vietnam under programs organized by tour agency or you travel by yourselves, you are always guaranteed to use a program organized by a international travel agency. In the letter of approval, you can see the name of the travel agency on the top of the letter.
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