Vietnam immigration policies regulated that all the South African citizens are required a visa to Vietnam for purposes of tourism, business, family visit or study. Those transiting at Vietnamese airports and not crossing immigration area do not need the visa.
From South Africa, the travelers can apply for Vietnam visa by 2 options:
1. Apply for Vietnam visa at the Vietnam Embassy in South Africa
If you are living or residing not far from Vietnam Embassy or Consulates in South Africa and having much free time you should choose this way to obtain full visa to Vietnam before the departure. For those who travel Vietnam by train, bus or cruise ship are also recommended to apply for Vietnam visa by this way as Vietnam visa on arrival is applicable for air entry only.
The process of Vietnam visa applied at the Vietnam Embassy in South Africa:
- Step 1: Complete the visa application form provided by the Vietnam Embassy or Consulates in South Africa;
- Step 2: Submit the application form, original passport, 01 passport-sized photo, visa fee at the embassy. You can submit the documents in person or send by post;
- Step 3: Receiving your visa at the Vietnam Embassy or by post after 5 – 7 working days;
2. Apply for Vietnam visa on arrival via www.visumvietnamonline.com
Vietnam visa on arrival is a legitimate alternative to obtaining a full visa from the Vietnam Embassy or Consulates mentioned above. It is beneficial for those who are living far from the Vietnam Embassy or Consulate and traveling Vietnam by air. Learn more how visa on arrival works.
When applying for Vietnam visa on arrival, there is no extra documents or original passport required. The applicants just need to fill out the online application form, conduct payment and receive a letter of approval issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department at given time. A full visa will be stamped onto their passport upon arrival airport in Vietnam.
The process of Vietnam visa on arrival:
- Step 1: Fill out the online application form;
- Step 2: Conduct payment with credit cards (or debit cards), PayPal, Western Union or bank wire transfer;
- Step 3: Get the visa approval letter delivered via email within 2 working days (normal processing) or 1 working day (urgent processing) or even 2 hours (emergency processing);
- Step 4: Pay the stamping fee and obtain full visa upon arrival airport in Vietnam.
There are some differences between Vietnam visa on arrival and traditional visa. However, once issued they have exactly same validity and condition of use:
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