We are so happy you have chosen to spend your leisure time in Vietnam. Whether you are here for vacation or for work, we guarantee you an unforgettable journey into one of Southeast Asia’s most fascinating countries.
There is something here for everyone. Whether you are looking for mountains, beaches, cities, culture, good food… you name it! There is something for you here. The diversity of Vietnam is truly incredible and there is no reason for you to not visit the country. If it’s your first time visiting Vietnam, you might wonder if you need a visa to enter the country.
If you are French… The answer is yes. If you are a French citizen then you are required to apply for a visa if you wish to stay in the country for more than 15 days. Citizens of France among the countries can stay in Vietnam for 15 days visa free. But if you do need to apply for a visa to visit Vietnam for more than 15 days, don’t worry – it isn’t as complicated as it sounds like. Quite the contrary… These days you only need your computer, your passport and credit card. Yes, it can be that easy!
There are two alternatives for you:
1. Electronic visa or Vietnam E-Visa for French passport holders
A sample of an eVisa Vietnam
This is an actual visa which will be issued electronically and you can show it at the passport control when entering Vietnam. You don’t need to stop by the landing visa desk to pick up the actual visa as you would have to with a “Visa on Arrival” (more on that later). The fee is low, usually $25 and is non-refundable if it is rejected or failed. There is however an opportunity to get a 100% Money Back Guarantee policy, if you pay $40 instead. The E-Visa is really easy to apply to and allow travelers to apply directly online. It also allows you to enter Vietnam via airports, land ports and seaports. So if you are planning on coming to Vietnam by cruise ship, road or airplane, this is a good choice.
Please note that citizens of 80 countries can apply for an e-visa, including France. The E-visa is valid for 30 days, single entry, which means that if you intend on staying for longer and wish to have a multiple-entries visa, you have to apply for point 2 (which I will explain now).
2. Visa on Arrival – Apply online for pre-approval then pick up your visa on arrival at the airport of Vietnam
Getting visa on arrival Vietnam
Good that you are so curious about Vietnam and wishes to stay a bit longer. Even if you only apply for 30 days, this visa will help you get multi-entry visa, so you can visit other countries and still be able to come back to Vietnam without having to apply for a visa again. However, if you are from France and enters Vietnam as a unilateral visa-exempted, the entry date must be at least 30 days from the previous exit as unilateral visa-exempted person. Otherwise you are required to have an appropriate visa in order to enter Vietnam again.
The visa process differs slightly from the e-visa, but it’s not difficult or complicated. With the visa on arrival you can apply to stay for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and even up to 12 months! What you need to do is apply online (you can do this through our website), wait for the visa approval and once you get it, download it so you can present it at the airport and pick up your visa. When the staff sees the approval letter, you need to pay the stamp fee, and voilá! You are ready to enter Vietnam and explore.
Hopefully this was well explained and you have no further questions. However, if you do, please feel free to ask us. Otherwise, we hope that you have enjoyed this article and we want you to remember to always have fun!
