Vietnam Business Visa - Definitive Guide

When a business person is willing to travel to Vietnam for carrying out business activities, a business visa to Vietnam is issued. There are several benefits to this permit. On this visa, the holder is allowed to attend business meetings, business conferences and exhibitions, make business deals and carry out other activities. 

The validity of the permit will vary depending on the procedure that is being followed. If you issue the permit online, the validity is of 30 days. On the other hand, if you issue your permit offline, the validity and the duration of the stay will differ depending on the case.

Before moving on to the application process, you need to make sure that you are an eligible candidate for issuing a Vietnam business visa. The permit can be applied online as well as offline. The processes are given as follows:

• Online procedure

1. Visit the official Vietnam e-visa portal.
2. Create and account and login.
3. Fill out the visa application form.
4. Attach a recent photograph.
5. Attach the scanned copies of all the required documents.
6. Submit the form online.
7. Pay the required Vietnam business visa fee.

• Offline procedure

1. You can start by downloading the application form.
2. Fill out the application form thoroughly.
3. Attach a recent photograph.
4. Collect all the required documents.
5. Sign the application form.
6. Submit the application form along with the supporting documents.
7. Pay the required business visa fees.

When you filling out the application form, either online or offline, there are a few precautions to be taken care of. The information in the form must match with the details in the travel documents, it must be true and correct as well. If there are any kind of issues found in the application, say if there is any false or bogus information or is unverifiable, there are chances that the application will become inadmissible and even get rejected. There are other causes for a visa rejection as well. The chances can be minimised by involving professionals such as a visa agency so that there are minimal errors in the application.

To apply for a business visa to Vietnam, you have to match the eligibility criteria for the application. The requirements for the business visa are given as follows:

• You must have proof of business ownership and purpose of visit

• You must have proper proof of your business enterprise to show it to the authorities.
• If you have been invited to a business conference or to attend a business or client meeting, an invitation letter from the company must be provided to the embassy.
• You must meet the health requirements

• You must be healthy enough to travel to Vietnam.
• You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide a relevant documentary proof.
• You must meet the character requirements

• • • You must be of good character and have genuine intentions behind working in Vietnam.
    • You need to provide a relevant documentary proof for the same as well (if asked) in the form of a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).
• You must have sufficient funds
  • • You must possess or have access to sufficient funds to be able to cover your stay and other expenses in Vietnam.
    • Bank statement or any equivalent document is to be submitted as well as proof of the same.

The requirements for business visa to Vietnam will differ as per the procedure that is being followed. The general Vietnam business visa requirements are listed as follows:

• E Visa Requirements
  • • Passport valid for at least 6 months ahead of travel.
    • Photo as per the photo specifications.
    • Confirmed flight tickets.
    • Proof of purpose of visit - exhibition pass, hotel bookings, invitation letter, etc.

• Stamp Visa Requirements

• • • Passport valid for at least 6 months ahead of travel.
    • Completely filled and duly signed application form.
    • Covering Letter.
    • Photo as per the photo specifications.
    • Confirmed flight tickets.
    • Proof of purpose of visit - exhibition pass, hotel bookings, invitation letter, etc.
    • Proof of sufficient funds - bank statement for the last three months, etc.

• One copy must be provided
• Photo size: 4 cm x 6 cm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• It must be a JPEG image or of any other supported format for E visa.
• Should not be older than 6 months.
• The face must cover about 70-80% of the frame.
• Head should well-centred.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white.
• Neutral expressions.
• Hair should not hide eyes.
• Both the ears must be visible.
• Teeth should not be visible.
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Eyes must be clearly visible through glasses.
• Must be taken in clear light.
• There should be no red eyes or flashes messing the image.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The processing time required for the issuance of a business visa to Vietnam varies depending on the process that is being followed. If you issue the permit online, it can be received within 3 working days. For a offline stamp business visa to Vietnam, the processing will require about 10 to 12 days and can even go up to 90 days in some cases. There are certain factors that affect the processing time as well.

The Vietnam business visa fees for Indian passport holders dependent on certain factors. The fee for the online permit is to be paid online through electronic payment option. The fee is paid directly to the Vietnamese Immigration. In the case of an offline stamp business visa to Vietnam, the fee is to be paid to the Vietnam Embassy. It can be paid in cash or by a demand draft.

When the documents are submitted, there are a few things that you need to note. Some of the pointers are given as follows:

• When the submission is done, the fee has to be paid as per the type of permit.
• After this, the documents will be verified and the application will be processed.
• When the process is completed by the Vietnamese Immigration or the Embassy, you will then be granted your e-visa for Vietnam.
• Also, if there are any kind of changes to be made in the application, the Immigration or the Embassy must be informed accordingly.
• If there is a change of plans, you can even withdraw the application within the processing time.

The status of your permit can be checked online by visiting the Vietnam e visa portal. To check the status, you just need to enter the required details and you can know the processing status of your online business visa to Vietnam. To check the status offline, you can contact the visa agency if you have applied through one, or you can contact the Consulate for the same.

After the successful submission of the visa application form and receiving business E-visa or stamp visa for Vietnam, there are certain measures that are to be taken. You must -

• Before you travel
  • • Make a note of the visa expiry date, as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.

• • • You should travel to Vietnam within the validity of your visa.
    • Make sure to carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
    • Issue health insurance and travel insurance from a certified company.
• At the Border
  • • Get your documents checked and your passport verified.
    • Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
    • Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.

• When you enter Vietnam
  • • Ensure not to get involved in any kind of employment. You can, however, do volunteer work.
    • The business visa does not permit you to employ the residents or reside in the country.
    • It is a permit that allows you to only perform business and business-related operations in the country. You are still permitted tourism.
    • The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
    • Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for the visa extension in time.