Visa and other services for foreigners

Bringing medication into Viet Nam

Narcotic medication drugs must be declared to customs and must not exceed the quantity stated in the enclosed doctor's prescription, but not more than the quantity indicated for seven days.

Psychotropic medication drugs or medication containing precursors used as drugs must be declared to customs and must not exceed the quantity stated in the enclosed doctor's prescription, but not more than the quantity indicated for ten days.

13 countries that are unilaterally exempted from visas

Visa requirements are exempted for citizens of the following countries: Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of France, Republic of Italy, Kingdom of Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Russian Federation, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Denmark, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Finland and Republic of Belarus with a temporary residence duration of 45 days from the date of entry, regardless of passport type, purpose of entry, provided that all entry conditions according to Vietnamese law are met.

Evisa information

Vietnam portal on Immigration/Vietnam visa - National portal on Immigration (xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn) to apply for an electronic visa or https://evisa.immigration.gov.vn.

All enquiries for applications made to this website of the Vietnamese Immigration Department will need to be made to Vietnam portal on Immigration/Vietnam visa - National portal on Immigration (xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn). If you want to contact the Vietnamese Immigration Department: Contact | Cục quản lý xuất nhập cảnh (xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn)

Important notice:

Travelers should apply for e-visas months before their travel, always remember to put your full name, double check every information before submitting and recheck e-visa after receiving. The processing time may vary from case to case and there are many e-visas applications rejected.

Applicants normally receive e-visas at the end of the fourth working day (Viet Nam time) if the Viet Nam Immigration Department doesn't require an update or modification to their application.

If an update or modification is required, please allow 4 more working days from the first working day after the applicants rectify their application.

Please note that the Embassy can not assist e-visa application at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn or evisa.immigration.gov.vn or via a third-party website. We may not reply to questions relating to e-visa applications.

TOURIST VISA

For e-visa please go to the website of the Vietnamese Immigration Department Vietnam portal on Immigration/Vietnam visa - National portal on Immigration (xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn) or Vietnam portal on Immigration/Vietnam visa - National portal on Immigration to apply.

Please apply visas months before your travel, fill application carefully and always check your information on visas when receiving it.

WARNING:

There has been a cluster of complaints from both Australian and foreign visitors that the online visa applications via unauthorized and/or untrustworthy websites cause a lot of inconvenience. Sometimes they can not board on the plane or be denied entry and pay a fine because of fake visas.

For reasons as such, travelers and businesses to Viet Nam are strongly recommended to apply for the visas before departure.

Business visa and official/diplomatic visa

Certification the form to get Criminal Records Certificate (police check) for foreigners who resided in Viet Nam at the Vietnamese National Center for Criminal Records

Please be advised that the Embassy does not issue Criminal Record (Police Check). We only certify the Form and the passport for you to send to Vietnam to get the Criminal Record.

Legalization of documents issued by Australian authorities to be used in Viet Nam

Driving in Viet Nam or Converting an Australian driving licence into a Vietnamese driving licence

Learning and teaching Vietnamese language

Thủ tục dành cho công dân Việt Nam (for Vietnamesse)

FESTIVALS

Hung Kings' Festival or Hung Kings death anniversary is a Vietnamese festival held annually from the 8th to the 11th of the third lunar month, in which the 10th day is the main festival day. The festival takes place in Hung Kings' Temple, Phu Tho province - the old ancient city of Van Lang nation.

Cuisine

"Balance" may be the single word that is commonly used to describe Viet Nam's gastronomy. In essence, Vietnamese cuisines usually reach the balance of ingredients and recipe: neither putting too much salt and fat, nor using fattening cooking methods such as frying that may lead to diseases.

Lunar New Year – biggest traditional holiday in Vietnam

The traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) is the biggest and oldest festival in Vietnam, bringing its people together to celebrate the sacred and meaningful annual event.

General Information

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam)

Geography and climate

Vietnam is the easternmost nation on the Indochina Peninsula. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, and Cambodia to the southwest. On the country's east coast lies the East Sea.

History

Country's official name throughout history: Van Lang (2876 BC – 258 BC), Au Lac (257 BC – 207 BC), Van Xuan (544-602), Dai Co Viet (968 – 1054), Dai Viet (1054 – 1802), Dai Ngu (1400 – 1406), and Viet Nam.

The Dai Viet

In the 10th century AD, the Vietnamese had won their freedom and built up an independent state named Dai Viet. The country was under the ruling of many national feudal dynasties

Struggle for national liberation

In the middle of 19th century (1858), French colonialists began to invade Vietnam. The incompetent government of the Nguyen gradually gave in and from 1884

Reunification

In the spring of 1975, the patriotic armed forces of Vietnam swept across the country in the great general offensive and overthrew the Saigon government. The southern part of Vietnam was liberated and the country was united as one.

Renovation

At the 6th Congress of the Communist Party in 1986, the Doi Moi (reform) policy was launched with the focus on economic reform

Central Political System

The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) was established on February 3, 1930. Over the past 75 years, the CPV has been in the vanguard of the struggle for national independence

Administrative Divisions and Local Authorities

Vietnam is subdivided into 59 provinces and 5 province-level cities, which are further subdivided into districts and municipalities

Economy

Agriculture and forestry (20.4% of GDP, 2006): Principal products--rice, maize, sweet potato, peanut, soya bean, cotton, coffee, cashews. Cultivated land--12.2 million hectares. Land use--21% arable; 28% forest and woodland; 51% other.

People

At present there are 54 different ethnic groups inhabiting Vietnam, in which Kinh (Viet) people make up nearly 90% of the whole population, and 53 other ethnic groups represent over 10%.

Culture Philosophy and ideologies

At the start, with primitive and rudimentary cognition of materialism and dialectics, Vietnamese thought was mixed with beliefs

Literature

Vietnamese literature came into being at an early date, including two major components - folk literature and written literature

Vietnam has got some 50 national music instruments

which the set of percussion instruments is the most popular, diverse and long-lasting such as trong dong (copper drums). The set of blowing instruments is represented by flutes and pan-pipes, while the set of string instruments is specified by dan bau and dan day.

Customs

The old-style Vietnamese house was related to the watery environment (stilted house with curved roof). Then came thatch-roofed house with clay walls, which were built mostly from wood and bamboo

Sports

The 4000-year history filled with eternal wars of founding and defending the country had tempered a martial Vietnamese nation. This martial tradition was evidently manifested in sporting events found in the collective activities of the Viet people from the very old time.