Question 1: What is an visa on arrival?

To enter a country, the first thing to do is to apply for a visa of that country (if any). Visa on arrival is a different kind of visa gotten at the Embassy of Vietnam.

The basic difference between visa gotten at the airport and visa gotten at the Embassy is that the Immigration Department will be the one issuing the approval letter for the visa gotten at the Embassy. About the letter for visa on arrival, it clearly states the date you are allowed to enter Vietnam (according
to the application form when applying and you will get visa stamped on your passport upon arrival.

Question 2: Who needs visa coming to Vietnam?

Most foreigners coming to Vietnam need visas when coming to Viet Nam, except for those nationalities that are exempt from visas.

Citizens of the following nationalities are exempt from visas to enter Vietnam:

• Citizens of Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Laos are exempt from visas for up to 30 days.
• Philippine citizens are exempt from visas for up to 21 days.
• Citizens of 13 countries including the Russian Federation, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Finland, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belarus, and Denmark are exempt from visas for up to 15 days.
• Citizens of Brunei and Myanmar are exempt from visas for up to 14 days.
• French citizens holding diplomatic and official passports are exempt from visas with a stay of no more than 3 months within 6 months from the date of first entry.
• Chilean citizens holding diplomatic or official passports are exempt from visas for up to 90 days.
• APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are exempt from visas for visits of up to 60 days.
• Citizens of the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France are exempt from visas for up to 15 days.
• Belarusian citizens are exempt from visas for up to 15 days.
• Foreigners and Vietnamese holding foreign passports entering, exiting, or residing in Phu Quoc Island are exempt from visas with a temporary stay of up to 30 days provided that they come to Vietnam (including sea and air) from a country other than Vietnam. If visitors enter an international border gate of Vietnam and stay in the transit area at that border gate before transferring to Phu Quoc island, they are also exempt from entry visas. The passport must be
  valid for at least 45 days. After arriving in Phu Quoc, if you want to visit other places in Vietnam or want to stay on the island for more than 30 days, you can go to the local Immigration Office to apply for a visa on the spot.

Question 3: Can I enter Vietnam in case my passport expires?

You cannot apply for a Vietnam visa if your passport expires. In this case, you need to renew your passport before submitting your application. Please check and make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Vietnam