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Vietnam e-visa for Swiss citizens

The foreigners arriving to Vietnam these days have many questions about Vietnam e-visa which is officially launched on February 1, 2017 by the Vietnamese Government in its pilot plan until February 1, 2021. For the Swiss citizens, the first question should be: Vietnam e-visa is available for Switzerland passport or not?

To answer this question, we are happy to inform that, Swiss citizens are eligible for Vietnam e-visa! In the first stage of this plan, this kind of visa is available for just 80 nationals (the full list can be found here) including Switzerland.

So, how to obtain Vietnam visa for Swiss citizens at the moment?

At the moment, there are up to 3 ways to obtain a visa for Vietnam, consisting of:

The first option is made offline at the Vietnam embassy or consulate in Switzerland while the following two options are made online. In this post, you can find the brief description of two online options as well as the difference between 2 ways:

Item Visa on arrival E-visa
Issued by
 Vietnam Immigration Department Vietnam Immigration Department
Beneficiaries All Swiss visitors travel to Vietnam by air Citizens of 80 countries in the list, including Switzerland
Purpose of visit Vacation, business, family or friend visit, and others For vacation or business
Visa validity
 1 month single/multiple entry;
3 months single/multiple entry;
6 months multiple entry;
1 year multiple entry. 		30 days single entry
Visa fee Depending on visa type (from US $6 + stamping fee, refunded in case your visa application is refused US $25, non-refundable in case your visa application is refused
Processing time
2 working days, 1 working day or even 1 - 2 hours to receive the visa approval letter

 No sooner than 3 working days to know if your Vietnam visa application is approved or not
Entry ports Six (06) international airports in Vietnam, consisting of Hanoi Airport, Hai Phong Airport, Da Nang Airport, Ho Chi Minh Airport, Nha Trang Airport and Phu Quoc Airport. Thirty three (33) entry gates including 8 international airports, 16 international border gates, and 9 seaports across Vietnam
Warning
It may, but just sometimes, take you up to 30 minutes or longer to get visa stamped at Vietnam airport if there are too many people arriving at the same time. Normally, it takes 10 - 15 minutes.

 As this kind of visa is quite newly launched, of which some certain airlines or even immigration staff at the airports may have not been aware and therefore may refuse it, you should check with your airlines in advance to avoid this. More common issues may come with e-visa here.

How to apply for Vietnam e-visa from Switzerland?

The conditions for the Switzerland travellers being granted e-visa according to the law:

  • Outside Vietnam foreigners;
  • Holding valid passport;
  • Not failing into the cases of suspension from entry prescribed in Article 21 of Law on foreigners’ entry into, exit from, transit through, residence in Vietnam.

The Swiss applicants satisfy above regulation can make an application for Vietnam e-visa. They will need to follows 3 steps below:

  • Step 1: Complete the online form in the websites http://www.e-visasvietnam.com. Photo uploaded must be recent taken photos with bare face shown, straight looking with no glasses;
  • Step 2: Get the application code and pay the service fee with your credit/debit card;
  • Step 3: Use the code to check the result, if approved, print off e-visa and use the document at airports.

Time needed to let the applicants know if their applications approved or not is three (03) working days. A PDF file of the visa will be sent to successful applicant to print off and use at the arrival airports (8 international airports including Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan San Nhat in HCMC and Danang in Danang) and border crossings.

What are the concerns or issues of Vietnam e-visa you should know?

Obviously, e-visa is an improvement in many ways for a better visa service of Vietnam. It’s legal, convenient with easy to follow procedures but there are just some small difficulties of e-visa you should be aware of:

  • There is only one type of visa that is available on e-visa system: 30-day and single entry visa.
  • Working time for an e-visa to be processed is 3 business days, just as long as embassies’ time while VOA agents only need two days or less (2 hours, 4 hours, one day) to get the application approved.
  • The fee once paid will never be returned even if your application get rejected while it’s not the case with VOA.
  • You have to determine your arrival border crossings or airport before departure. Changing after applying for e-visa is not allowed.
  • The lack of service support from e-visa system and the customers might not receive e-visa timely;
  • The government portal might sometimes be down due to overloaded access.
  • You can’t extend your visa with e-visa.

What should you do if you don't get the e-visa within 3 working days?

Many Swiss applicants complain that they don't receive their e-visa from Vietnam Immigration Department within 3 working days as they are informed (this won't happen if you apply e-visa via our website www.e-visasvietnam.com). Some of them tried to contact with the Vietnam Immigration Department via website contact box and telephone, email but unsuccessful. We understand your anxious and you should follow the instruction below:

  • Track your e-visa status on the government's website by entering given code correctly;
  • If you couldn't receive the e-visa within 3 working days as you are informed, please try to contact the Vietnam Immigration Department via email phongqlxnc@vnn.vn or telephone number: (+84)243.8264.026 in Hanoi; (+84)7511.3823.383 in Da Nang or (+84)283.8244.075 in Ho Chi Minh City. If you applied e-visa via our webite, please contact number (+84)912.685.141
  • If there are many days remaining to your date of arrival, you can wait for more several days in case they accidentally miss your e-visa;
  • If you don't have time as the date of arrival coming soon, you should forget e-visa and try to apply for visa on arrival instead. In this case you should employ the urgent service to make sure you will receive the visa approval letter before getting on the plane. Please note that visa on arrival is available for air entry only and it can be ready within 1 hour, 4 hours, 8 hours or 2 working days depend on your needs.

How to apply for Vietnam visa for longer stay with multiple entries?

For the Swiss citizens who will stay in Vietnam more than 30 days; or those who expect to enter and exit Vietnam multiple times (for visiting the 3rd countries like Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar... before coming back to Vietnam and flying home); or those who travel Vietnam for business purposes then Vietnam visa on arrival or Vietnam Embassy visa application is highly recommended. In order to apply for a visa on arrival, you are instructed to complete 3 simple steps as below:

  • Step 1: Fill in an online application form and make a payment for processing service fee
  • Step 2: Get a visa approval letter delivered via email within 2 hours (emergency service) or 2 working days (normal service)
  • Step 3: Present the original passport, copy of approval letter (in hard copy), 2 photos (at passport sized) and pay the stamping fee to get visa attached on the passport at arrival airport

If you have any further queries, comments or feedback, please kindly call us by +84-912-685-141 or send an email to vietnamvisabooking@gmail.com. We are happy to assist you at our best.

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