Vietnam e-visa requirements for Russians

• Vietnam visa fee for Russian citizens

The Vietnam e-Visa has now been granted to 81 citizens over the world, including Russian passport holders (Contry list for Vietnam e-visa). The e-Visa is an electronic travel authorization which allows tourists to travel around the country for tourism or other purposes. Applicants can obtain the Vietnam e-Visa online without having to leave the comfort of their home or office.

The Vietnam e-Visa for Russians has made it much easier for Russian travelers to apply for a visa. The e-visa permits travelers to stay in Vietnam for a total period of 30 days. All that is needed is to fill out an online form that only takes a few minutes to complete, thus saving time and hassle. There is no need to go to the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate, or carry with sensitive documents. Now, all can be done online.

Is it required for Russians to apply for a Vietnam visa?

Yes. Russian citizens are required to apply for a Vietnam visa in order to enter the country to stay for longer than 15 days (please check Vietnam visa requirement for update information). The Vietnamese government now allows Russian passport holders, and other eligible countries, to apply for an electronic Vietnam visa.

The e-Visa is only valid for 30 days, so if you wish to extend your stay in Vietnam, it is required to apply for another e-Visa.

Since the e-visa application is pre-screened by authorities during the online application process, the e-Visa will reduce the time that Russian citizens have to spend waiting in line for immigration officers to check their passports at the border control upon arrival.

What are the main advantages to get a Vietnam e-Visa for Russians?

First of all, the e-Visa reduces the time you spend at the border control since you will not have to queue in line to collect your visa as visa on arrival. Since your e-visa has already been approved of, all you need to do is present it to the border control and  you are free to start traveling in the country. The application is also very straightforward and only requires you to have stable internet connection in order to complete it.

Here are the main advantages:

• The quick and easy application can be done online
• Grants access into Vietnam through 33 ports of entry (air, land or sea). List ports accept Vietnam e-visa
• Avoid waiting in line at the border for a visa on arrival
• Avoid paying additional fees in cash at the airport
• Avoid having to present additional documents upon landing

If you hold a Russian passport and planning on staying in the country for more than 15 days, you must meet certain Vietnam e-Visa requirements such as:

• A legitimate passport with a minimum remaining validity of 6 month after the estimated travel date and 2 blank pages available
• An email address to receive communications from the Vietnamese government concerning your application
• A debit or credit card to cover the Vietnam electronic e-visa fees.

If you do not fulfill these requirements, you will not be able to apply for this type of visa.

The Vietnam e-Visa application is usually approved of within 3 business days. However, there have been cases of delays during holidays for example, and therefore it is always advisable to apply at least 7 business days prior to arriving to Vietnam. Once the electronic e-visa has been approved of, the applicant will receive the e-visa as a PDF to the email that was stated in the application.

Applying for the electronic visa only takes a few minutes to complete. That is one of the reasons why travelers prefer to get this type of visa. Travelers may complete the application form on their smartphone, computer or tablet.

Before submitting the application, make sure that you have filled in all the information correctly and that all the information stated is true. Otherwise, there might be delays in the application or even rejections. If you are unsure on how to apply, here is a step by step process for Russian passport holders:

1. Fill out the form with your personal information: full name, date of birth, gender and nationality
2. Enter your passport details: Passport number, country, date of issuance and expiration
3. Complete your contact details: Email address and mobile phone number
4. Introduce your travel plans: Intended date of arrival and purpose of your trip
5. Tick the applicant declaration boxes and continue to submit your application

Do note that all applicants will have to answer these basic security questions. All the information that has been provided by the applicants will be verified by a database. After submitting, Russian passport holders will be asked to enter their debit or credit card details in order to pay for the e-Visa.

If you are planning on staying for a longer period of time than 30 days, or you are planning on traveling back and forth to Vietnam within an interval of less than 30 days between your departure and next arrival, you will have to apply for a Visa on Arrival (VOA) instead. The Visa on Arrival requires an initial online application that entails filling out forms, submitting documents and sending in your payment. You will also have to queue in line at the airport in order to turn in additional documents and pay another fee.

Contact details for Vietnamese Embassies in Russia:

Address for the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow

13, Bolshaya Pirogovskaya St. 119021 Moscow, Russia
Phone: (+7) (495) 245 0925 and (+7) (495) 247 0212
Fax: (+7) (495) 246 3121
Email: dsqvn@com0com.ru

Address for the Vietnamese Consulate General in Vladivostok

Rua Charles Darwin, 240 Bairro Divino Espírito Santo, Vila Velha, Posto Rosalem 2, Vladivostok, Russia
Phone: (+7) (4232) 205 814 and (+7) (4232) 226 948
Fax: (+7) (4232) 261 496
Email: binh@fastmail.vladivostok.ru

Address for the Vietnamese Consulate General in Yekaterinburg

Chapaeva 14/10, uff. 103, 620075 Yekaterinburg, Russia
Phone: (+7) (343) 253 5778 and (+7) (922) 150 9999
Fax: (+7) (343) 253 5784
Email: vnconsuleka@gmail.com