If you intend to travel to Vietnam, obtaining a visa may be essential for entry into the country. Currently, there are three options available to obtain a Vietnam visa: embassy visa, e-visa, and visa on arrival (VOA). While the first two options are provided directly by Vietnamese authorities, if you opt for VOA, you will need to deal with a Vietnam visa center. This article aims to clarify how to distinguish between a privately-owned visa center and a government-operated one.
Is there any Vietnam visa center operated by the government?
A lot of tourists may opt for a Vietnam visa center that is operated by the government as they think it’s more dependable. Nonetheless, there’s no government institution providing this service as of the latest update on August 5, 2019. Instead, all websites that provide VOA services are privately owned.
So how can you tell if a Vietnam visa center is operated by the government or not? One way is to pay attention to the website’s domain name. Government/authority websites often end with “.gov” or “.gov.vn”, while privately-owned websites end with other extensions, such as “.com”, “.com.vn”, “.org.vn”, “.govt.vn”, or “.vn”. If you come across a website that offers VOA services and ends with “.gov” or “.gov.vn”, it is most likely a government-operated website. Otherwise, it is not.
It is important to note that many trustworthy Vietnam visa centers have announced that they are commercial websites offering the service, but some do not mention anything in this regard.
How to find a trustworthy Vietnam visa center?
Among several privately-owned Vietnam visa centers, it can be challenging to find a reliable one. Here are five criteria you can use to decide:
- Experience: Check how long the visa center has been operating in the Vietnam visa aspect. The longer the experience, the more reliable the center is.
- Hotline: Test the visa center’s hotline to ensure it works 24/7. This will come in handy in case you need assistance at any time.
- Reviews: Read reviews of the visa center’s services from previous customers to gauge their level of satisfaction.
- Terms and conditions: Carefully read the center’s terms and conditions to understand your rights and their obligations.
- Address: Verify the visa center’s physical address to ensure it is a real company.
How to work with a Vietnam visa center?
If you have decided to use a Vietnam visa center to obtain VOA, you will need to follow these steps:
- Apply online: Fill out the visa application form online and make payment for the service fee.
- Receive approval letter: After submitting your application, you will receive an approval letter via email within two business days.
- Print the approval letter: Print the approval letter and prepare two passport-sized photos and some cash for the stamping fee upon arrival.
- Present documents upon arrival: Present your approval letter, passport, photos, and cash for the stamping fee (in USD or VND) to the immigration officer at the airport.
- Get your visa stamped: Receive your visa stamped at the airport and enjoy your trip!
In conclusion, there is no government-operated Vietnam visa center offering VOA services. To distinguish whether a Vietnam visa center is operated by the government or privately, pay attention to its website domain name. To find a trustworthy Vietnam visa center, check its experience, hotline, reviews, terms and conditions, and address. Finally, to work with a Vietnam visa center, follow the simple steps outlined above, and you’ll be ready to travel to Vietnam hassle-free.
Source: visaonlinevietnam.org
The website www.visaonlinevietnam.org is an online information and service site specializing in Vietnamese visas. With the purpose of supporting and simplifying the visa application process, this website provides detailed information about visa types such as tourist visa, business visa, work visa and visit visa.
