Is Vietnam Visa on arrival still available in 2015?

If you are planning to arrive in Vietnam on an international flight landing at either Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or Da Nang airport, a legitimate alternative to obtaining a full visa stamp from the Vietnamese Embassy, in your own or another country, is to opt for a very simple and cheaper, visa on arrival (VOA). Once issued, this visa is exactly the same as a visa issued by any Vietnamese embassy/consulate, with the same limitations and conditions attached to its use.

Please note, that while Vietnamese Embassy websites usually include a warning against using VOA, claiming the agents are dodgy and the process illegitimate, this is untrue. The reason they do this is to scare intending visitors into buying a more expensive visa through the Embassy, as this is a major income stream for them. Unless you are a citizen of one of the countries listed at the end of this article for which VOA is not available, please do not believe this misinformation and please do not give it extra mileage by posting it on the Vietnam forum.

There are a lot of inquiries about the new Vietnam Immigration law is: Vietnam Visa on arrival is still available in 2015 or not?

 

To obtain the Visa upon arrival, you must apply the Visa online first. After 1 or 2 working days, the Visa approval letter (approved by Vietnam Immigration Department) will be sent to you by email. This letter says that you are allowed to pick up the Visa at Vietnam airports. You need to print the letter out, use it for boarding and getting the Visa when you arrive Vietnam.
There are 4 international accepts Visa on arrival: Tan Son Nhat airport (in Ho Chi Minh or Saigon city), Noi Bai airport (in Ha Noi city), Da Nang airport (Da Nang city) and Cam Ranh airport (in Nha Trang city).

From 1 Jan, 2015, the new law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam will be taken effect. Following this new law, Vietnam Immigration law will have some changes.

Base on the content of article 18, chapter 2 of the law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, Visa on arrival is still available.

Article 18. Visa issuance at border checkpoints

1. A foreigner shall be issued with a visa at a border checkpoint in the following cases:

a) The foreigner departs from a country that does not have any visa-issuing authority of Vietnam;

b) The foreigner has to stop by multiple countries before arriving at Vietnam;

c) The foreigner comes to Vietnam to take a tour organized by an international tourism company in Vietnam;

d) Foreign crew members of a ship anchoring at a Vietnam’s port and wish to leave Vietnam through another border checkpoint;

e) The foreigner comes to Vietnam to attend a funeral of his/her relative, or to visit a gravely ill relative;

f) The foreigner comes to Vietnam to participate in dealing with an emergency, rescue, prevention of natural disasters, epidemics, or for another purpose at the request of a competent authority of Vietnam.

2. Any foreigner issued with a visa at a border checkpoint shall submit his/her passport or laissez-passer, fill the application for the visa, and append his/her picture at the immigration counter. A child under 14 years of age shall be mentioned in the same application filled by his/her parent or guardian in case the child use the same passport of his/her parent or guardian.

3. The immigration counter shall compare the application with the notification of the immigration authority to issue the visa.

Is Vietnam Visa on arrival still available in 2015?