There are many things you need to do before you go travelling around the world, especially the Indochina. Here is a list of things to do when planning your backpacking trip:

Visa Information

Citizens of the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain holding ordinary passport with 6 months validity beyond the date of arrival do not require a visa for stays of up to 15 days with a single entry/ exit.  

Other EU Countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada USA and other nationalities must hold a visa to enter Vietnam.

Attention: You can apply for visa upon your arrival in Vietnam with a Letter of Approval from Vietnam Immigration. It is a very simple and cost saving. Tam Travel is happy to be of service to our customers.  Vietnam Immigration Department will issue a “visa on arrival letter of approval” for you before your trip. This letter will be scanned and sent to your email address or your fax.

You will be allowed to get on board at departure airport with copy of this letter. At arrival airport in Vietnam, you can get the visa with this letter, your original passport and 02 photos 4CMx6CM 

You must possess a full passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond your departure date from Vietnam. All Vietnam visas are SINGLE ENTRY unless you have specifically asked for MULTIPLE ENTRY and this is stamped into your passport. Please ensure you have a multiple entry visa if you are entering Vietnam twice. The status of a tourist visa cannot be changed from SINGLE ENTRY to MULTIPLE ENTRY once you have arrived in Vietnam.

Visa application procedure

1. Required information 

For your visa on arrival application, please provide us the following information:

• Full name (Name as in passport) 
• Sex (male/ female)
• Date of birth 
• Nationality 
• Passport number 
• Arrival date 
• Arrival flight number 
• Departure date 

2. Visa Processing Time

We process your application based on Vietnam local time: GMT+7

• Standard processing:  5 - 7 working days
• Urgent Processing: 2 working days

Working hours for visa application are from 08:00 to 16:00 on Monday - Friday, except National holidays.

3.  Visa stamp on the passport

When you arrive at the airport (in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City), go the Visa Upon Arrival Office and show your authorization letter. You have to fill in the form with all the information required with one passport sized photo glued.

You will get visa and stamp on your passport. You shall pay the visa stamping fee by cash at your own cost here.

4. Visa application fee

Please contact with travel consultant for more information about the visa upon arrival application fee. Getting visa in this way is much cheaper, convenient and time saving than in the Vietnamese Embassy at your country of residence.

For further information, please contact us:  +84 24 37150831 or info@tamtravel.com.vn

Safety and Security

Vietnam is a comparatively safe country by world standards, but the usual common sense health and safety precautions apply. Petty street crime levels have risen in recent years as visitor numbers have increased. We recommend you use taxis to get around at night, with the aid of a hotel address card to show drivers. Taxis are metered, inexpensive and numerous in Vietnam. 

During your time in Vietnam, always keep a photocopy of your passport, airline tickets and credit card numbers. These copies should be kept in a safe place apart from the originals. You should keep valuables in hotel safety deposit boxes wherever possible.

In major cities, such as Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Hanoi, we recommend you wear minimal jewelry and keep money concealed close to your body when in public places. 

Health and Fitness

No vaccination is required, but visitors are advised to receive inoculations against hepatitis A and B, typhoid and tetanus. Inoculation for yellow fever and tablets for malaria are not necessary although doctors still usually recommend them. 

Vietnam's major cities now feature international level medical facilities, while in smaller centers medical care can be more basic. We strongly recommended the customers to take out medical travel insurance before travelling.

To lower your risk of exposure to these and other health risks, we recommend you take sufficient preventative measures. We strongly advise that you consult your doctor for current health advice at least a month before departure.