If you’re from Papua New Guinea, getting a visa to Vietnam is now so easy. That’s because the Vietnam Immigration Dept. has introduced the e-visa, also called the electronic visa. This visa can be applied online, which is why it’s very easy and convenient for everyone.
Take note that the e-visa is not available to all nationalities. When it was first launched, the government of Vietnam has made it available to only 40 countries. But because of its success, they increased the number to 81 countries. Luckily, Papua New Guinea is included in this list.
Before the launch of the e-visa, citizens of Papua New Guinea have to go to an embassy of Vietnam for their visa application. This can be really inconvenient and could take up a lot of your time.
As mentioned, the Vietnam e-visa can be applied over the Internet. Therefore, the first thing to do is to get access to the Internet. When you’re online, visit the website of Vietnam Immigration and look for the option to apply for the e-visa. Fill out the application form online and review everything you have entered on the form. It’s very important that you enter your passport number correctly and several other important details. So take time to review before you go on to the next page.
The standard processing time for the Vietnam e-visa is 3 business days. However, this could take longer than that if you happen to apply during the busy season. To avoid problems, you should apply for your visa at least a few weeks before your scheduled trip.
The Vietnam e-visa is a single-entry visa. Therefore, you can use the visa to enter Vietnam once. After that, you can no longer re-enter using the same visa. Furthermore, the visa will let you stay in Vietnam for up to 30 days. You need to go out of Vietnam before the 30-day period to avoid paying penalties.
If you have decided to extend your Vietnam holiday, you can pay for an agency to re-apply for your visa for you and sponsor your stay.
The requirements for your Vietnam e-visa application are almost the same as the requirements that you need to submit when applying for the standard Vietnam visa. To give you an idea, refer below for the list of requirements that citizens of Papua New Guinea need to submit for their e-visa:
Normally, the Vietnam e-visa will take around 3 business days to be processed. But there are situations where the processing can take a longer time. For instance, during the peak season, the Vietnam Immigration would receive a high number of applications and this could delay the process. It’s highly recommended that you send over your application two weeks before your trip to the country. You can also pay for the rush processing of your e-visa. With this option, you can receive your visa copy in as early as 24 hours!
After receiving the e-visa, download a copy on your phone or computer. Print two copies of the visa and bring it to the country. Show it to the Immigration Officer at passport control and your passport will be stamped. You can then enter the country and start your holiday.
It’s important that you carry a copy of your visa wherever you go in Vietnam. To be sure, print at least two copies of the e-visa. So if you misplace the other copy, you still have a spare copy to use.