Residents of the United Kingdom (UK) have to apply for a valid visa if they would like to travel to Vietnam. There are, as usual, two ways for getting a visa to Vietnam in the UK, one, reaching Vietnam embassy in London, and two, applying for an effective visa on arrival through a visa service.

Get Vietnam Visa directly at the Embassy:

• Issuing unit: Vietnamese Embassy in the UK
• Processing time: 3 to 5 working days
• Processing fee:50 – 85 USD/person
• Additional fee: Postal cost
• With Passport requirement
• How to get it? You reach this Embassy in person and follow the required procedures.

Get Vietnam Visa on Arrival via visa service:

• Issuing unit: Vietnam Immigration Department
• Processing time: 1 to 2 working days
• Processing fee: 25 – 50 USD/person (stamping fee NOT included)
• Without Passport requirement
• How to get it? You go online at http://www.vietnam-visa.com, fill in the secure form, and just wait until 1-2 days until you receive your Visa Approval Letter, and take this + your passport + 2 photos to Vietnam to get your visa at airport. This seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to get a visa to Vietnam from the UK

Location of Vietnam Embassy (Visa Section) in the UK

How to get there? The Embassy is opposite to Kensington Garden (Hyde Park). The nearest tube station is High Street Kensington, which is about five minutes walking from the Embassy. You just exit the tube station, turn right, go straight for about 300 m, then you will see Victoria Road on your right.
Address: 12-14 Victoria Road,
London W8 5RD
Tel: 0207 937 1912
Fax: 0207 937 6108 / 0207 565 3853

Email: consular@vietnamembassy.org.uk

Visa fees and charges

A standard 30-day, single entry visa:

- Processing fee: £38
- Postage administration charge: £8 for return by Special Delivery
- Postage charge for two or three application together: £6 per person
- Postage charge for four to seven: £5 per person
- Postage charge for eight applications up made together: £4 per person

A 30-day, single entry visa in the fast-track service:

- Fee: £55 if collected in person; and £63 if return by post, including Special Delivery

You can send your application by fax two working days in advance and have your visa stamped upon submitting your original passport and visa fee payment (Please note that this fax option is allowed only in the fast-track service).

Short-stay visa (valid for 15 days, single entry):

- Fee: £55
- Granted within one hour if you come in person.

Fees and charges are per individual and applicable to both UK and Ireland and to all applicants who possess valid and separate passports. All payments for fees and charges can be combined into one single form (in cash, postal order or bank draft). Pre-paid envelopes are not accepted.

Please note if your children are also on your passports, they will be exempted. Otherwise, they will need separate visas and will be charged as such. You do not need, however, to file separate application forms for them. (Tips by DirtyQuilmes / Thorn Tree Forum – Lonely Planet)

Some foreign tourists still confuse about when they should and could use Visa on Arrival to enter Vietnam. Normally, in case there is no Vietnam Embassy or Consulate in your country, or you would like to make Vietnam part of a multi-destination trip, Visa on Arrival is your best option (provided that you will go by air).

What is a ‘Visa on Arrival ?’: this is probably the easiest way to obtain your visa without having to chase down embassies, consulates and the like prior to your trip. It is a valid alternative when applying for a tourist visa. The Entry Visa will be stamped on your passport as you pass over Vietnam Immigration Checkpoint. With this type of visa, you only can enter the country by air.

How can I get a Visa on Arrival? The service also facilitates customers at most in this case. We obtain what is called an ‘Approval Letter’ for you from the Viet Nam Immigration Department in Vietnam. Then we will send you a copy by fax or email. Copies of the same document will be forwarded on your behalf to Vietnam Immigration Checkpoints at International Airports only. Thus when you arrive in Viet Nam, the Immigration officers will have those documents on hand and will be able to issue your Entry Visa expediently.