Scandinavians have long been attracted to Southeast Asia. Could it be because of the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio “The Beach” that made Thailand so popular? Is it the Island “Koh Rong” in Cambodia that made Scandinavians crazy about this part of the world? There isn’t really a definite answer to any of these questions, but we do know some of the best parts about Vietnam.
Vietnam can offer you many things that particularly backpackers love – majestic mountains, trekking, long sandy beaches and affordability. There are many hostels, or other low budget accommodation, to choose from in Vietnam and if you are planning on traveling for a long time, this is a great destination to choose.
Vietnam is also very suitable for solo travelers and families that comes with kids. Here you can find some great hotels with swimming pools and all other amenities that you need and want. The country itself is safe to travel within, which is another reason why many people feel comfortable choosing to travel to Vietnam – whether alone, with friends or with children.
If you are from Denmark, you will need a visa to Vietnam if you intend to stay for longer than 15 days in the country. However, if you plan on staying a maximum of 15 days, you are not required an entry visa. Many immigration officers do require you to have a return flight ticket so they can be sure that you do not overstay. Since Vietnam is a big country with lots and lots of things to do, we do recommend you to stay longer than 2 weeks. Traveling around the country can take a lot of time for example – go from north to south and you’ve already spent a great deal of your precious time. But if you do decide that you want to stay longer, you will be happy to know that the visa process isn’t difficult or expensive.
As a Danish citizen, you have three options: either you apply for an E-Visa, a Visa on Arrival, or you get your passport stamped at the Vietnamese Embassy in your home country.
1. Electronic visa or Vietnam E-Visa for Danish passport holdersÂ
This is an actual visa which will be issued electronically, which you can then show at the passport control when entering Vietnam. You don’t need to stop by the landing visa desk to pick up the actual visa as you would have to with a “Visa on Arrival” (VOA). The fee is low and is non-refundable if rejected or failed at the official website of the government https://evisa.immigration.gov.vn. There is, however, an opportunity to get a 100% Money Back Guarantee policy if you apply for your e-visa at our website https://evisa-vietnam.com. The price is higher with this insurance. The E-Visa is really easy to apply to and it allows travelers to apply directly online. It also allows you to enter Vietnam via airports, land ports and seaports. So, if you are planning on coming to Vietnam by cruise ship, road or airplane, this is a good choice.
The E-visa is valid for 30 days, single entry, which means that if you intend on staying for longer and wish to have a multiple-entries visa, you have to apply for point 2 (which I will explain now).
2. Visa on Arrival – Apply online for pre-approval then pick up your visa on arrival at the airport of VietnamÂ
This visa will help you get a multi-entry visa, so you can visit other countries and still be able to come back to Vietnam without having to apply for a visa again. However, if you are from Denmark and enters Vietnam as a unilateral visa-exempted, the entry date must be at least 30 days from the previous exit as unilateral visa-exempted person. Otherwise you are required to have an appropriate visa in order to enter Vietnam again.
The visa process differs slightly from the e-visa, but it’s not difficult or complicated. With the visa on arrival you can apply to stay for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and even up to 12 months! What you need to do is apply online (you can do this through our website), wait for the visa approval and once you get it, download it so you can present it to the immigration officers at the airport and pick up your visa. When the staff sees the approval letter, you need to pay the stamp fee, and voilá! You are ready to enter Vietnam and explore.
3. Apply for a Vietnam Visa at the Vietnamese Embassy in DenmarkÂ
There is also the third option, which means that you can go to the closest Vietnamese Embassy in Denmark and get your visa stamped. This is the more inconvenient option since you have to go to the Embassy in person, bring all your important documents and then come back to pick it up. If you don’t live close by, it can be both time consuming and costly. However, this is one of the options in order to get a visa. You just have to make sure that your passport has a minimum of 6 months validity and blank pages.
When you get your visa, you should be ready to go and see the country that has attracted and charmed many foreigners! Hope you have the time of your life!
