Renowned for its historic cities, stunning beaches, and outstanding majesty of the landscapes, Vietnam has long been a popular place for American tourists. Rich in both history and culture, Vietnam has so many breathtaking places to visit, from the vibrant metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City to the rustic towns along the eastern coast.

If you want to travel to Vietnam with your American passport, now, is the best time to head for the tropical delight of a destination.

Do Americans need a visa for Vietnam?

American travelers do need to have a tourist visa to enter Vietnam. Currently, only a 30-day single-entry visa is available for all foreign tourists.

As a US citizen, you can apply directly to the Embassy in the United States in person or by mail. Or more conveniently, you can apply online for an E-Visa or a Visa-on-Arrival.

Vietnam Visa is an essential document for your Vietnam tour.

How to Apply for Vietnam Visa through the Embassy

To apply in person or by mail, you must provide the following documents and submit them to the Embassy:

1. Completed Application Form (can be completed online and printed or downloaded);

2. Passport;

3. Two 2x2 inch passport photos;

4. Visa Fees are paid by MasterCard/Visa if in person or the form of a money order/cashier's check/company check payable to the "EMBASSY OF VIETNAM".

If applying by mail, you will need to include a prepaid self-addressed return envelope and use registered mail or courier delivery.

How to Apply for Vietnam Visa on Arrival Online

For the Vietnam Visa on Arrival, you must be done online before you travel, and can be completed in as little as 3-5 working days. Simply complete the form at the official site and then pay the visa fee. After a few days, you will receive a Visa Approval Letter sent to your given email address.

Once you have this, just print off some copies and present them to the immigration officers at your arrival airport, along with two passport-sized photos, and they will issue your visa. However, this is only available for the three main airports, and not for any land border crossings.

How to Apply for Vietnam E-visa Online

The Vietnam E-Visa is a similar process, and the application is made online through the official website of Vietnam immigration. Once the applications are completed and your photos are uploaded, payment can be made direct to the bank account provided on the websites, after which the E-Visa will be issued to your given email address. The E-Visa is valid for entry through all Vietnamese airports and 13 land border crossings.

What are the Healthy requirements for Americans to travel to Vietnam?

While self-isolation is no longer required for travel to Vietnam, there are some requirements to meet the standards for COVID-19 prevention when entering the country.

Testing before travel has been temporarily suspended at this time, and there is no requirement to be vaccinated. However, travelers will need to ensure that they have adequate travel/medical insurance that includes COVID-19 cover and download the “PC-Covid Viet Nam” Mobile app, which must be presented before entering any Vietnamese establishments

Is it safe to travel to Vietnam as an American now?

While there is no requirement for vaccinations to visit Vietnam, it is recommended that you get fully vaccinated before traveling, if you have not been already. Vietnam has already administered more than 2.5 million doses of vaccines across its population, with a very high vaccination rate.

Vietnam has no requirements now for testing and isolation, and all tourist destinations in Vietnam are now open. However, all travelers are required to download and use the “PC-Covid Viet Nam” Mobile app, which has multiple uses and functions. Run by the government, it requires people traveling to use it to scan their entry into local establishments and will contain the tracing information needed if another outbreak occurs. It can also be used to self-notify the authorities of suspected COVID and has a “risk map” that shows areas of the country that have a higher risk of COVID infections in real-time.

After the pandemic, are you ready for a tour of Vietnam?

How to get to Vietnam from the US now?

While there are several indirect flights available from the United States to Vietnam, there is only one direct flight. This single daily flight departs from San Francisco International Airport late in the evening and takes 16 hours and 10 minutes to make the direct trip to Ho Chi Minh City Saigon Airport in Vietnam at a cost of around US$ 700 and up.

For indirect flights, there are many flights departing from more than 90 airports across the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC. These indirect flights from the United States also arrive at 21 different airports in Vietnam, Including Saigon, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, and Hanoi, among others. Indirect flights can cost as little as US$ 343 per person but can take up to 40 hours of travel, some with multiple stops.

Tips for Keeping Safe in Vietnam

Vietnam is a relatively safe country to travel in, being mainly and predominantly Buddhist. However, as with anywhere, there are some things you should try and avoid when traveling there for safety’s sake.

One of the main things to avoid is motorbikes. While it can be fun to ride a motorbike to get around, Vietnam is very high in traffic accidents, and many involve motorbikes.

Keeping your valuables safe is also necessary, and a good strong bag is a necessity. And for money safety, use a money belt or bumbag to keep your ash, cards, and passport safer. And if you have phones and camera equipment for taking pictures, don’t walk around with them in your hand.

There are other safety tips you can consider as well, such as not sitting in the front seat of a taxi, avoiding motorbike taxis at night, being very aware of the traffic when crossing streets without crossing points, not drinking the local tap water, and not buying drugs from street vendors.

Conclusion

Traveling in Vietnam is an experience every American should try. This amazing Buddhist country has survived numerous wars and conflicts over its many thousands of years and has rebuilt itself as one of the up-and-coming tourist destinations of Asia. So if you are wondering if Vietnam tourism is open and if you can travel to Vietnam, then please note that now is the best time for you to start planning.

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