How does Vietnam visa on arrival different from Vietnam loose-leaf visa
When visa is becoming more and more popular worldwide as the prerequisite for entering a foreign country, the types of visas are also innovative to make it more simple and easier for travellers to apply for a visa. The three types of visas recorded until now are loose-leaf visa, visa on arrival and e-visa. In Vietnam, there are only issued loose-leaf visa and Vietnam visa on arrival. So how does a loose-leaf visa different from a visa on arrival?
What is loose-leaf visa?
Loose-leaf visa
Loose-leaf visa is considered the most traditional and long-standing visa ever. Loose leaf visa, or paper visa, is a visa issued separately from the passport in case the passport holder, for any reason, fails to submit the original passport, then a copy of the passport will be needed instead. In Vietnam, this kind of visa is not very commonly used but only for some specific situations.
What is visa on arrival?
Visa on arrival
With the purpose of facilitating the applying and issuing a Vietnam visa, visa on arrival was born and very soon, become preferred because of its timely and effortless manner. A visa on arrival is a visa stamp and visa sticker upon arrival at any of Vietnam airports with the approval letter granted by Vietnam Immigration Office. The visa will be stamped on the original passport which must be required and submitted for entry.
Differences between loose-leaf visa and visa on arrival
Firstly, loose-leaf visa is issued separately from a passport while visa on arrival is stamped on the passport at Vietnam airport. Therefore, a copy of passport will be brought together with loose-leaf visa whereas original passport is necessary for getting stamped visa on arrival.
Secondly, if a traveller applies for a loose-leaf visa, there will be a number of documents to be submitted to get the visa processed, including: a scan of original passport and 1 passport sized photo. Applying for a visa on arrival, in contrast, does not require any documents provided beforehand but only at the airport when original passport is compulsory.
Finally, a visa on arrival will be only applicable and valid for travelling by air only while loose-leaf visa is valid for any means of travel.
In Vietnam, some specific cases that are allowed to get loose-leaf visa are:
⇝ A passport with no blank page to stamp a visa
⇝ A passport issued by a country that has not established diplomatic relations with Vietnam
⇝ Documents valid for international travel
⇝ For reasons of diplomacy, national defense and security
Readmore: Purposes of passport and visa for overseas travel