Though Vietnamese tourist visas are generally valid for thirty days, it is now easy to get a visa extension in most major tourist destinations, at tourist offices or tour operators.

Now visitors from following countries - Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden are exempted from requiring visas when they enter, exit or stay in Vietnam for less than 15 days.

Whether you need a business visa or a tourist visa, the process is generally the same. The most common way to get a visa is to contact the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate office in your country of residence or in your travels before entering Vietnam.

For a tourist visa, you will need to submit:

1) Entry permit form
2) To photos (usually 4cm x 6cm or 3 cm x 4 cm)
3) Your original passport
4) Visa fee

The form and the fee can vary by country, so please check directly the Vietnamese embassy or consulate to which you are applying.

A business visa usually also requires a letter of support from your sponsor agency or company in Vietnam.

In person, the process usually takes 2-3 days, and by mail, the process usually takes 2-3 weeks, depending on the service you use, although times can vary considerably by embassy or consulate. If you are mailing, please note that you need to make arrangements to have your passport with visa returned to you.

For assistance, you can process your visa through a travel agency or tour company in Vietnam, with an additional fee, although this is not usually necessary unless you need visa on arrival services.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/
http://www.guidevietnam.com/travel/vietnam-visa-passport.html