For a single traveller, a paperwork error affects one person. For a group of forty, one faulty file can hold the whole party at immigration for an extra hour, pushing the coach, the guide and the first lunch out of sequence. Group entry paperwork deserves to be run as its own operational workstream, not finished off the week before departure.
What an approval letter is, and when to use one
An approval letter is issued by the immigration authority confirming that a group may enter and collect visas at the border, sponsored and filed by a licensed Vietnamese tour operator. It suits cases where:
- The group is large and mixed-nationality, making individual e-visa filings impractical.
- Travellers are in countries without convenient Vietnamese representation.
- The passenger list may still change close to departure and you need flexibility.
Conversely, for a small single-nationality group with straightforward e-visa eligibility, e-visas remain faster and cheaper.
The preparation timeline
| When | What must be done |
|---|---|
| 30 days out | Lock the name list, collect passport scans for every traveller |
| 21 days out | Audit passport validity, file the approval letter application |
| 10 days out | Receive the letter, distribute it to each traveller and the airline |
| 3 days out | Reconfirm flight numbers, landing times and airport handling roles |
Name lists: get them right the first time
The list must match every passport exactly on four fields: surname, given names, date of birth and passport number. In practice, never accept a list typed by the travellers themselves — always request passport scans, have your own team key in the data, and cross-check it twice.
The three errors that keep recurring
- Long middle names truncated when transferred into the form.
- A traveller who renewed their passport but sent the scan of the old one.
- Children travelling with parents on their own passports, left off the list.
Handling the arrival
Even with perfect paperwork, the airport still needs coordination. Experience says to post one person outside the immigration hall and a second at the coach assembly point, rather than asking one person to cover both. Carry printed name lists, a copy of the approval letter and the company's 24/7 hotline number.
A large group can absorb a delay. What it cannot absorb is nobody knowing where the delay is or how long it will last.
Victoria Tour handles end-to-end entry paperwork for inbound groups: passport audits, approval-letter filing and meet-and-greet teams at Vietnam's major international airports.
Please note: Vietnam entry rules can change at short notice. Before departure, always confirm the current requirements on the official portal evisa.gov.vn or with the nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate.
