Vietnam Visa: Entry Rules to Know Before You Travel

Start with the passport you will use, the length of your stay and whether you will leave Vietnam and return. Those details determine the entry permission to investigate before you buy flights. Your country of residence and the nationality of the friend traveling with you do not replace the nationality on your passport. We suggest settling this decision first, then matching the flight route and border crossing to it.

Check your passport’s exemption before applying #

Vietnam offers visa exemptions to several nationalities, but the permitted stay differs by scheme. For an ordinary tourist using a regular passport, the unilateral 45-day group includes many European countries, Japan and South Korea. US and Australian passport holders are outside that unilateral group and normally need an appropriate visa unless they qualify under a separate exemption.

The 45-day group comprises Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. This is not a complete list of every nationality covered by every bilateral agreement. ASEAN passport holders should check their own country’s arrangement rather than borrowing the 45-day allowance.

If you have dual nationality, decide which passport you will use for the journey and keep the visa application consistent with it. Enter and exit using the same passport. Having Vietnamese relatives does not automatically give a foreign passport Vietnamese entry rights. A separate exemption certificate needs its own validity and conditions checked.

E-visas can cover up to 90 days #

Vietnam issues electronic visas to citizens of all countries and territories, with a maximum validity of 90 days and either single or multiple entry. The fees are US$25 for single entry and US$50 for multiple entry. Choose multiple entry when you will leave Vietnam and return within the authorized period. A domestic flight within the country does not count as a new entry.

We suggest requesting dates that cover your actual itinerary with sensible room for changes. “Up to 90 days” is a maximum, not a reason to assume every approval grants that exact period. Read the dates and entry conditions on the issued document. A flight change does not alter the visa automatically.

Inspect the passport before filling in a form #

Prepare a passport valid for at least six months from arrival with at least two blank pages. Check that the document and identity page are undamaged. If you are renewing the passport, do not apply using the old number and assume the approval will transfer to the replacement. Establish which document will travel before paying an application fee.

Prepare a clear image of the identity page and a portrait meeting the current form’s requirements. Gather the first accommodation address, dates and intended border crossing in advance. Compare names, date of birth, passport number and expiry against the original document, character by character. A repeated mistake copied from a flight reservation remains a mistake.

Photo: Yumeto

Use the official domain and keep your application code #

The direct government application portal is evisa.gov.vn. Type the address yourself or use a saved bookmark, then check the domain before uploading passport images or paying. A prominent search result can be a commercial service. An intermediary may charge an additional service fee, so establish who receives your documents and payment before proceeding.

1. Read the foreign-applicant instructions on the portal.
2. Upload the requested images and enter passport, contact and travel details.
3. Review the full form and select the correct number of entries.
4. Pay and retain the application code and payment confirmation.
5. Check the result, download the issued document and review it again.

The published processing estimate is generally 3-5 working days. Corrections, requests for more information and holidays can extend the practical timeline. We advise applying early rather than relying on a promised same-day outcome. Payment confirmation is not permission to enter. Keep each traveler’s application code separate and check portal notifications as well as email, including the spam folder.

Match the border crossing to the route #

Select an entry point accepted by the portal and check the approval against the journey you will actually take. A city name and its airport name are not interchangeable form entries. Hanoi (Hà Nội) is served by Noi Bai (Nội Bài), while Ho Chi Minh City (Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) uses Tan Son Nhat (Tân Sơn Nhất). Land and sea crossings also need to be authorized for the document.

An international-to-domestic connection can require passing immigration at the connecting Vietnamese airport. Check this with your airline before booking, even if the final destination is an island. With separate tickets, baggage collection and a new check-in are additional timing issues. Having the right visa does not make an unrealistically short connection workable.

An island exemption is not a mainland visa #

Phu Quoc has a special exemption for up to 30 days, subject to arrival-route and island-stay conditions. Direct international arrivals staying only on the island are a straightforward case to assess against this scheme. It does not automatically authorize onward travel around the mainland. A trip that also includes Nha Trang, Hanoi or Da Nang (Đà Nẵng) needs appropriate nationwide entry permission. Confirm the transfer process if you are relying on the island scheme rather than a passport-based exemption.

Photo: FrogsLegs71

The island-stay decision is worth making alongside the paperwork. A cheaper flight through a mainland airport may create a different immigration process from a direct international arrival. Ask about that actual route, not simply whether tourists can visit the island visa-free.

Read the admission stamp before leaving the counter #

Check the date you are permitted to stay until and ask immediately if something appears wrong. Keep the approval document and a secure copy of your passport details, while retaining control of the original passport. A friend can help track dates, but the entry permission belongs to the person traveling.

Extensions and changes of status are not automatic tourist entitlements. Contact the immigration authorities before the permitted stay expires if your plans change. Obtaining a new e-visa while in Vietnam does not itself extend your existing admission. Overstaying can lead to fines and other measures; use the competent authorities to resolve the situation rather than a broker’s promise to avoid the process.