Nearly everyone has to get a Tourist Visa before traveling to Vietnam.
However, obtaining a Vietnam Tourist Visa is fairly easy, as the Vietnamese government allows tourists to apply either online or on arrival, through a facilitated process. Additionally, citizens of several countries are exempt from holding a Vietnam Tourist Visa at all.
Vietnam Tourist Visa Exemptions
Citizens of the following countries can stay in Vietnam without a visa for the duration stated:
- Belarus* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Brunei (no visa needed for up to 14 days)
- Cambodia (no visa needed for up to 30 days)
- Chile (no visa needed for up to 90 days)
- Denmark* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Finland* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- France* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Germany* (no visa needed for up to15 days)
- Indonesia (no visa needed for up to 30 days)
- Italy* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Japan* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Kyrgyzstan (no visa needed for up to 30 days)
- Laos (no visa needed for up to 30 days)
- Malaysia (no visa needed for up to 30 days)
- Myanmar (no visa needed for up to 14 days)
- Norway* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Philippines (no visa needed for up to 21 days)
- Russia* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Singapore (no visa needed for up to 30 days)
- South Korea* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Spain* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Sweden* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
- Thailand (no visa needed for up to 30 days)
- United Kingdom* (no visa needed for up to 15 days)
*You must wait at least 30 days between visits if you want to re-enter Vietnam after you leave.
What are the Vietnam Tourist Visa Requirements?
The documents you have to submit when you apply for a Vietnam Tourist Visa include:
- Your passport, which must be valid for at least another six months
- Passport-size pictures with the following specifications:
- Size: 4 cm x 6 cm
- Taken recently
- White and plain background
- You must be staring ahead with a neutral facial expression
- You must not be wearing any glasses
- If you wear headgear for religious purposes or you have a wig, you may keep it in the picture. However, you must also wear a wig or headgear when you arrive in Vietnam.
- The Vietnam Visa Application Form. If you apply at an Embassy or Consulate, you may be able to find the application form ar their offices or their website.
- Proof you have paid the Vietnam Visa fee
- Any other additional documents that the Vietnam Embassy/Consulate may require, such as a Letter of Invitation or Sponsorship from someone in Vietnam.
- If you are applying for Vietnam Visa On Arrival:
- The Letter of Approval
- Entry and Exit Form, which you will receive on the airplane. You have to complete it before handing it in at the Immigration Officers at the port of entry
- Cash to pay the Vietnam visa stamping fee
How to Apply for a Vietnam Tourist Visa?
If you are from a country whose citizens are subject to Vietnam Tourist Visas, then you can apply in one of the following ways:
- Online
- On Arrival
- At an Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam
Applying for a Vietnam Tourist Visa online
Citizens of certain countries can submit an application for a Tourist Visa online (Vietnam eVisa). To apply for a Tourist eVisa for Vietnam, you have to visit the Vietnam Immigration Portal and start a new application.
- Attach a scanned picture of your passport as well as a passport-size picture
- Pay the eVisa fee
- Wait for the visa to be processed (appx. three days)
- If the application is approved, you can print the eVisa and present it to the Immigration officers when you travel to Vietnam. You can check on the status of your application through this website.
Applying for a Vietnam Tourist Visa On Arrival
You can also apply for a Vietnam Visa after you arrive in Vietnam. Visas on Arrival are only issued at the following ports of entry:
- Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City
- Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi
- Danang Airport in Da Nang
- Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong
- Cam Ranh Airport in Nha Trang
In order to receive the VOA, you must submit an application for an Approval Letter from the Vietnamese Immigration Department. There are travel agencies or visa application agencies that operate with the permission of the Vietnam Immigration Department and that can submit the application for an Approval Letter on your behalf.
You will receive the Vietnam Visa On Arrival Approval Letter by email, and you can print it and present it to the Immigration Officers at the visa-issuing counters at the airport.
Applying for a Vietnam Tourist Visa at an Embassy or Consulate
If you are not eligible for an eVisa or want to have the visa already on your passport when you enter Vietnam, then you can opt for applying at an Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam near you.
In this case, you have to find the nearest Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate (find a list of the Vietnamese Embassies and Consulates here) and then either send the documents yourself or through the mail.
How Much Does the Vietnam Tourist Visa Cost?
- If you are applying for a Vietnam Tourist Visa Online: USD 25
- If you are applying for a Vietnam Tourist Visa On Arrival:
- Single-entry: USD 25 stamping fee on arrival **
- Multiple-entry: USD 50 stamping fee on arrival **
- If you are applying for a Vietnam Tourist Visa at an Embassy/Consulate: It depends on the specific Embassy or Consulate.
**You also have to pay the service fee to the privately-operating agency that’s handling the request for the Letter of Approval.
What is the Duration of a Vietnam Tourist Visa?
A Tourist Visa for Vietnam is issued for a maximum of 30 days and can be issued for a single entry or for multiple entries.
Can You Extend a Vietnam Tourist Visa?
There are no clear-cut rules regarding extensions for Vietnam Tourist Visas. The decision depends on the officers of Immigration services of Vietnam, but visa extensions are not issued to citizens of every country.
If your Vietnam Tourist Visa is about to expire, and you want to stay for longer than its validity, then your best bet is to contact the nearest Immigration Office in Vietnam and request information. You may also apply through an authorized travel agency.
Additionally, sometimes it is not possible to apply for a visa extension at all, depending on the current rules. In this case, if you want to stay longer than your visa allows, you have to leave the country and re-apply for a visa.
Vietnam Tourist Visa for US Citizens
US citizens have to get a Tourist Visa for Vietnam before they travel or on arrival.
If you are from the USA, then you can apply for a Vietnam Tourist Visa via any of the available methods:
- US citizens are eligible to get an eVisa for Vietnam.
- On Arrival, as long as you have a pre-obtained Letter of Approval
- At the Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam responsible for your jurisdiction:
- Vietnam Embassy in Washington DC
- Consulate General of Vietnam in San Francisco
- Consulate General of Vietnam in Houston, Texas