Most foreigners have to apply for a visa before they enter Vietnam. However, citizens of certain countries can apply for a Vietnam Visa online, without having to visit an Embassy or queue up at the airport to receive a visa sticker.
Who is Eligible to get a Vietnam Visa Online?
You are eligible for a Vietnam e-Visa if you are from one of the following countries and you enter through one of the approved ports of entry:
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- China*
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Macedonia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Myanmar
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Timor-Leste
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
*Does not apply to Chinese e-Passport holders.
Approved Ports of Entry When Holding a Vietnam eVisa
If you have received a Vietnam visa online, you can only enter Vietnam through one of the following ports of entry:
International airports
- Cat Bi Int Airport (Hai Phong)
- Cam Ranh Int Airport (Khanh Hoa)
- Can Tho International Airport
- Da Nang International Airport
- Noi Bai Int Airport (Ha Noi)
- Phu Bai Int Airport
- Phu Quoc International Airport
- Tan Son Nhat Int Airport (Ho Chi Minh City)
Land border crossings
- Bo Y Landport
- Cha Lo Landport
- Cau Treo Landport
- Huu Nghi Landport
- Ha Tien Landport
- Lao Bao Landport
- Lao Cai Landport
- La Lay Landport
- Moc Bai Landport
- Mong Cai Landport
- Nam Can Landport
- Na Meo Landport
- Song Tien Landport
- Tinh Bien Landport
- Tay Trang Landport
- Xa Mat Landport
Seaports
- Chan May Seaport
- Da Nang Seaport
- Duong Dong Seaport
- Hon Gai Seaport
- Hai Phong Seaport
- Nha Trang Seaport
- Quy Nhon Seaport
- Ho Chi Minh City Seaport
- Vung Tau Seaport
For What Reasons Can I Get a Vietnam Visa Online?
You can get a Vietnam e-Visa for any of the following reasons:
- Tourism
- Business
- Social visit
- Diplomatic or official
- Volunteering
- Internship
- Investing
- Sports activities
- Volunteering
- Working
- Investment
- Transit
- Other
You must select the reason behind your travel on the online application form.
What Documents Do I Need for a Vietnam Visa Online Application?
When you apply for a Vietnam visa online, you only have to attach the two following documents:
- A scanned picture of your passport’s personal information and picture page. The passport must be valid for at least another six months
- A passport-size picture of yourself, with the following specifications:
- Size: 4 cm x 6 cm
- White background
- You must be centered in the picture, staring ahead with a neutral facial expression
- If you wear headgear for religious purposes or you have a wig, you may keep it in the picture but you must also be wearing it when you enter Vietnam
- You must not be wearing any glasses.
How to Apply for a Vietnam Visa Online?
The application process for a Vietnam eVisa is as follows:
- Start an online application through the Vietnam Immigration Portal.
- Attach a scanned copy of your passport as well as a passport-size picture of yourself.
- Complete the Vietnam eVisa Application Form. You have to answer questions regarding the purpose of your travel, your personal information (name, age, nationality, passport information), the dates of entry and departure, the port of entry, etc.
- Review your Application Form.
- Pay the Vietnam e-Visa fee. Once you review the Application form, and agree that the information you have entered is correct, you have to pay a fee of USD 25 through a credit/debit card.
- Wait for the visa to be processed (this usually takes up to three working days)
- Check this website to learn whether a decision has been made.
- If you received the eVisa, you have to download the PDF file and then print two copies.
Once you receive the eVisa, you can travel to Vietnam and present the printed version of the visa to the Immigration officers at the port of entry.
Things to note:
If you have a child younger than 14 who is traveling with you, you have to include them on your passport.
You can authorize a travel agency or visa application agency to submit the Vietnam eVisa application on your behalf.
If an organization has invited you to Thailand, they can also submit an eVisa application on your behalf.
How Much Does the Vietnam eVisa Cost?
A Vietnam eVisa costs USD 25 per application, which you have to pay before you submit the application.
What is the duration of a Vietnam e Visa?
An eVisa for Vietnam is issued for a maximum of thirty days and for a single-entry.
Can I extend an e Visa in Vietnam?
The rules for visa extensions in Vietnam are not always uniform. If your Vietnam visa is about to expire, and you want to stay for longer, then your best bet is to contact the nearest Immigration Office and learn whether an extension is possible.
Not all nationalities are eligible for a visa extension, and sometimes, the Immigration Services may not issue extensions of short-term visas at all. In this case, you would have to leave the country, apply for a new visa, and then re-enter.
Other Methods of Applying for a Vietnam Visa
If you are not eligible to submit the application for a Vietnam visa online, then you can apply through one of the following means:
Vietnam Visa On Arrival
If you will enter Vietnam through one of the following ports of entry, you can get the Vietnam Visa On Arrival:
- 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
Before traveling to Vietnam and applying for a VOA, you have to get a Letter of Approval from the Vietnam Immigration Department. You can apply for the Letter of Approval online through a travel agency that’s authorized by the Vietnamese Immigration Department.
You must use the Approval Letter to get the visa stamped on your passport at the visa-issuing counter at the port of entry in Vietnam.
Vietnam Visa at an Embassy or Consulate
If you want to have the visa already stamped on your passport before you travel and avoid the queues at the airport, then you can get the Vietnam visa from an Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam in your country.
Difference Between a Vietnam eVisa and a Visa Approval Letter
You have to apply for both the Vietnam e-Visa for Vietnam and a Visa Approval Letter online. However, the two are not the same thing.
- The Vietnam e-Visa is an actual visa. You receive it online, print it, present it before the Immigration Officers in Vietnam, and then you will be allowed to enter the country. You do not have to queue up at a visa-issuing counter and get a visa stamped on your passport – the eVisa is all you need.
- The Visa Approval Letter is a document that you have to get from the Vietnamese Immigration Department before you travel to Vietnam and apply for a Visa On Arrival (VOA). You cannot enter the country with just a Visa Approval Letter. You have to queue up at the visa-issuing counters at the airport in Vietnam and get the VOA stamped on your passport before you can clear immigration and enter the country.