Last checked: 21 September 2026. Visa rules can change at short notice, so check the official portals linked below before you fly.
Most travellers to Vietnam need a visa, and the good news is that you can get one yourself, online, for US$25. No agent, no embassy visit, no stamp at the airport. This guide walks you through who needs one, what to prepare, how to fill in the form, and the small mistakes that cause most delays.
The short answer
- Who can apply: citizens of every country and territory
- How long you can stay: up to 90 days
- Cost: US$25 single entry, US$50 multiple entry, paid online
- Processing time: usually about 3 working days
- Where to apply: only on the official portal, evisa.gov.vn
First, check whether you need a visa at all
Some passports can enter Vietnam visa-free. If yours is one of them and your trip fits inside the allowed stay, you can skip the e-visa entirely.
| Passport | Visa-free stay | Valid until |
|---|---|---|
| Germany, France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland | 45 days, any purpose | 14 March 2028 |
| Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland | 45 days, tourism | 14 August 2028 |
| Most ASEAN countries | Varies by country | Check the official list |
A few other countries have their own bilateral agreements with Vietnam. If your country is not listed above, assume you need an e-visa and check the official list on vietnam.travel.
Staying longer than 45 days? Then you need an e-visa even if your passport is on the list above.
The Phu Quoc exception
Phu Quoc island has its own rule: visitors of any nationality can stay up to 30 days without a visa, as long as they arrive on an international flight into Phu Quoc and stay on the island. If you connect through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, you must stay in the international transit area and not clear immigration there.
The moment your plans include anywhere on the mainland, such as Ho Chi Minh City or the Mekong Delta, you need an e-visa for the whole trip.
The e-visa at a glance
| Single entry | Multiple entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Official fee | US$25 | US$50 |
| Maximum stay | Up to 90 days | Up to 90 days |
| Leave and come back? | No. Once you leave, the visa is used | Yes, as often as you like within the validity |
| Best for | One trip in, one trip out | Side trips to Cambodia, Laos or Thailand |
The fee is not refunded if your application is rejected, so it pays to get the details right the first time.
When should you apply?
Processing usually takes about 3 working days, but that assumes nothing goes wrong. Our practical rule: apply three to four weeks before you fly, once your flights and first night’s accommodation are confirmed.
That leaves time to fix a blurry photo or a typo in your passport number without turning the last week before your trip into a visa chase. Remember that working days exclude weekends and Vietnamese public holidays, and the week around Tet (Lunar New Year) is slower than usual.
What to prepare before you open the form
Have everything ready before you start, so you can complete the form in one go:
- Your passport, valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date, with a clear scan or photo of the data page
- A recent portrait photo: 4×6 cm, JPG or JPEG, white background, looking straight at the camera, no glasses and no hat
- Your travel dates: intended date of entry and date of exit
- Your entry and exit points: the airport or border gate where you will arrive and leave
- Your first address in Vietnam: usually your first hotel
- Your contact details: home address, email, phone number
- Work details: occupation, employer name and address
- An emergency contact: full name, address and phone number
- A payment card for the online fee
Travelling as a group or family? Every traveller needs their own application, including children with their own passport.
How to apply, step by step
- Go to evisa.gov.vn and choose the option for foreigners applying from outside Vietnam.
- Upload your passport data page and portrait photo. Check that both are sharp and nothing is cut off.
- Fill in your personal details exactly as they appear in your passport, including every middle name and the correct spelling.
- Choose single or multiple entry, and enter your dates, entry and exit points and first address.
- Review everything, then pay the fee online.
- Save your registration code. You need it, along with your email and date of birth, to check your status and download your visa.
- Once approved, download and print your e-visa. Check every letter of your name, your passport number and your dates again before you fly.
Five mistakes that cause most delays
1. Using a lookalike website. Many sites look official and charge several times the real fee. The only official portal is evisa.gov.vn. If a site asks for more than US$25 or US$50, it is an agent, not the government.
2. Name order or missing middle names. Your name must match your passport exactly. A missing middle name is enough to cause trouble at check-in.
3. A poor photo. Shadows, a patterned background, glasses or a cropped selfie are the most common reasons for a request to resubmit.
4. Wrong entry or exit point. Choose the airports you are actually flying into and out of. If your flights change after approval, check whether your visa still matches before you travel.
5. Applying too late. Airlines check your visa before you board. No valid visa, no boarding, even if you hold a confirmed ticket.
Before you fly: the pre-arrival declaration
This is newer and many travel guides have not caught up yet. Vietnam’s Immigration Department has introduced an online pre-arrival declaration at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. As of June 2026 it covers arrivals at the airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.
- Fill it in no more than 3 days before you land
- It is free and takes around 10 minutes
- You receive a QR code to show at immigration. Save a screenshot in case you have no signal on arrival
It is strongly recommended rather than required, and doing it can save you time in the immigration queue. As with the e-visa, fake versions of this site exist, so type the address yourself.
When does using an agent make sense?
For most travellers, applying yourself is simple and cheapest. An agent is mainly worth it when you are short on time and need an urgent result, or when you would rather have someone check your application before it is submitted. Expect to pay more than the government fee for that service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a visa on arrival in Vietnam?
Do not plan on it. For tourists, the e-visa has replaced the old visa-on-arrival route. Arrange your visa before you fly, because airlines will not let you board without one.
Can I extend my e-visa while I am in Vietnam?
Plan your trip to fit inside the stay you applied for. If your plans may run long, apply for the full 90 days from the start rather than relying on an extension.
My passport is visa-free for 45 days. Can I leave and come back?
For the first group in the table (Germany, France, the UK, Japan and the others under Resolution 44/NQ-CP), the old 30-day waiting rule between visits no longer applies, so each new entry starts a new 45-day stay. If your passport is in the second group, or you plan several border runs, check with the Vietnamese embassy before relying on this.
Do children need their own e-visa?
Yes. Every traveller with their own passport needs a separate application and fee.
How do I check my application status?
On evisa.gov.vn, using the registration code you received, the email you applied with and your date of birth.
Sources checked on 21 September 2026
- Vietnam Immigration Department, official e-visa portal
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: visa exemption for 12 countries (Resolution 44/NQ-CP)
- Embassy of Vietnam: visa exemption for 12 more European countries (Resolution 229/NQ-CP)
- Ministry of Public Security: Pre-arrival Information System
- Embassy of Singapore in Hanoi: pre-arrival declaration notice
This guide is general travel information, not legal advice. Entry rules are set by the Vietnamese government and can change without notice.