Vietnam E-Visa is the best and the only option available to travel to Vietnam. Vietnam introduced its E-Visa in 2017. Started as a pilot program with just a handful of countries, today Vietnam E-Visa is available for 80 nationalities.
After the pandemic, Vietnam discontinued its Visa on Arrival (VOA) option. That means the E-Visa is the only Vietnam visa option available for tourists as of now.
Vietnam E-Visa is single-entry only and valid for 30 days. You must enter and exit Vietnam within the validity of the E-Visa.
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Nationalities eligible for Vietnam E-Visa
The following 80 nationalities are currently eligible to apply for Vietnam E-Visa.
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- China (including Hong Kong and Macau)
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Myanmar
- Nauru
- Netherland
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- 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 of America
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
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Passport validity required for Vietnam E-Visa
Your passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond the validity of your Vietnam E-Visa. You can simply add 30 days to the expiration of your E-Visa to calculate the passport validity required.
Here is an example.
Your Vietnam E-Visa will be valid from: 10 Nov 2022 to 09 Dec 2022 (30 days)
Your passport must be valid at least until: 09 Jan 2023 (30 days)
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Vietnam E-Visa validity dates
Vietnam E-Visa is issued for 30 days. You must enter and exit Vietnam within the validity of your E-Visa.
At the immigration in Vietnam, the immigration officer marks the date by which you must exit Vietnam. This date is the same as your E-Visa expiration date.
To optimize your time in Vietnam, enter on the first day of your E-Visa or at least as soon as your E-Visa validity begins. Exit on the last day of your E-Visa or at least as close to the expiration date as possible.
Here is an example.
Your Vietnam E-Visa validity dates: 10 Nov 2022 – 09 Dec 2022 (30 days)
Scenario 1:
If you enter Vietnam on: 10 Nov 2022
Then, you must exit Vietnam on or before: 09 Dec 2022 (your e-visa expiration date)
Total days available to stay in Vietnam: 30 days
Scenario 2:
If you enter Vietnam on: 15 Nov 2022
Then, you must exit on or before: 09 Dec 2022 (your e-visa expiration date)
Total days available to stay in Vietnam: 25 days
Scenario 3:
If you enter Vietnam on: 25 Nov 2022
Then, you must exit on or before: 09 Dec 2022 (your e-visa expiration date)
Total days available to stay in Vietnam: 15 days
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Documents needed before starting
Before starting your Vietnam e-Visa application, have these documents ready.
- Original passport
- Passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond the validity of the Vietnam E-Visa
- Digital portrait photo with the following specifications
- Photo must show the entire face
- Photo must be straight looking without glasses
- Photo must be about 4 x 6 cm in dimensions
- Photo must be in JPG format only
- Photo or scan of your passport data/ID page
- Photo or scan must show all details including photo, personal details and the machine-readable ICAO line
- Photo or scan must be in JPG format only
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Word of caution on Vietnam E-Visa Scams
There are many fake websites posing as “official websites” and charging upward of $100 USD as the visa fee. Even well-established and reputed visa agents are charging astronomical prices. Do not fall prey to such scams.
They simply take your money and apply for the E-Visa on the OFFICAL website on your behalf. You can very well do that yourself and save money. It’s a super simple application and I have all the steps and details below to help you.
There is ONLY one Vietnam E-Visa OFFICIAL website. The URL is below.
Vietnam E-Visa OFFICIAL website: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/web/guest/trang-chu-ttdt
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Steps for Vietnam E-Visa application
Start
- Go to the Vietnam E-Visa Portal
- Click on “FOR FOREIGNERS”
You will be taken to the “For outside foreigners personally applying for E-visa” page.
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Instructions
Read through all the instructions on this page.
When done, check the box for “Confirmation of reading carefully instructions and having completed application”.
Click on the “Next” button.
You will be taken to the “Fulfill foreigner’s information” page.
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STEP 1: Fulfill foreigner’s information
Upload the following in the “Foreigner’s images” section.
- Portrait photography [Comment: Click anywhere on the sample photo or on the “Select” button to upload a digital passport-size portrait photo]
- Passport data page image [Comment: Click anywhere on the sample passport image or on the “Select” button to upload a scanned copy of your passport ID page]
Enter the following in the “Personal Information (PNR)” section.
- Full name (First name Middle name Last name) [Comment: Enter your full name as it appears in your passport. If you have a surname and/or middle name, combine them all together to form your full name]
- Sex [Comment: Select male or female from the options]
- Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY) [Comment: Enter your date of birth as it appears in your passport in DD/MM/YYYY format]
- Current nationality [Comment: Select your country of passport]
- Nationality at birth [Comment: This is a non-mandatory field. Enter only if your nationality was different at birth]
- Religion [Comment: Enter the religion you practice or you are born with]
- Occupation [Comment: This is a non-mandatory field. Enter your occupation in general terms]
- Permanent residential address [Comment: Enter your current residential address in your country]
- Phone number [Comment: Enter your current phone number in your country]
- Email [Comment: Enter your email where you would like to receive emails and approved Vietnam E-Visa]
- Re-enter email [Comment: Re-enter your email to confirm]
- Passport number [Comment: Enter your current passport number, the passport that you will use to travel to Vietnam]
- Type [Comment: Select “Ordinary passport” from the list]
- Expiry date (DD/MM/YYYY) [Comment: Enter the expiration date of your passport]
- Intended date of entry (DD/MM/YYYY) [Comment: Enter the date on which you plan to enter Vietnam. Your visa validity will start from this date, so enter this date carefully. You can only enter Vietnam on or after this date]
- Intended length of stay in Vietnam (number of days) [Comment: This will be 30 by default. Leave it as is. E-visa for tourism is only for 30 days. If you try to change it, the application will give an error]
- Purpose of entry [Comment: Select “tourism” from the options]
- Intended temporary residential address in Vietnam [Comment: Enter your hotel address in Vietnam. Don’t book a non-refundable hotel before your visa is approved. Just book a “refundable” hotel for now and enter that address]
- City/Province [Comment: Enter the city/province of your hotel address]
NOTE: Occupation
To avoid any misunderstandings or political issues, do not mention your profession in a way that sounds like journalism. Ex: writer, blogger, journalist, reporter, press, etc. Use more neutral-sounding professions such as software, marketing, teaching, student, business, housewife, etc. which are neutral-sounding.
Enter the following in the “Inviting/guaranteeing agency/organization” section.
- This section is not relevant to tourists. Fill out the information in this section only if you are entering Vietnam for purposes other than tourism and you have an inviting agency.
Enter the following in the “Under 14 years old accompanying child(ren) included in your passport” section.
- You can skip this section as well. This field is only relevant if (a) your children are traveling with you AND (b) they are included in your passport meaning they don’t hold their own passports]
Enter the following in the “Requested information” section.
- Grant Evisa valid from (DD/MM/YYYY) [Comment: Nothing needs to be entered here. This field is auto-populated based on your “Intended date of entry” from above]
- To (DD/MM/YYYY) [Comment: Nothing needs to be entered here as well. This field is auto-populated by adding 30 days to the E-Visa valid from date]
- Allowed to entry through checkpoint [Comment: Select the airport or land border from the options at which you plan to enter Vietnam. This may not matter but airlines may this seriously and do not let you board if your destination is different from your checkout point mentioned in your E-Visa]
- Exit through checkpoint [Comment: Enter the airport or land border from which you plan to exit Vietnam. This usually doesn’t matter and you can exit from any airport or land border]
After completing the above sections, check the box for “I assure that I have truthfully declared all relevant details”.
Enter the Captcha and click on the “Review application form” button.
You will be shown a popup with your “registration code”. You need this registration code to look up the status or download your approved E-Visa.
This registration code is also sent to your email but just to be extra careful, write down your registration code or take a screenshot of the popup.
Click on the red “OK” button.
You will be taken to the “Review application form” page.
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STEP 2: Review application form
Review all the information you have entered on the previous page. Go through each of the following sections to make sure the information you have entered is correct and accurate.
- Foreigner’s images
- Personal information (PNR)
- Inviting/guaranteeing agency/organization
- Under 14 years old accompanying child(ren) included in your passport
- Requested information
If everything looks good, click on the “Payment” button.
You will be taken to the “payment details” page.
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STEP 3: Payment details
On the payment details page, review the following details to make sure they are correct and accurate. You cannot change these details past this step. So take a moment to review them again.
- Full name
- Passport number
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Grant e-visa valid from and to dates
- Amount USD
Check the box for “I agree” and click on the “Pay e-visa fee” button.
You will be taken to the “Payoo payment gateway” page.
Payoo payment gateway
By default, the Payoo payment gateway page shows domestic card options. To pay with an international card, simply click on the “International card (VISA,Master,JCB)” tab.
Enter the following details in the “International card (VISA,Master,JCB)” tab.
- Card number [Comment: Enter your credit or debit card number]
- Card holder name [Comment: Enter your name as it appears on your credit or debit card]
- Expiry date [Comment: Enter the expiration date as it appears on your credit or debit card]
- CVV/CVC [Comment: Enter the CVV/CVC number as it appears on your credit or debit card]
- Phone number [Comment: Enter your phone number associated with your credit or debit card]
- Email [Comment: Enter your email associated with your credit or debit card]
- Address [Comment: Enter your residential/communication address associated with your credit or debit card]
- City [Comment: Enter your city associated with your credit or debit card]
- Country [Comment: Select the country of your credit or debit card]
Check the box to agree to the regulations.
Click on the orange “NEXT” button.
You will be taken to the “Information Confirmation” page to review your payment details.
Information Confirmation
The payment details that you have entered on the previous page are displayed here. Review your payment details one more time before submitting your E-visa fee payment.
If everything looks fine, then click on the orange “PAY” button.
You will be taken to the payment success page.
Order has been successfully paid
On this page, your payment confirmation is displayed. Then this page redirects to the e-visa page in 3 seconds.
E-Visa application submission confirmation
After you are redirected to the E-Visa page. An E-Visa application submission confirmation popup will be displayed.
Click on the red “OK” button to close the popup.
Check your email inbox. You will receive an email notification confirming your E-Visa payment and submission.
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Check your Vietnam E-Visa status
Vietnam E-Visa processing time is 3 working days. But you will usually receive your E-Visa within 2 working days.
You can check your Vietnam E-Visa status by following the below steps.
Go to the Vietnam E-Visa portal application status page.
Enter the following details in the “Check application status and download E-Visa” section.
- Registration code [Comment: Enter the registration code of your Vietnam E-Visa application. If you don’t remember, check your email]
- Email [Comment: Enter the email that you have used for your Vietnam E-Visa application]
- Date of birth [Comment: Enter the date of birth as it appears in your passport in DD/MM/YYYY format]
Enter the Captcha and click on the “Search” button.
Your application status will be displayed right below on the same page.
If your application is still in process, then your application status will be “In processing”.
If your application is already approved, then your application status will be “Granted visa”.
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Receive your E-Visa
When your E-Visa is approved, you will receive an email notifying you that your Vietnam E-Visa has been approved.
The subject line or the body of the email does not clearly indicate that your E-Visa is approved. Instead, it will simply say “announcement result” or “application processed”. Your approved E-Visa pdf will not be in the email either.
You will have to go back to the Vietnam E-Visa portal and download your approved E-Visa.
Follow the below steps to download your approved Vietnam E-Visa.
Go to the Vietnam E-Visa portal application status page.
Enter the following details in the “Check application status and download E-Visa” section.
- Registration code [Comment: Enter the registration code of your Vietnam E-Visa application. If you don’t remember, check your email]
- Email [Comment: Enter the email that you have used for your Vietnam E-Visa application]
- Date of birth [Comment: Enter the date of birth as it appears in your passport in DD/MM/YYYY format]
Enter the Captcha and click on the “Search” button.
Your approved E-Visa details and the button to download the E-Visa will be displayed right below on the same page.
Click on the “Click here ↓ print visa” button to download your E-Visa.
Print and carry your approved E-Visa when you travel. Or download it as a PDF on your phone and show it to the airline staff or Vietnam immigration officer when asked.
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Conclusion
That’s it, folks! Make sure to carry a print of your Vietnam E-Visa when you travel.
If you are having any troubles with your Vietnam E-Visa application, comment below. I will try my best to help.
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