Vietnam has streamlined its visa process in recent years. As of now, Vietnam tourist visa requirements are quite clear and easy to understand. Vietnam offers visa exemptions to quite a few nationalities. And those that require a visa can get an E-Visa or a visa from any nearest Vietnamese embassy.
Currently, there are 3 different visa options available to enter Vietnam as a tourist.
- Visa exemption: 23 countries are visa EXEMPT for stays from 14 days to 30 days
- E-Visa: 46 nationalities can avail eVisa for stays up to 30 days
- Visa from the embassy: A pre-approved visa from the embassy prior to arrival is required for certain nationalities
NOTE
Vietnam 1-month or 3-month Visa on Arrival (VOA) for tourists is still suspended. It’s unclear whether Vietnam will instate its tourist VOA or instead add more countries to its E-Visa list.
***
VIETNAM TOURIST VISA REQUIREMENTS BY NATIONALITY
Minimum passport validity required to enter Vietnam as a tourist
Passport must be valid for at least one month beyond the visa expiration date.
—
VISA EXEMPT nationalities
30-day entry
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Thailand
21-day entry
- Philippines
15-day entry
- Belarus
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Norway
- Russia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
14-day entry
- Brunei
- Myanmar
—
E-VISA eligible nationalities
30-day entry
- 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
—
VISA REQUIRED nationalities
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Congo, Dem Rep of
- Congo, Rep of
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Curacao
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestinian Territories
- Paraguay
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Sint Maarten
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
NOTE
All nationalities are visa EXEMPT for visiting Phú Quốc island which is considered as a special economic zone. Must arrive and depart from the island directly and cannot transit through the mainland.
***
VIETNAM VISA-EXEMPTION
Nationals from 22 countries do not require any visa to enter Vietnam as a tourist. Some of these countries are from South East Asia and Europe.
—
Entry permission
Visa-exempt nationalities can stay from 14 days to 30 days in Vietnam depending on their nationality.
—
Documents to carry
Apart from your passport, you must also carry the below documents in print or on your smartphone.
- Proof of return or onward travel (your return or onward flight/bus/train ticket)
- Proof of accommodation (a hotel reservation for the first few days)
If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, make sure to get proof of onward ticket.
***
VIETNAM E-VISA
As of now, Vietnam E-Visa is the easiest tourist visa option available. Nationals from about 80 countries are eligible to apply for Vietnam E-Visa.
—
Validity of Vietnam E-Visa
The validity of Vietnam E-Visa is 30 days from the day of issue. You must enter and exit Vietnam within these 30 days.
—
When to apply for E-Visa
You can apply for your Vietnam E-Visa as early as you like. The E-Visa processing takes 3 working days, so you must apply at least 3 working days prior to your trip. In certain instances, it can take longer. I highly recommend applying at least two weeks prior to your trip.
—
How long can you stay in Vietnam on E-Visa
With an E-Visa, you can stay up to 30 days or until the expiry of your E-Visa, whichever is shorter. The immigration officer will write the date by which you must exit the country on the entry stamp in your passport. This exit date on your passport will match the expiration date of your E-Visa.
—
E-Visa application process
You can apply for the E-Visa on Vietnam E-Visa Portal. You would need a scan of your passport data/ID page, a digital photo and a credit/debit card. The E-Visa fee is $25 USD and the processing takes about 3 working days.
—
Documents required
You will need the following documents.
- Original passport
- A digital portrait photo
- A scan of your passport data/ID page
—
Photo requirements
The digital photograph must meet 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
—
Visa fee
The visa fee is $25 USD. You can pay the visa fee with a credit or debit card.
—
Processing time
The tourist visa processing time is 3 working days. In most instances, your approval will come through within two working days.
—
Application tracking
You can track your application status from the Vietnam E-Visa portal application status page using your registration code, email and date of birth.
Your application can have any of the 2 statuses.
- In Processing: This status means that your application is still in process.
- Granted Visa: This status means your application is approved and ready for download
—
Customer service
In case of questions on your visa or visa status, you can contact the Vietnam Immigration Department at their support page, email or phone number.
WEB: E-Visa support page
EMAIL: evisa@immigration.gov.vn
PHONE: +84 243 825 7941
RELATED: How to apply for Vietnam E-Visa – A step-by-step guide with screenshots
***
VIETNAM TOURIST VISA FROM THE EMBASSY
Those that are not eligible for visa exemption or E-Visa must apply for a Vietnam tourist visa from a Vietnamese embassy. The visa process is straight forward and there are options to receive the visa on the same day.
—
Validity of Vietnam tourist visa
The validity of Vietnam tourist visa is 3 months from the day of issue. You will have to enter and exit the country within these dates
—
When to apply for Vietnam tourist visa
You can apply for your Vietnam tourist visa anytime before your trip. The visa processing takes 3-4 working days, so you must have at least 4 working days prior to your trip. Express visa processing is also available to receive your visa within the same day or the next day.
—
How long can you stay in Vietnam on a tourist visa
You can stay up to 30 days in Vietnam on a tourist visa. But your entry and exit must be within the validity of your visa.
—
Tourist visa application process
You can apply for a Vietnam tourist visa from any nearby Vietnamese embassy. You can apply for a Vietnam tourist visa even in the country you are currently traveling in.
You would need to submit a completed application form, original passport and one passport-size photo. Processing time is about 3-4 working days but you can pay extra to receive your visa the same day or the next day.
—
Documents required
You will need the following documents.
- Original passport
- Completed application form (you can grab one at the embassy)
- One passport-size photo of size 4×6 cm
—
Visa fee
The visa fee depends on the country from which you are applying. You will have to check with the Vietnamese embassy where you plan to apply.
—
Processing time
The tourist visa processing time is 3-4 business days. Express visa processing is also available for an additional fee and you can receive your visa the same day or the next day.
***
ENTRY AND EXIT PROCEDURE AT THE AIRPORT
Entering Vietnam by air
After you get off your flight, walk towards immigration/passport control. If you are a visa exempt national, present your passport and boarding pass. If you hold an E-Visa, present your passport, boarding pass and a print or soft copy of your Vietnam E-Visa to the immigration officer.
You may be asked a few questions such as how long you plan to stay in Vietnam, what you would like to do in Vietnam, etc.
You may be asked to show your return ticket. If you are flying on a one-way ticket, I highly recommend carrying proof of an onward flight ticket to avoid any trouble at immigration.
—
Leaving Vietnam by air
Vietnam employs manned passport control. You will go through passport control on your exit. Present your passport and boarding pass. Usually, you will not be asked any questions unless you have overstayed your visa.
***
CONCLUSION
Vietnam has streamlined its visa process in recent years. About 22 nationalities from South East Asia and Europe do not need a visa to enter Vietnam. About 80 nationalities are eligible to apply for E-Visa. The rest can obtain a Vietnam tourist visa from any Vietnamese embassy.
Vietnam Visa on Arrival (VOA) is still suspended. There is no news on when VOA will be available again.
