Vietnam visa: who needs one, the fee and how to apply

The government fee is US$25 for a single-entry e-visa and US$50 for multiple entry, each valid for up to 90 days. You pay online on the government portal once it issues your application code. The fee is not refunded if the visa is not granted. Agencies add their own service fee to it.

The government procedure says up to 3 working days once the system has your complete details and the fee. Applications are accepted Monday to Saturday and results are returned Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. VnExpress has reported waits well beyond 3 days, so leave a margin before your flight.

The government procedure lists no paid faster option: the stated time is up to 3 working days. Faster services sold by agencies are their own offers, not a government option, and in July 2026 the Immigration Department warned that fake sites advertise urgent processing. If time is short, apply on evisa.gov.vn now and check your status there.

The procedure asks for a 4x6 portrait in JPEG, no larger than 2 MB, on a white background, without glasses or a hat, plus a clear scan of your passport data page. VnExpress has reported refusals linked to photos. Check both files before you pay, because the fee is not refunded if the visa is not granted.

Both allow up to 90 days. Single entry costs US$25 and covers one arrival. Multiple entry costs US$50 and lets you leave and come back on the same e-visa, for example for a side trip to Cambodia or Laos. Choose multiple entry if your plan crosses any border out and back.

Choose the airport, land crossing or seaport where you will actually arrive and leave: the UK and Canadian governments both say the e-visa limits you to the points on your approval. There are 83 e-visa gates. On 14 Oct 2026, evisa.gov.vn listed 15 airports, including Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc, but not Long Thanh.

Only in narrow cases. Law 47/2014 allows a visa at the border in listed cases, such as tours run by international travel businesses in Vietnam, and a Vietnam-based agency or organisation must request the approval in advance. The visa stamped on arrival costs US$25 single or US$50 multiple. For independent travellers, the e-visa is the usual route.

Yes. You apply online at evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, the two government addresses, and pay US$25 or US$50 there. The Immigration Department has said foreigners can apply without a sponsor. Type the address yourself rather than following ads, because lookalike sites copy the design and buy search ads.

No. Foreigners can apply directly on evisa.gov.vn without a sponsor. When an organisation files for you, the government fee is the same US$25 or US$50 and the procedure gives the same 3 working days. Agencies sell form checking and support for a service fee; in 2023 VnExpress found families paying intermediaries over US$100 per person.

Pre-Arrival Information is an online form at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn for sending your details before you land. It has been piloted at Tan Son Nhat since 15 Apr 2026, is encouraged but not mandatory, and no fee is listed. The Ministry of Public Security has warned of lookalike sites that take card details, so use only that address.