Vietnam's e-visa is issued entirely online, with no need to visit a consulate or hand over your passport. It's convenient, but it demands care: most refusals and delays come not from the procedure being complicated, but from careless mistakes on the form. Check the official e-visa portal for exact current fees and processing times.
How the e-visa process works
- Fill in the online application on the official e-visa portal, entering your details exactly as they appear in your passport;
- Upload a scan of your passport page and a photo that meets the portal's requirements;
- Pay the consular fee online (check the current amount on the portal);
- Wait for processing — the timeframe is only approximate, so it's best to apply well in advance;
- Receive your visa as an electronic document and print it out.
Keep the printed visa together with your passport — both get checked at boarding and at the border. Having a paper copy saves you trouble if you don't have internet access to hand.
Common applicant mistakes
- Typos in your name, passport number or date of birth — details must match your passport letter for letter;
- Passport validity that's too short for the trip dates;
- A photo or scan that doesn't meet the portal's requirements (format, background, quality);
- An incorrectly entered entry point or travel dates;
- Applying through dubious intermediary websites instead of the official portal.
An e-visa is the least forgiving of haste — check every letter against your passport.
Sort your visa out early and you'll free up time to plan your route around Vietnam. You'll find plenty of trip ideas in the catalogue.
Visa rules, processing times and fees can change. Always check current information only on Vietnam's official government e-visa portal.
