Vietnam Visa Requirements: Do I Need a Visa to Visit Vietnam?

Do I need a visa for Vietnam? How do I apply for one? How much does a Vietnam visa cost? Can I enter Vietnam visa-free? How do I do a border run? Are there any good visa agents?

In this guide, I’ll answer these questions and more as someone who’s been navigating Vietnam visas since 2018.

Some lucky countries have citizens who can enter Vietnam without needing a visa beforehand. But, many countries, including the USA, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, will need to apply for an e-visa.

However, applying for a Vietnam visa is straightforward, and I’ll walk you through it.

The Vietnamese government has upgraded its visa application website. Here is the new official site, as of late 2024: https://evisa.gov.vn/

This is the old official Vietnamese government’s website to apply for an e-visa: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/

Check out my Vietnam Travel FAQs for other common questions about Vietnam travel. If you have any questions, ask me in my free Saigon travel planning Facebook group. I also recommend this Facebook group, which is dedicated to Vietnam visas.

Do I Need a Visa to Visit Vietnam?

This will depend on your passport country. Certain countries can enter Vietnam for 14-90 days without needing a visa.

Below is a table of the current visa-exempt countries. Passport holders from these countries can enter Vietnam without needing a visa (visa-exempt).

Passport Country	Maximum Period of Stay
Chile, Panama	90 days
Belarus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom	45 days
Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand	30 days
Philippines	21 days
Brunei	14 days

While I intend to keep this info updated, please double-check my above table using these websites as cross-references:

• https://vietnam.travel/plan-your-trip/visa-requirements
• https://www.myvietnamvisa.com/vietnam-visa-exemption.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Vietnam

Alternatively, join my free Vietnam travel planning Facebook group.

What Are the Visa-Free Entry Requirements?

In order to enter Vietnam under the visa-free (visa-exempt) program above, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:

• A passport from one of the above-listed countries, with a validity period of at least six months from the date of your entry into Vietnam and with at least two blank pages for stamping.

• Your airline may require proof of “onward travel” at check-in for your flight to Vietnam. This is as simple as a flight out of Vietnam to any other country. More on this below.

• If you’ve previously overstayed in Vietnam, have been deported, or are wanted by INTERPOL, you may be denied.

How to Apply for a Vietnam E-Visa

The Vietnamese government has upgraded its visa application website. Here is the new site: https://evisa.gov.vn/

This is the old official Vietnamese government’s website to apply for an e-visa: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/

If your passport country is not on the exempt list above, you’ll need to apply for an e-visa. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy.

The e-visa allows for a maximum stay in Vietnam of 90 days. All countries are eligible to apply.

So, even if you fall into one of the lucky visa-exempt countries above, you can apply for an e-visa if you plan on staying longer than your maximum period under the visa-exemption rules.

You cannot extend a visa exemption, as it’s not an official “visa.” You have to leave Vietnam and come back. Currently, there is no limit to how often you can do this.

To apply for the e-visa, you will need a clear photo of your passport data page and a photo of yourself. Currently, you can take a selfie, provided the image is clear and you’re in front of a neutral background. Try to replicate taking a passport photo of yourself.

You will then need to fill out the visa application form on the website above and upload the images.

The e-visa cost is $25 USD for a single entry and $50 USD for multiple entry. You can pay with major credit cards.

A single-entry visa means once you enter Vietnam, your visa is used. You won’t be able to re-enter Vietnam again on the same visa. If you plan on coming only to Vietnam, then this works for you.

A multiple-entry visa will allow you to exit Vietnam and re-enter using the same visa. This is good if you’re planning a region-wide trip.

The official government website can be wonky. There are often problems with lag or glitches when uploading photos and completing the application. But it does work, and the above website is the official channel.

Allow yourself at least two weeks (10 working days) to apply for the e-visa. Although it can be approved in a few working days, delays happen all the time. Delays of a month or more have happened.

If your application contains an error, they will email you to ask for a correction. The e-visa will be emailed to you.

Vietnam Visa Agents and Services

I recommend using an agent (service) to avoid any hassle or get an expedited e-visa.

If your trip is approaching and you’ve had issues applying through the government’s official website or you forgot to apply for an e-visa altogether (it happens), use an agent. They can get expedited visas within 24 hours.

Agents make the application for you and then email you the approved e-visa. Depending on the agent, they accept numerous payment methods.

It’s important to note there are many scam websites and fake agents out there. Facebook is loaded with visa scammers. Don’t accept unsolicited Facebook messages from anyone offering to help.

I have used many agents over the years. I am not affiliated with any of these providers; I am just a happy customer.

My recommendations for an agent/visa service:

I started using Lynn Visa in Da Nang in 2018. Besides her website, she is reachable through her Facebook page here. She can help with a wide variety of Vietnam visa services, including border runs from Da Nang and Hoi An.

I’ve also used IzyViet in Ho Chi Minh City. Here is their Facebook page. They can also help with a wide variety of visa services, including border runs from Ho Chi Minh City.

There are many others but start with these.

Contact me in my Vietnam travel planning group if you need help or have any questions about visas or agents.

Vietnam Visa Border Runs

I have first-hand experience doing border runs from Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang (Hoi An).

If you entered Vietnam on visa exemption and want to stay longer, you’ll need to exit Vietnam and come back in. You cannot extend a visa exemption. You can exit Vietnam and return on the same day. Currently, there is no limit to how often you can do this.

If you entered Vietnam on an e-visa and want to stay longer, you’ll also need to exit Vietnam. However, you can no longer apply for your next e-visa while you’re still inside Vietnam. The system will flag you as “still inside Vietnam.”

You have two options: fly out and visit a neighboring country or use an agent/service for a border run. You can also fly out AND use an agent to expedite your visa.

Option 1A: You can fly out of Vietnam and visit Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, etc., and then, once there, apply through the official e-visa website for your next Vietnam e-visa. If you do this, your trip outside Vietnam should consist of at least 4 or 5 working days so you can hopefully get the visa in time.

Option 1B: You can make arrangements with an agent beforehand, fly out to visit a nearby country for a weekend, and then fly back with your new e-visa.

Option 2: You can sign up for a visa border run, where the agents charge a fee that includes your next Vietnam e-visa, the visa of the border country, and a van ride to/from the border country. This is usually the cheapest overall option. But the trip is long and tiring.

If you’re in Ho Chi Minh City, the van border run is to the Moc Bai border crossing at Cambodia. IzyViet does this service in HCMC.

If you’re in Da Nang, Hoi An, or Hue, the border run is to the Lao Bao border at Laos, though some services go to the La Lay border. Use Lynn Visa in Da Nang for this border run.

Bonus option: If you’re into motorbiking, you can also ride into Cambodia or Laos, apply for your next e-visa, stay for a bit to explore, and then ride back.

Proof of Onward Travel

All visitors to Vietnam, whether visa-exempt or granted e-visas, may need to show proof of onward travel at your airline’s check-in counter. Otherwise, you may be denied boarding. This is a common airline requirement elsewhere in Southeast Asia, too.

But in my experience, being asked is inconsistent. It will likely happen, but it might not.

Proof of onward travel is as simple as a flight departing Vietnam to any other country.

If you’ve booked a round-trip vacation to Vietnam, then you’re all set. If you’re planning to visit Vietnam as part of a larger SEA trip, then any flight from Vietnam to an outside country works.

If you’re unsure of how long you want to stay in Vietnam, you can book the cheapest departure flight to a major hub city nearby like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok—pick the cheapest nonstop flight out.

I use Google Flights.

Then, later, you can actually take that flight, cancel it, throw it away, try to get a refund, or just ignore it. I’ve booked many of these for other countries over the years and usually looked for a flight somewhere between $30 and $40 USD if I wasn’t sure how long I would stay.

Alternatively, there are sites that provide proof of onward travel without actually booking the ticket. I have tested these, too, and they’ve worked for me. What they do is make a reservation under your name without actually booking the ticket. You’ll be emailed an “itinerary,” which you can then show at your airline check-in counter.

These do work, but use them at your own risk. One of the more popular sites for this is Onward Ticket.

There are credit cards and airlines that allow cancellation within 24 hours. This is another option.

Phú Quốc Visa-Free Program

Phu Quoc is an island off the coast of Cambodia and southern Vietnam. It’s a popular tropical destination partly because of its short flight from Ho Chi Minh City.

All passport holders from every country get 30 days of visa-exempt entry into Phu Quoc. This unique program was started to aid the development of the island’s economy.

The same visa-exempt requirements apply: six months of passport validity, two blank pages, and proof of onward travel.

You can transit through any of Vietnam’s international airports as long as you don’t fully enter and your final destination is Phu Quoc.

This is good if you’re only interested in visiting Phu Quoc and nowhere else. Otherwise, applying for an e-visa and getting 90 days to explore Vietnam is the best idea.

Quick Vietnam Visa FAQs