The electronic visa (e-visa) for Vietnam replaces the Visa On Arrival (VOA). Since 2020, you can no longer purchase a visa upon arrival in Vietnam. For holidays, business travel or transit you can apply for an electronic visa online or apply for a paper visa at the embassy.

Vietnam is a magical destination for tourists and offers more and more opportunities for ambitious business travellers. Prepare well for your holiday or business trip to Vietnam and check in time what visa you should apply for.

What is a Vietnam e-visa?

In 2018, Vietnam digitalised its visa procedure. In the past, visas were always physically placed in the passport of the applicant. To do so, the passport needed to be handed in and picked up at an embassy or consulate. Until 2020, the visa could also be obtained upon arrival in Vietnam, but today, this is no longer possible.

The Vietnam e-visa is a PDF document. After your online visa application is approved, you receive this document per email. The e-visa is granted by the Vietnam immigration service. You can easily submit an application with the online form on this website.

No e-visa required for a short trip to Vietnam?

For a stay longer than 45 days, you always have to apply for an (electronic) visa. In case of a shorter stay, whether you require a visa depends on your nationality. For more information, check the tables below:

How do I choose between an e-visa and a paper visa?

Everyone who is eligible for an e-visa, is advised to use it. The main advantage of e-visas is that these can easily be applied for online. In this case, no appointment is required at an embassy, which is the case when applying for a paper visa.

An e-visa suffices for most tourists and business travellers. For a transit in Vietnam, attending a study or work placement, teaching and volunteer work, the e-visa is often enough.

You do not meet the requirements of the e-visa if:

• You want to stay in Vietnam longer than 90 days,
• Your nationality is not in the above tables or on this page;
• You do not have a standard passport that is valid for at least six more months upon arrival,
• Your travel purpose is not mentioned in the e-visa application form,
• You pose a possible threat to the safety or public health in Vietnam,
• Your entry and exit location are not in the application form.

Can I apply for my visa upon arrival in Vietnam?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible to travel to Vietnam, because the country kept its borders closed. Prior to this border closure, it was possible to obtain a visa upon arrival in Vietnam. This was the so-called Visa On Arrival (VOA). After the borders were re-opened, this visa type did not return.

Rice fields in Ninh Binh, a province popular among tourists

What does a Vietnam e-visa look like?

The Vietnam e-visa is a document in A4 format. It contains several details you entered during the application procedure. The e-visa also contains a QR code, which is used by the Vietnam immigration service to check whether the visa is valid.

Once the e-visa is granted, you can download it from your personal status page. You can open this page with a link you receive by email. Check whether the details on the e-visa are correct. Subsequently, print out the visa yourself, preferably twice. You possibly have to hand in a copy during a check. Showing the e-visa in digital form, on your smartphone for example, does not always suffice.