Vietnam visa and entry requirements in 2026

A three-week holiday in Vietnam may not require a visa at all. A longer trip, a different passport or a stop in Cambodia can change what you need. Start with your passport nationality and the dates of each stay before paying an application service.

This guide covers ordinary tourism. Working, studying and residence require separate checks with Vietnam’s Immigration Department or a Vietnamese embassy.

Who can visit Vietnam without a visa?

For tourism stays of up to 45 days, passport holders from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland currently qualify for visa exemption, subject to entry conditions. These are examples relevant to European travellers, not the complete worldwide list.

Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK fall under the exemption running to 14 March 2028. The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland fall under a tourism exemption running to 14 August 2028. Check again if travelling after those dates.

Austria is not covered by those lists. Austrian travellers generally need a visa. Speaking German, French or Dutch, or holding an EU residence permit, does not determine eligibility. The passport you travel on does.

The official exemption list sets out the nationality groups. Dutch authorities also specify onward or return travel and documents showing a tourism purpose for Dutch passport holders.

Count arrival and departure days. A 45-day allowance is not a month and a half with a few spare nights. Check the permitted departure date recorded by immigration before leaving the desk.

When an e-visa makes sense

Apply before travel if your passport does not qualify for an exemption or your planned stay exceeds the exempt period. Vietnam’s e-visa can be valid for up to 90 days, for single or multiple entry. The actual dates granted on the approved document control your trip.

The government fee is USD 25 for single entry or USD 50 for multiple entry. These are application fees, not a daily charge, and they are non-refundable. Fees are payable in US dollars; the euro amount depends on your bank’s exchange rate and charges.

For example, a French traveller spending 21 days solely in Vietnam can normally use the exemption. A 60-day stay needs an appropriate visa. If you plan Vietnam, Cambodia, then Vietnam again, review both entries. A single-entry e-visa is used up when you leave; multiple entry allows returns within its validity, subject to admission.

How to apply without paying unnecessary service fees

Use the official e-visa portal. A search advert or the word “official” in a commercial website’s name does not make it a government service.

• Prepare the passport identity-page image and portrait in the formats the form requests.

• Enter your names, passport number, nationality and dates exactly as instructed, checking against your passport before payment.

• Select the appropriate entry type and dates. Check that your intended border crossing is authorised for e-visas.

• Save the application reference and payment record, then check the application status on the portal.

• Download the approval, inspect every detail and keep both a printed copy and an offline phone copy.

The published processing period is three working days. That is not a promise that every application will be approved within three days: holidays, corrections and further checks can add time. Applying two to three weeks ahead is a practical planning buffer.

If the issued visa contains an error, use official support before travel. Do not assume airline staff can fix it. If you change your border crossing, verify the current portal instructions instead of relying on an old blog’s claim that any crossing is acceptable.

A private agent may charge a legitimate service fee, but should clearly identify itself and explain what it provides. A higher price alone does not prove fraud. Jungle Boss does not process or expedite visas.

Passport and arrival checklist

Travel with the same passport used for your application and use it for entry and exit. Check that it is undamaged, valid for at least six months after arrival and has spare pages; keeping two blank pages meets the published UK travel-advice recommendation.

Keep your first accommodation address, onward travel details and visa approval, if required, accessible offline. Children’s documentation and eligibility must be checked individually.

Vietnam’s Immigration Department recommends the official pre-arrival form. Complete it where applicable and save the confirmation. It does not replace a visa. UK entry advice describes the Tan Son Nhat rollout as encouraged rather than universally mandatory. Check your airport and airline’s current instructions shortly before departure.

Health declarations are a separate issue. Requirements can be activated according to public-health measures; do not treat every report about the 2026 legal framework as proof that every visitor must submit a form. Follow current official instructions for your journey.

Already in Vietnam?

Check the departure deadline in your entry record now. Getting an e-visa approved while inside Vietnam does not automatically replace your current permission to stay. Do not build a longer holiday around an assumed extension or a guaranteed same-day border run.

If your plans change, contact Immigration or a Vietnamese embassy for the route that applies to you. If you have overstayed, seek instructions promptly rather than assuming you can simply pay a standard cash fine at the airport.

If your e-visa is still pending

A payment receipt or application code is not an approved visa. Check the result on the official portal, respond to any correction request, and use its support contact if necessary. If departure is close, speak to your airline about changing the flight rather than assuming a pending application will be accepted.

For a family or group, check each traveller separately. One approval does not cover everyone. If someone can use visa exemption instead, confirm that their passport, intended stay and onward travel actually meet its conditions before changing the plan.

FAQ

1. Do I need a visa for a two-week holiday in Vietnam?

British citizens and passport holders from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland can normally visit for up to 45 days without a visa, subject to entry conditions. Austrian, US, Canadian, Australian and Indian passport holders generally need a visa. For longer stays, an e-visa can cover up to 90 days.

2. How much does a Vietnam e-visa cost?

The government fee is USD 25 for single entry or USD 50 for multiple entry. It is non-refundable. A qualifying visa-free visit has no visa application fee; do not pay an agent simply to use the exemption.

3. How long does an e-visa take, and when should I apply?

The published processing time is three working days after a complete application and payment. Corrections and holidays can extend that. Applying two to three weeks before departure gives you a useful buffer; it is not a guarantee of approval.

4. Which documents do I need, including for children?

Carry a passport valid for at least six months after arrival, your approved visa if required, accommodation details and evidence of onward travel. Children need their own valid travel documents and must individually qualify for a visa or exemption.

5. Which Vietnam visa website is official?

Use evisa.gov.vn, the government’s e-visa portal, and check the address before uploading passport details. Commercial agencies may provide a paid service, but their fees are separate from the government fee. An advertisement or the word “official” in a name proves nothing.

6. Can I get a visa when I arrive?

Do not board assuming you can buy one at immigration. Visa on arrival involves advance approval and specific arrangements. For ordinary tourism requiring a visa, arrange an approved e-visa before travel or confirm another valid route with a Vietnamese embassy.

7. Do I need an arrival form as well as a visa?

They are separate. Vietnam’s Immigration Department recommends its official pre-arrival form, and UK advice describes the Tan Son Nhat rollout as encouraged. Check the instructions for your airport and date; completing a form does not grant entry or replace a visa.

8. Does a connecting flight count as entering Vietnam?

An international-to-domestic transfer requires immigration clearance. A wholly airside international connection may not. Separate tickets, baggage collection or an airport change can require entry, so confirm the complete transfer with the airline before relying on transit rules.

9. Can I use Phu Quoc’s exemption to visit mainland Vietnam?

Not automatically. Phu Quoc has a separate island exemption with routing and stay conditions. A mainland visit needs its own valid entry basis. Confirm your entire itinerary before using the island scheme, especially if you connect through another Vietnamese airport.

10. Can I visit Cambodia and then return to Vietnam?

Check the entry basis for both Vietnamese stays. A single-entry e-visa is used up when you leave; a multiple-entry e-visa permits further entries within its validity, subject to admission. Eligible passport holders may qualify again for exemption, but do not assume unlimited border runs are guaranteed.

Once entry is sorted, use our Vietnam rainy-season guide to choose the route around your travel month.