How to Apply for Vietnam Visa Online

Here is how to apply for Vietnam visa online: you apply for an e-visa, either yourself on evisa.gov.vn or through a private service, and receive a PDF by email. Both routes need the same passport scan, photo and trip details. This guide covers the two routes, what to prepare, each route step by step, what happens after you apply and the mistakes that cause delays. If you want your files checked before submission, you can apply for your e-visa with us.

Vietnam has issued e-visas to citizens of every country since August 2023, as the national tourism board's visa requirements page confirms (checked October 2026). One e-visa covers a stay of up to 90 days, single or multiple entry. Some passports can enter visa-free for short stays, so if you are unsure, read Do I need a visa for Vietnam? first.

Vietnam visa application at a glance:

	Apply yourself on evisa.gov.vn	Apply through eVisaVietnam.com
Price, single entry	$25	From $47 all-in
Processing	3 working days stated	5 to 7 working days at Standard; urgent from 1.5 working hours
Who checks your files	Nobody before submission	A person, before submission
If refused	Fee not refunded	100% refund, unless the application had false information

The first decision is which of those two columns fits your trip.

Two ways to apply for a Vietnam e-visa

There are two ways to apply for a Vietnam e-visa: yourself on evisa.gov.vn for US$25 single entry or US$50 multiple entry, or through a private service that submits the same application for you. The visa itself is identical either way, because only the Vietnam Immigration Department issues it.

Applying yourself suits travelers with at least a week before the flight and a clean, front-facing photo. A service suits travelers short on time, those whose photo keeps getting flagged, and anyone who wants a refund if it goes wrong. Our prices include the government fee, and the full price table shows every speed.

Knowing how to get a visa for Vietnam also means knowing what the e-visa does not cover. Visa on arrival is a separate product for air travelers who collect a stamp at one of four airports; compare e-visa or visa on arrival if you are flying in as a group. To weigh all three of our services side by side, choose a service on our comparison page.

What to prepare before you start

You need three things before you open any form: a passport valid for at least 6 months from your entry date, with two blank pages; a recent portrait photo; and a card that allows international online payments. With these and your trip details at hand, the form takes one sitting.

Documents

Three documents cover every e-visa application, whichever route you take:

• Passport data page: A color scan or phone photo of the page with your photo, all four corners visible, with the two lines of code at the bottom sharp and free of glare.
• Portrait photo: Taken recently, facing the camera, with no glasses, no hat and a white or very light background. evisa.gov.vn asks for jpg or jpeg, up to 2MB.
• Payment card: A credit or debit card enabled for online payments abroad.

Our photo guide shows examples that pass and fail, and the e-visa requirements page lists every document rule.

Information the form asks for

The Vietnam visa application form asks for more than passport details, and most people get stuck on the trip and contact sections. The table lists what the form on evisa.gov.vn asked for when we checked it on October 8, 2026, in the order it appears. Our form asks for the same information, because we submit it on the same system.

Section	What it asks	Tip
Personal	Full name as in the passport code lines, date of birth, nationality, religion, occupation	Copy the name exactly as in the two code lines at the bottom of the passport
Passport	Passport number, type, expiry; other passports you hold or used to enter Vietnam	Have old passport numbers ready if you visited before
Contact	Email, phone, permanent residential address, contact address	Use an email you check daily
Emergency contact	Name, address, phone, relationship	A family member at home works
Trip	Purpose of entry, intended date of entry, length of stay, e-visa valid from and to, entry and exit gate	See the next section
Address in Vietnam	Your first hotel or host, with street and district	A booking you can cancel is fine
Expenses	Intended expenses in USD, who pays, insurance	An honest estimate is enough

Choosing your dates and entry gate

The form asks for your intended date of entry and, separately, the dates the e-visa is valid from and to. Set the validity to start a day or two before arrival and end well after departure.

A 90-day e-visa costs the same as a 30-day one, so a wider window costs nothing and covers a delayed flight.

For the entry gate, pick the airport, land crossing or seaport you will actually use. The e-visa is accepted at 79 border gates: 15 international airports, 26 land border gates and 38 seaports (as of October 2026). Gates are listed by name, not city, so Ho Chi Minh City is "Tan Son Nhat International Airport".

With documents and details ready, the route you chose decides the steps.

How to apply for Vietnam visa through eVisaVietnam.com

You apply through eVisaVietnam.com in three steps: fill in the form, pay and upload, then receive the checked and approved PDF by email.

1. Fill in the form: Enter your passport details, trip dates, entry gate and processing speed in the form on our home page. The price updates as you choose, and the delivery time is shown before you pay.
2. Pay and upload: Pay by card, then upload the passport scan and portrait photo. You can upload any time after paying, so a missing photo does not hold up the order.
3. Receive your e-visa: Our team checks the photo and scan, submits the application on evisa.gov.vn and emails you the approved PDF. If it is refused or arrives after the delivery time shown at checkout, you get a 100% refund, unless the application had false information.

When a file has a problem, such as a photo the system is likely to flag, we contact you before submitting rather than after a refusal. You can apply for your e-visa from the form at the top of our home page.

How to apply yourself on evisa.gov.vn

You apply yourself on evisa.gov.vn in six steps, and the whole process happens on the government site. Check the address ends in .gov.vn before you enter anything.

1. Start the application: Open evisa.gov.vn, choose "Apply now" and confirm the instructions.
2. Upload your images: Add the portrait and passport page; the site fills in part of the form from the passport, so check each field.
3. Complete the form: Fill in the sections from the table above.
4. Review and confirm: Read the summary, enter the captcha and confirm.
5. Pay the fee: Agree to the declaration and pay $25 or $50 by card.
6. Save your registration code: You need it to check status, answer a request for changes and download the e-visa.

Two warnings before step 5. If the site shows a message ending in "Your application may be rejected", fix the photo first. And the declaration you agree to states that the fee is not refunded if the e-visa is denied, so a rejected photo means paying again.

After you apply: tracking, PDF and printing

The Vietnam visa process after you apply is mostly waiting. evisa.gov.vn gives 3 working days in its FAQ (checked October 2026); with us, the delivery time is the one shown at checkout. Weekends and Vietnamese public holidays are not working days.

If you applied yourself, check the status on evisa.gov.vn with your registration code, email and date of birth, and download the PDF once it is approved. If you ordered from us, the PDF arrives by email. Our page on how to check your e-visa status explains each status, including "Amendment required", which means the office wants a change before it can decide.

When the PDF arrives, check your name, date of birth, passport number, validity dates and entry type against your passport. Print one copy and keep the PDF on your phone. Airlines may ask to see it at check-in. If you applied yourself and your flight is close while the status still says processing, we can expedite an application you filed yourself without a new application.

Common mistakes that delay a Vietnam visa application

Most delays in a Vietnam visa application come from five mistakes, and all of them are avoidable before you pay:

• A recycled photo: A crop from the passport or a photo of a printed picture triggers the "captured from another source" warning.
• A cropped passport scan: If the two code lines at the bottom are cut off, the site cannot read the passport.
• A name that does not match: The name must match the passport code lines, letter for letter, including middle names.
• Validity dates too tight: An e-visa starting the day you land leaves no room for a delayed flight.
• A second application: Applying again while the first is pending creates two files and two fees.

Our page on e-visa problems and fixes quotes each warning message and its fix. Two questions often follow: what if your passport lets you enter without a visa, and can you apply at an embassy instead?

What if I can enter visa-free?

If your passport is on Vietnam's visa-free list and your stay fits within the allowed days, you do not need to apply for anything. Staying longer than the exemption means applying for an e-visa before you travel.

The list and the number of days change, so check Do I need a visa for Vietnam? before you book.

Can I apply at an embassy instead?

Yes, Vietnamese embassies and consulates also issue visas, and some travelers on longer or special-purpose trips use them. For a tourist or short business trip, the e-visa is simpler because it is done online. If you prefer the embassy route, contact the embassy or consulate in your country for its own documents, fees and timing.

eVisaVietnam.com is a private visa service operated by TK VIET NAM., JSC, not the Vietnamese government. You can apply yourself at evisa.gov.vn for US$25. If you want a person to check your photo and passport scan before submission, and a refund if the e-visa is refused or late, apply for your e-visa with us from $47 all-in.