Vietnam Visa on Arrival vs E-Visa 2026

In the Vietnam visa on arrival vs e-visa 2026 choice, visa on arrival still exists, but it works only when you fly in, and you pay twice: a service fee for the approval letter, then a stamping fee at the airport. For most travelers the e-visa is simpler. This page explains how visa on arrival works, what it costs, which airports we cover and when it is the better pick. If you are not sure, you can apply for your e-visa instead.

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.

Visa on arrival at a glance:

Does Vietnam have visa on arrival in 2026?

Yes. Vietnam still has visa on arrival, but only for travelers who fly into an international airport. You cannot use it at a land border or a seaport, so a trip by bus, train or cruise ship needs an e-visa or an embassy visa.

Visa on arrival is a two-step process. You first obtain an approval letter online, before you fly. The visa itself is stamped in your passport at the airport. So "Can you get a visa on arrival in Vietnam" has a short answer: yes, but not on the spot. The letter must exist before you board.

Not every nationality needs any of this. Check whether you need a visa for Vietnam first, since citizens of the countries on the exemption lists enter without one.

How Vietnam visa on arrival works

You order the approval letter online, receive it by email, and show it at the airport to get the visa stamped. The approval letter is issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department. It is not the visa.

1. Order the letter. Give the passport details, arrival date and arrival airport. Our visa on arrival service takes the order.
2. Choose a processing time. The order form offers 1, 2, 3 or 4 to 5 working days, Monday to Friday.
3. Receive the letter. It arrives by email. Print it.
4. Fly in. At the airport, go to the visa counter with the letter and your passport.
5. Pay the stamping fee. You pay it at the airport. Then go to immigration.

The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the entry date, with two blank pages. The letter has to be ready before you board, because airlines may ask for it at check-in.

Vietnam visa on arrival cost

Visa on arrival costs two separate payments: a service fee of $28 to $69 for the approval letter, then a stamping fee of $25 for single entry or $50 for multiple entry, paid at the airport.

The service fee depends on the processing time and the number of travelers. Faster processing costs more. The stamping fee is the same for everyone and does not depend on us. We do not add the two payments into one figure, because the first depends on your order.

An e-visa through us is one payment, from $47 all-in for a single entry. Our full price table lists every speed.

Airports for visa on arrival

We arrange visa on arrival letters for four airports: Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Cam Ranh. Pick the arrival airport on the order form, and land at the airport you chose.

Some websites list eight airports. We could not confirm that on a government page, so we describe only what our service covers. If you plan to arrive somewhere else, use the e-visa, which is accepted at 79 border gates: 15 international airports, 26 land border gates and 38 seaports (as of October 2026).

Vietnam visa on arrival vs e-visa 2026

The e-visa is the better default, and visa on arrival is the better pick for a group. Ask three questions, in this order:

1. How do you arrive? By land or sea, use the e-visa.
2. How many are you? A group flying in together can share one letter of up to 20 people. An e-visa order holds up to 5 travelers.
3. Do you mind a stop at the visa counter and a second payment? If so, the e-visa avoids both.

The e-visa follows Law 23/2023/QH15 and is valid up to 90 days. For the full side-by-side, read e-visa or visa on arrival.

Checklist before you fly

Most visa on arrival problems happen before the airport, so check these points when the letter arrives:

• Names and dates. Compare the name, passport number and arrival date on the letter with your passport. A mismatch can stop you at the airline desk.
• Arrival airport. The letter is issued for the airport you chose. Land there, not at another airport.
• Printed copy. Carry the letter on paper as well as on your phone.
• Stamping fee. Plan to pay it at the airport. Ask the airline or the airport which currencies and cards the counter accepts, because we cannot confirm that for you.
• Passport validity. At least 6 months from the entry date, with two blank pages.

If you find a mistake on the letter after it has been issued, write to us at [email protected] or on WhatsApp at +84 879 932 635 (8:00 to 21:00, GMT+7) before you travel. We do not promise a refund for visa on arrival on this page, so check the refund policy for the product you order.

Guides for each step

Each step of visa on arrival has its own guide:

• The short-notice letter page covers what to do when you fly soon.
• The approval letter page shows what the letter contains and how to check it.
• The airport procedure page walks through the counter.

Ready to order? Use our visa on arrival service. Prefer one payment and no counter? Apply for your e-visa.