Vietnam's visa system in 2026 is dramatically friendlier than it was even three years ago. The two big policy moves — the 45-day visa exemption expanded to 25 countries in August 2023, and the e-visa duration extended from 30 to 90 days in August 2023 — have made the country one of the easiest in Southeast Asia to enter legally as a tourist.
Prefer to scan or share rather than read? The same policy is published as a Pinterest-shareable infographic — six panels (eligibility tiles, world map by entry type, the 2023/2025 reform timeline, e-visa application steps, common pitfalls, and the arrivals-data picture). Same rules, same sources.
The 2026 short version
- Check if you're visa-exempt. 25 countries get a 45-day visa-free stay. List on the Vietnam Immigration Department site (Vietnamese, but the eligible-countries list is internationally consistent).
- If not, apply for the e-visa. 90 days max, $25 single-entry or $50 multiple-entry, 3 working days processing, online, official site only (evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn).
- Print it and bring it to the airport. Border staff may still want a paper copy; some won't, but a printed PDF takes 30 seconds and removes one variable.
Visa-exempt countries (45 days)
As of 2026, the visa-exempt list includes:
- Europe: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belarus, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden
- Asia-Pacific: Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Myanmar
- Other: Chile, Kyrgyzstan
If you hold a passport from one of these countries you can enter Vietnam visa-free for up to 45 days. Multiple-entry is permitted within that 45-day window. You can apply for the regular e-visa or visa-on-arrival if you need longer.
The visa-exemption policy contributed materially to the record 21.2 million international arrivals in 2025 — European arrivals specifically grew faster than the overall average per our research on European arrival uplift after the 45-day expansion.
The e-visa: who, what, how
Everyone NOT on the visa-exempt list applies for the e-visa. That includes US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Chinese, Indian, and most Latin American passport holders, along with several others.
What you need
- A passport with at least 6 months' validity from your planned entry date
- A scanned colour copy of your passport's photo page
- A recent passport-style photo (4 × 6 cm, white background)
- A credit or debit card to pay the fee
- Your planned arrival date and port of entry (you can be flexible; you don't need a flight booking)
Application steps
- Go to evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn (only this domain — others are third-party agents).
- Click "E-visa Issuance" → "For foreigners".
- Fill in the form — personal details, passport scan, photo, intended dates.
- Choose single-entry ($25) or multiple-entry ($50).
- Pay online with international credit card.
- Receive an "Application Code" by email.
- After 3 working days, return to the site, enter your Application Code, and download the approved e-visa PDF.
What to do with the PDF
Print at least one copy. Bring it to the airport with your passport. At the immigration counter, hand over both — border staff scan the QR code on the PDF and stamp your passport. The whole process at arrival takes 1–2 minutes.
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Using a third-party "visa service" site. These charge $80–150 for the same e-visa that costs $25 from the official site. Their service is processing your application through the same official channel. The premium gets you nothing.
- Applying with less than a week to spare. The 3-working-days timeline is typical, but technical issues happen. Apply 7–14 days before your intended entry to leave a buffer.
- Passport with less than 6 months' validity. Vietnamese border officials enforce this strictly. If your passport expires within six months of your planned departure date, renew it before applying for the visa.
- Wrong port of entry on the form. The form asks where you'll arrive (Tân Sơn Nhất / HCMC, Nội Bài / Hanoi, Đà Nẵng, Cam Ranh / Nha Trang, etc.). It does NOT lock you to that port — you can enter at any approved port — but recent applications have seen friction when the listed and actual ports differ. Use your most likely arrival airport.
- Photo doesn't match the spec. The Vietnamese e-visa system rejects photos that are too small, low-resolution, or shot in front of a non-white background. Use a proper passport-photo service or a clean white wall with even daylight.
Visa extensions
If 45 days (visa-exempt) or 90 days (e-visa) isn't enough, you can extend inside Vietnam through a travel agency in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Expect:
- Cost: $60–90 for a standard 30-day extension
- Processing: 5–7 working days
- What you provide: your passport, the original e-visa or entry stamp, sometimes a passport photo
- What the agency provides: the paperwork shuffle with the Vietnam Immigration Department
The major Hanoi and HCMC backpacker districts have multiple visa-extension agents; reputable ones are easy to find via TripAdvisor or hostel-recommendation. Avoid agents who quote $100+ for standard extensions — they're charging tourist premiums.
"Got my 30-day extension through a small agency near Ngô Quyền in Hanoi for $70 in five days. The bigger 'tourist visa' offices on Mã Mây were quoting $120 for the same thing. Worth shopping around." — Reddit poster r/VietnamTravel, Australia, March 2026.
What if I want to do a Cambodia / Laos side trip?
Two practical paths:
- Multiple-entry e-visa ($50). Lets you exit Vietnam to Cambodia (Siem Reap, Phnom Penh) or Laos (Luang Prabang, Vientiane) and re-enter on the same e-visa within the 90-day window. Best for circular itineraries.
- Single-entry e-visa + new e-visa. Exit Vietnam, complete your Cambodia/Laos trip, apply for a fresh e-visa before returning. Cheaper if you only intend one round trip, but adds a 3-working-days wait.
For most travellers doing the Indochina loop in under 21 days, the multiple-entry option saves the application hassle.
Border-crossing realities
- Air: All international airports (Nội Bài, Tân Sơn Nhất, Đà Nẵng, Cam Ranh, Phu Bài, Cần Thơ, Phú Quốc) accept e-visas. Land border posts and seaports also accept them but the kiosk infrastructure is less consistent.
- Land borders with Cambodia and Laos: all major crossings now accept the e-visa. Bring extra time — overland posts process slower than airports.
- Boat from Cambodia (Mekong route): Châu Đốc / Vĩnh Xương crossing accepts e-visas; the Phú Quốc boat from Hà Tiên is technically domestic so no border issue, but for arrivals from Sihanoukville Cambodia it's a different story.
How much should I budget for visa-related costs?
For a typical 14-day tourist trip:
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| E-visa, single-entry | $25 | Most travellers |
| E-visa, multiple-entry | $50 | If you'll exit to Cambodia/Laos |
| Visa extension (30 days) | $60–90 | If staying past 45/90 days |
| Passport photos for visa application | $5 | Local photo shop |
| Printing the PDF | $1–2 | Hotel business centre or print shop |
That's roughly $30 of visa-related cost for most visitors — see the broader breakdown in the Vietnam Travel Cost Index 2026.
Limitations
Visa policy in Vietnam shifts more often than most countries — the 2023 reforms have been refined twice since, and individual nationality-specific rules can change with little notice. Workaround: check evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn directly within two weeks of your planned application, and cross-reference with your home country's travel-advisory site (US State Department, UK FCDO, Australia DFAT) for any recent updates.
This guide covers tourism visas only; business visas, study visas, and dependant visas have separate processes. Workaround: for non-tourist categories, work with a Vietnam-based immigration consultant — the savings from doing it yourself rarely justify the complexity for these visa types.