Vietnam’s entry rules have become far simpler over the last few years, but they still trip travellers up because the information online mixes old and new systems. This is the plain version we give our own guests. Always confirm details for your nationality on the official government portals before you fly, since rules can change at short notice.
The three ways most travellers enter
1. Visa exemption
Citizens of a number of countries can enter for a set number of days without a visa. The exemption length varies by nationality, and it applies to tourism as well as most short business trips. If your trip fits inside the allowance and you do not plan to leave and re-enter, this is the simplest route.
2. E-visa
The e-visa is the standard option for everyone else and is applied for online. You upload a passport scan and a passport-style photo, pay the fee by card, and receive a PDF to print. Key points:
- Apply from the official immigration e-visa portal only. Many lookalike sites charge a large mark-up for the same document.
- Processing usually takes a few working days, but leave two weeks of margin.
- Check every field against your passport before submitting — a wrong middle name or date of birth means reapplying, not editing.
- Print the approval and keep a copy on your phone. Airline staff at check-in often ask for it before immigration does.
- Your entry and exit border gates are recorded on the e-visa; use the ones you selected.
3. Visa on arrival with a pre-approval letter
Still used for some categories and longer stays, and always arranged before you fly through a sponsoring company. For standard tourism the e-visa has largely replaced it.
Passport and document checklist
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date, with two blank pages.
- E-visa printout or proof of exemption eligibility.
- Onward or return ticket — occasionally checked at check-in rather than on arrival.
- Hotel or itinerary details for the arrival card, if one is in use at your airport.
- Travel insurance that covers medical treatment and, if you plan to ride a motorbike, that specific activity. Most policies do not.
Cambodia and Laos on the same trip
Multi-country trips are the norm for our guests, and each border has its own paperwork. Cambodia and Laos both operate their own e-visa and visa-on-arrival systems, and a Vietnamese visa gives you nothing at those borders. Two things to plan for:
- Re-entering Vietnam. If your route is Vietnam, then Cambodia, then back into Vietnam for the flight home, you need a visa or exemption that permits the second entry. This is the single most common mistake we correct.
- Land borders. They are slower and less predictable than airports, and some are not valid for e-visa entry. We build extra time into any land-crossing day, as on a 10-day Cambodia itinerary combined with southern Vietnam.
On arrival
Queues at Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are longest in the early morning and late evening. Immigration is straightforward: passport, e-visa printout, fingerprints, stamp. Keep the stamp legible and check the exit date written on it — that date, not the length of your visa, is what matters if you are questioned later.
You may bring a reasonable amount of foreign currency without declaration; larger sums must be declared. Drones, satellite phones and professional filming gear can be held at customs without a permit, so tell us in advance if you are travelling with them.
How we help
We do not sell visas, and we would rather you did not overpay an agency for one. What we do is check your route against your nationality’s rules before we finalise an itinerary, flag any second-entry or land-border problem, and give you the official links so you can apply yourself in about fifteen minutes. Send us your route and we will sanity-check the paperwork with it.
This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Verify current requirements with the Vietnamese immigration authority or your nearest embassy before booking flights.