Vietnam E-Visa Application And Photo

Obtaining a visa is one of the first steps for most international travelers before visiting Vietnam. The e-Visa application process, available to citizens of all countries and territories since 15 August 2023, requires an online form and a passport-style photo. This guide breaks down the essentials of applying for a Vietnam e-Visa, including instructions for submitting the correct photo to avoid delays.

Table of contents

• Is it possible to travel to Vietnam visa-free?
• Countries eligible for e-Visa to Vietnam
• What is the difference between Vietnamese e-Visa and visa-on-arrival?
• Vietnam E-visa application process
• Documents required for an online visa to Vietnam
• Vietnam visa photo requirements
• Get a digital photo for the Vietnam e-visa application online
• Vietnam e-Visa costs
• Vietnam e-Visa validity
• How to extend your Vietnamese e-Visa
• FAQ

Is it possible to travel to Vietnam visa-free?

Some passport holders can visit Vietnam without a visa, but the permitted stay and conditions depend on nationality and the applicable agreement. The tables below cover short visits by ordinary passport holders, not exemptions reserved for diplomatic or official passports.

Vietnam's unilateral exemption rules and the August 2025 visa-exemption expansion provide the following 45-day allowances:

Resolution 44 applies from 15 March 2025 through 14 March 2028. Resolution 229 applies from 15 August 2025 through 14 August 2028. Applicants must meet Vietnam's entry conditions; a UK-issued passport does not necessarily mean its holder is a British citizen.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' bilateral exemption list gives these additional ordinary-passport allowances:

These are maximum stays, not permission to work. Unilateral visa-free entry requires at least six months' passport validity, and several bilateral agreements also require six months. Singapore's ordinary-passport exemption additionally requires a return or onward ticket, sufficient funds and the documents needed for the onward journey. Colombia is not included here: its published bilateral agreement covers diplomatic and official passports, not a general ordinary-passport tourist exemption.

Phu Quoc also has a separate exemption for qualifying visits of up to 30 days confined to the island. Do not use it for a trip that includes mainland Vietnam without checking the applicable visa requirements.

If your passport or itinerary does not qualify for an exemption, apply for the appropriate visa before traveling.

Countries eligible for e-Visa to Vietnam

Citizens of all countries and territories have been eligible to apply for a Vietnam e-Visa since 15 August 2023. Nationality eligibility does not guarantee approval: you must meet the application and entry conditions, and the personal application route is for foreigners outside Vietnam.

If an e-Visa does not suit your needs, you can apply through a Vietnamese embassy or the appropriate sponsored visa procedure. Visa issuance on arrival is a separate route subject to qualifying circumstances and any required prior approval.

What is the difference between Vietnamese e-Visa and visa-on-arrival?

A Vietnamese e-Visa is approved before travel and downloaded as an electronic document. Present a printed copy with the passport used for the application. It replaces the need to collect a visa sticker on arrival, but does not eliminate immigration checks or entry and exit stamps.

Visa issuance at a border checkpoint is not an unrestricted walk-up service for every tourist. The law identifies qualifying circumstances, including:

• Departure from a country without a Vietnamese authority responsible for issuing visas;
• Travel through other countries before reaching Vietnam;
• A tour arranged by an international tourism business in Vietnam;
• Certain foreign ship-crew journeys;
• A relative's funeral, a visit to a seriously ill relative, or an approved emergency or humanitarian journey.

For an organized-tour or sponsored route, obtain the required approval through the inviting organization before departure. Confirm the authorized checkpoint, visa category, documents, photo requirements and fee stated in the approval instructions. Do not assume that buying an agency letter entitles every traveler to obtain a visa at any airport.

If you are eligible to obtain a Vietnamese e-visa online, we recommend using this method for greater convenience.

Vietnam E-visa application process

You can apply for a Vietnamese visa online in several steps:

1. Visit the official Vietnam e-Visa portal and select the application route for foreigners outside Vietnam;
2. Enter your personal and passport details, requested visa dates, entry type and travel information. Upload a recent portrait and a complete passport data-page image in their separate fields;
3. Review your name, passport number, dates and selected checkpoints before paying the non-refundable fee: US$25 for single entry or US$50 for multiple entries;
4. Save your application reference, confirmation and payment receipt. Check that the payment has been recorded;
5. Use the portal's application-status service and the details requested there to follow your application. Check email notifications, including spam folders;
6. When approved, download and print the e-Visa, check its passport details and validity dates, and keep a digital backup for your journey.

The statutory processing period is three working days after the authority receives the required application information and fee. Weekends and public holidays are not working days. Leave additional time for any requested corrections; submitting a form or making a payment is not itself visa approval.

Entry points accepting Vietnam e-Visas

The government's December 2025 checkpoint expansion, under Resolution 389/NQ-CP, brings the designated list to 83 checkpoints. They include airports, land and railway crossings, and seaports:

• Airports: Cat Bi; Cam Ranh; Can Tho; Da Nang; Noi Bai; Phu Quoc; Phu Bai; Tan Son Nhat; Van Don; Tho Xuan; Dong Hoi; Phu Cat; Lien Khuong; Vinh; Chu Lai; Long Thanh; Gia Binh
• Land and railway crossings: Bo Y; Cha Lo; Cau Treo; Huu Nghi; Ha Tien; Lao Bao; Lao Cai (land); La Lay; Moc Bai; Mong Cai; Nam Can; Na Meo; Vinh Xuong (land and river); Tinh Bien; Tay Trang; Xa Mat; Dong Dang (railway); Lao Cai (railway); Tra Linh; Long Sap; Nam Giang; Le Thanh; Binh Hiep; Thuong Phuoc (land and waterway); Dinh Ba; Tan Nam; Thanh Thuy
• Seaports: Chan May; Cam Pha; Da Nang; Duong Dong; Dung Quat; Hon Gai; Hai Phong; Nghi Son; Nha Trang; Quy Nhon; Ho Chi Minh City; Vung Ang; Vung Tau; Van Gia; Diem Dien; Hai Thinh; Ninh Binh; Cua Lo-Ben Thuy; Son Duong; Gianh; Hon La; Cuu Viet; Thuan An; Ky Ha; Sa Ky; Vung Ro; Ca Na; Ninh Chu; Phu Quy; Lien Huong; Ben Luc; Dong Thap; Soai Rap-Hiep Phuoc; My Thoi; Hon Chong; An Thoi; Truong Long Hoa; Giao Long; Nam Can

Long Thanh and Gia Binh were designated subject to becoming operational. Inclusion in the legal list is not confirmation that an airport or border crossing is operating for your journey. Check the route with your carrier and follow the checkpoint instructions in the current application and issued e-Visa. E-visa designation applies to both entry and exit, not to every crossing in Vietnam.

Documents required for an online visa to Vietnam

To apply for a Vietnam e-Visa, have these documents and information ready:

• Your valid passport and a clear image of its complete personal data page, including all corners and the machine-readable lines;
• A recent digital portrait, uploaded separately from the passport image;
• An accessible email address;
• Your intended entry and exit dates, checkpoints and accommodation details;
• A payment card accepted by the portal.

Vietnam's visa rules require the visa's validity to end at least 30 days before the passport expires. Check this against the dates you request. Six months of remaining passport validity is a useful travel margin and is required for some visa-free routes, but should not be confused with an independently verified universal e-Visa upload condition. Allow space for immigration stamps; the published e-Visa conditions do not establish a universal requirement for two blank pages.

Use the same passport for the application and travel. A new passport number requires checking the appropriate procedure rather than assuming an e-Visa issued for the old passport transfers automatically.

Vietnam visa photo requirements

For a Vietnam e-Visa, the portal's published instructions request a recent 4 x 6 cm portrait in JPG/JPEG format, with a white finished background. They specify a forward-facing photo without glasses or a hat. The portrait measurement does not mean that you must submit a printed photo for an online application.

Prepare the photo as follows:

• Use a recent photo that reflects your current appearance;
• Face the camera and show your face clearly;
• Keep a neutral expression and your eyes visible;
• Leave space around your head rather than cropping against the image borders;
• Keep hair and other objects from obscuring your face;
• Use a sharp image with natural skin tones;
• Avoid glare, red-eye and distracting shadows;
• Do not reshape facial features or change identifying details;
• Remove glasses for the e-Visa portrait. If a medical or religious circumstance prevents following the displayed instructions, seek guidance from Immigration rather than assuming an exception.

The portal's published instructions recommend a file below 2 MB, but other public labels say 2 MB or 10 MB. Prepare a clear JPG/JPEG below 2 MB as a practical starting point, then follow the current portrait field. This is not a claim that every upload field has the same verified maximum. No exact pixel minimum has been verified, and limits for passport images or supporting documents should not be transferred to the portrait.

Upload the portrait and passport data page separately. Do not crop your portrait out of a passport scan. The data page must remain complete and readable, with its machine-readable zone visible.

If you see "Portrait photo was captured from another source," check that you selected a suitable recent portrait file, not a photograph of another document or a composite image. If needed, export a clear JPEG and upload a replacement that follows the displayed instructions. For passport-image errors, replace the passport image with a clearer complete data-page image instead of changing the portrait. If the warning persists, use the portal's official support or amendment instructions. A similarity percentage is not approval, and screenshot or messaging-app tricks are not verified solutions.

Here is a sample:

Get a digital photo for the Vietnam e-visa application online

Applying for a visa to enter Vietnam has never been more accessible, but don’t let that make you slip up with your documents. Ensure your photo is up to par to ensure a smooth application process.

We recommend using Visafoto, an online photo editor adjusting photographs for various documents worldwide since 2013. It will make sure your photo fulfills all the parameters needed.

Just take a picture of yourself following the guidelines stated above. Don’t worry about the size, background, positions, and proportions: Visafoto will take care of the rest!

Take an image with a smartphone or camera against any background, upload it here, and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport, or ID.

You will get a digital photo like this one:

Vietnam e-Visa costs

Vietnam e-Visa fees are US$25 for single entry or US$50 for multiple entries, payable online. These are application fees, not a guarantee of a 90-day visa. The fee is non-refundable if the visa is not granted.

• Single entry: US$25
• Multiple entries: US$50

Apply directly through the official portal to avoid optional agency service charges. Check the payment confirmation and any charges displayed by your payment provider before treating the application as paid.

Vietnam e-Visa validity

A Vietnam e-Visa can be issued for up to 90 days, with single or multiple entries. Its validity is determined by the approved start and end dates, not automatically by the issue date or your actual arrival date.

With a single-entry e-Visa, you can enter once during the approved period. With a multiple-entry e-Visa, you can leave and return during that period, subject to entry requirements. Re-entering does not reset the expiry date or grant a new 90-day stay.

For example, if your e-Visa is valid from 1 November through 30 November and you arrive on 10 November, your permission does not automatically continue for 30 days from arrival. Follow the visa dates and the permitted stay recorded by Immigration.

How to extend your Vietnamese e-Visa

Do not assume an e-Visa can be extended automatically. If you need to stay beyond the approved dates, contact Vietnam Immigration before your permitted stay ends to establish whether you qualify for a new visa, a change of status or another residence procedure.

• A sponsored application requires an eligible inviting or sponsoring party and the relevant supporting documents. Sponsorship does not guarantee a particular extension length;
• Leaving Vietnam and applying for a new e-Visa is a new application, not an extension of the old one. You must qualify, obtain approval and meet the rules of the country you visit before returning;
• Do not book a border trip on the assumption that a pending application guarantees re-entry.

Overstaying can lead to administrative penalties and, depending on the circumstances, removal or restrictions on future entry. The applicable administrative-penalty framework is Decree 282/2025, effective from 15 December 2025, as amended. Seek guidance before expiry if you cannot leave as planned; a pending application does not automatically extend permission to stay.

FAQ

How long before my trip should I apply for a Vietnam e-Visa?

Allow at least 7 to 10 days before departure as a planning buffer, and more around holidays or if you may need corrections. The statutory processing period is three working days after the required application information and fee are received, not a guarantee of approval three calendar days after you start the form.

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Can I apply for a Vietnam e-Visa from inside Vietnam?

The personal e-Visa application route is for foreigners outside Vietnam. If you are already in the country, ask Immigration which sponsored visa or residence procedure applies to your circumstances rather than using an overseas application to assume your current stay has been extended.

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What ports of entry accept Vietnam e-Visas?

The designated list contains 83 checkpoints, including airports, land and railway crossings, and seaports. See the categorized entry-point table above. Check that your actual arrival and departure routes are supported and follow the instructions on your issued visa.

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Do children need separate Vietnam e-Visas?

A child traveling on their own passport needs an application using that passport if a visa is required. The portal has a separate accompanying-child procedure for eligible children under 14 included in a parent's passport. Do not add a child traveling on their own passport to that shared-passport procedure, or assume a parent's visa automatically covers them. Follow the applicable form and payment instructions rather than applying one fee rule to every child.

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What if my Vietnam e-Visa application gets rejected?

Read the status message carefully. A request to amend information or replace an upload is not the same as a final refusal: follow the correction instructions attached to your application. If the visa is refused, the application fee is not refunded. Correct the identified problem and establish whether a new application is required before paying again.

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Can I change travel dates after Vietnam e-Visa approval?

Do not assume you can edit the validity dates of an issued e-Visa. If your revised trip still fits within its approved period, a later arrival leaves less time before expiry. If your travel falls outside that period, contact Immigration about the required procedure or apply for the appropriate new visa. Do not rely on your old approval for dates it does not cover.

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Is travel insurance required for a Vietnam e-Visa?

The standard published e-Visa conditions do not establish travel insurance as a universal mandatory document. The application asks about insurance and trip expenses; answer accurately and provide anything specifically requested for your case. Travel insurance is recommended for medical treatment or emergency evacuation during your stay.

Last updated: 14 October 2026.