Vietnam e-Visa Guide: UK, US, Australian, and New Zealand Travellers (2025)

Vietnam e-Visa in 2025: What's Changed and What Still Applies

Vietnam overhauled its e-visa rules in August 2023, and the changes were genuinely good news for most travellers. The headline figure: UK, US, Australian, and New Zealand passport holders can now apply for a 90-day e-visa — single or multiple entry — directly through the official Vietnam Immigration Department portal.

Before August 2023, the e-visa was capped at 30 days and single entry only. That's gone. The current 90-day allowance means you can enter, leave to somewhere like Laos or Cambodia, and re-enter on the same visa — as long as your total time in Vietnam doesn't exceed 90 days and you selected multiple entry when you applied.

One thing that hasn't changed: Vietnam does not routinely offer visa on arrival for Western travellers as a standard route. The e-visa is the right approach for the vast majority of people. Visa on arrival technically still exists but requires a pre-arranged approval letter and adds complexity you don't need.

There are nationalities Vietnam treats differently, but UK, US, Australian, and New Zealand passport holders face no such complications. All four nationalities apply on the same portal, pay the same fee, and receive the same 90-day allowance.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply

The application lives entirely at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. Don't use any other website — there are numerous third-party sites that mimic the official portal, charge a premium, and add no value whatsoever.

Here's how the process works:

1. Create an account. Click 'For Foreigners' then 'E-Visa Grant'. Register with an email address you actually check — your approval will arrive there.

2. Fill in your personal details. Your full name exactly as it appears in your passport (middle names included), date of birth, nationality, passport number, and passport expiry date. Double-check every field before moving on. A single-character mismatch is enough to cause a problem at the border.

3. Upload your photo. This is where a surprising number of applications stumble. The system requires a recent colour photograph on a white background, face clearly visible, no glasses. The file must be JPEG format, between 10KB and 2MB. A photo taken against a plain white wall with your phone, cropped tightly to your head and shoulders, usually works fine. The portal will reject anything that doesn't meet the technical specification.

4. Upload your passport bio page. This is the main data page in your passport — the one with your photo and all your details. It needs to be a clear scan or photo, not blurry, not cropped. The full page should be visible including the machine-readable zone at the bottom.

5. Select your entry checkpoint. You'll be asked where you intend to enter Vietnam. If you're flying into Hanoi, select Noi Bai International Airport. Match this to your actual travel plans — more on why this matters in the common mistakes section.

6. Choose single or multiple entry. If you're planning to cross into Laos, Cambodia, or China and return to Vietnam during your trip, select multiple entry. A straightforward in-and-out trip can use single entry. Both cost the same.

7. Pay the fee. The current fee is $25 USD, paid by Visa or Mastercard. You'll receive a payment confirmation by email.

8. Note your reference number. The portal gives you a reference number on submission. Keep it — you'll use it to check your application status.

Processing Times, Costs, and What Approval Looks Like

The official processing time is three working days. In practice, many approvals arrive in two — and occasionally one — but we wouldn't plan around that. Apply at least a week before your departure date if you can. If you're leaving it late, submit five business days out as a minimum and keep an eye on your inbox.

The fee is $25 USD, paid once at the time of application. There is no separate fee to collect at the airport on arrival. If a site is quoting you significantly more than this, you're almost certainly on a third-party site.

When your visa is approved, you'll receive an email from the Immigration Department with a PDF attachment. Open it and check that your name, passport number, and travel dates are all correct. Save it somewhere accessible offline — downloaded to your phone, your laptop, or both. Print a copy if you'd feel more comfortable with paper in hand; some border officers still prefer it.

The approval document is your e-visa. It contains a QR code, your photograph, and your visa number. You don't receive a sticker in your passport before travel. The visa is stamped into your passport at the border when you arrive.

Country-Specific Notes: UK, US, Australia, New Zealand

In practice, there are no meaningful differences in how the e-visa works across these four nationalities. All four get the same 90-day allowance, the same $25 fee, and the same application process. That said, a few things are worth knowing.

Passport validity. Vietnam requires your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your intended exit date. This catches people out regularly. If your passport expires within six months of the date you plan to leave Vietnam — even if it's technically valid for the duration of your trip — you may be refused boarding at home or turned back at the border. Check this before you start the application.

UK travellers typically route through Dubai, Doha, or Bangkok and enter via Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. No additional restrictions apply beyond the standard rules above.

US travellers often route through Tokyo, Seoul, or Taipei. No additional restrictions. Worth noting: your routing may pass through countries with their own transit visa requirements — check those separately if you have a long layover.

Australian and New Zealand travellers usually route through Singapore or Bangkok. The same rules apply. One thing that sometimes catches Australians out: the name field must match your passport exactly, including any middle names that appear there.

If you're at the stage of sorting the practicalities and starting to think about what your trip will actually look like, our 10-day Northern Vietnam itinerary is a good starting point once the visa question is answered.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

These are the errors we see come up repeatedly, and all of them are avoidable with a bit of care before you hit submit.

Name doesn't match passport exactly. If your passport says 'Jonathan David Smith' and you enter 'Jon Smith', your e-visa is incorrect. Border officers check name against passport carefully. Include all middle names exactly as they appear in your travel document.

Passport expiry miscalculation. Your passport must be valid for six months beyond your exit date from Vietnam. Calculate this before you apply. If your passport is too close to expiry, renew it first — the process becomes significantly more stressful if you discover this at the airport.

Photo specification failures. The most common technical rejection. White background, JPEG format, between 10KB and 2MB, face centred and clearly visible, no glasses, no filters. Take a fresh photo against a plain wall rather than cropping one from a holiday snap.

Wrong entry checkpoint selected. If you choose Da Nang airport but you're flying into Hanoi, that's a mismatch. It won't necessarily prevent entry, but it can lead to questions and delays at the immigration counter. Select the checkpoint that matches your actual arrival.

Applying too late. Three working days is the advertised time, but processing can slow around Vietnamese public holidays — particularly Tết in late January or early February. Apply at least a week before departure when you can.

Using a third-party site. The real portal is evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. If you've been charged significantly more than $25 USD, you've used a third-party aggregator — and paid for nothing you couldn't have done directly yourself.

What to Do If Your Application Is Delayed or Rejected

Don't panic. Delays beyond three working days are uncommon but do happen, particularly around public holidays. Log back into the portal with your reference number and check your application status. The system will show whether it's still being processed or has been rejected.

If it's rejected, the portal usually gives a reason — most commonly a photo issue or a data mismatch. You can reapply immediately. Fix the specific problem, submit a fresh application, and pay the $25 fee again. The original fee is non-refundable.

For genuine delays with no clear reason, the official contact route is through the portal's help function. Responses take time, but it's the correct channel. Don't be tempted by third-party 'visa agents' promising fast-track approvals — Vietnam's e-visa system is a government process and no private company has a back channel into it. They will take your money and tell you to wait, which is exactly what you'd be doing anyway.

If your travel date is close and you're genuinely stuck, get in touch with us — we're happy to give honest guidance on your realistic options, even if the resolution ultimately has to come through official channels.

Arriving in Vietnam: What to Expect at the Border

When you land at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, have three things ready before you join the immigration queue: your passport, your e-visa approval document (printed or saved on your phone), and any return or onward travel confirmation.

Noi Bai has e-gates for certain passport holders. In practice, the queues at the manual immigration counters are often shorter than they look, and first-time visitors sometimes find the manual counter simpler and quicker. Either way, the officer will scan your passport, verify your e-visa, stamp your passport, and send you through. The visa goes in at this point — not before you travel.

Luggage collection and customs typically take 20 to 40 minutes depending on how many flights have landed at once. Transfers and taxis are available outside arrivals. We'd suggest pre-booking your transfer into the city — the journey into central Hanoi takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic, and having a driver waiting removes one more decision after a long-haul flight.

If an immigration officer asks a question, it's usually brief — where you're staying, how long you plan to be in Vietnam. Answer straightforwardly and you'll be on your way without any fuss.