Applying E-Visa in Vietnam

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Getting an E-visa to enter Vietnam can be quite frustrating to be frank, and there are multiple confusing information on the internet about the Vietnam e-visa and obtaining one. So in this article, we’ll try to be as condense and as simple as possible. Considering this one “Vietnam E-visa for Dummies”, and no, definitely you’re not a dummy but applying for one makes us feel like one sometimes (I do lol!). Without any further ado, let’s get to it.

What is an E-visa:

Short answer: E-visa is your ticket to enter vietnam and stay from 30 - 90 days. However you DON’T need an E-visa to enter and stay in Vietnam if you are from the the following countries:

Country	Days	Country	Days	Country	Days
The UK	45	Belarus	45	Brunei	14
Spain	45	Sweden	45	Myanmar	14
Norway	45	Cambodia	30	Kyrgyzstan	30
Italy	45	Laos	30	Japan	45
Germany	45	Thailand	30	South Korea	45
Denmark	45	Singapore	30	Chile	90
France	45	Malaysia	30	Panama	90
Finland	45	Indonesia	30
Russia	45	The Philippines	21

So if your country is NOT on this list or your country is on this list AND you want to stay in Vietnam longer than the exempted day, apply for an E-visa.

If you’re flying DIRECTLY into Phu Quoc (the island in the South) and ONLY stay on the island 30 days max and fly out from THE ISLAND, you DON’T need to apply for any visa regardless of your nationality. However if you plan to leave the island to visit the rest of Vietnam or fly to the island from other cities/towns in Vietnam, E-visa it is!

How many types of E-visa are there, and how much do they cost?

Single entry: Once you leave the country, you’ll have to re-apply for a new one, even you left before the permitted end date written on the visa - $25 USD
Multiple entry: You can enter and exit the country as many times as you want within the visa’s permitted time period - $50 USD

So if you’re planning to only visit Vietnam for a short period of time, NOT planning to leave the country and will only come back to visit after a while, a single entry E-visa would be enough. Otherwise, a multiple entry visa would make more sense.

And no, E-visa CANNOT be extended within the country. Once your E-visa is up, you'll have to leave the country, apply for a new one, wait for it to be granted, and re-enter.

What do I need to apply for a Vietnam E-visa?

Pretty simple I’d say:

Your passport is valid for at least 6 months following arrival date.
Your passport must have at least 2 blank pages.
Make sure yourself is not on the country’s immigration blacklist…
A working visa/master debit/credit card, for the final payment duh!

Now your dream trip is almost ready, let’s get the the most exciting part: applying for the E-visa.

How to apply for an E-visa?

Go to THIS official website of the government, like seriously, this is the ONLY official website link that you should follow and apply. Other links are either fake or scams. Follow the instructions and Boom, Finito! Now wait for your E-visa to arrive….

….Jokes, we’ll break it down for you:

1/ Read the instructions carefully on the website and fill in your required information. You’ll definitely need:

A digital 4x6 cm (2x2 inches) colored portrait photo with clear face and white background, taken within 6 months from the day of submission, to upload to the portal.
A digital copy of your passport personal data page.

2/ Fill in all the required information. Please note that:

Your name (Surname and Given Name) must be exactly the same with the name on your passport, that means including your middle name. Don’t skip it.
The visa’s validity will be issued based on the period you enter in the “Expected Travel Date” section.
Those sections without the red star (*) can be left blank however, we’d recommend filling it since it might make the approval easier.

You can just leave out the agency part.

Always put 90 days instead of 30, it won’t cost anything more and it gives you more time in case you want to change or extend your plans.
Exit checkpoint doesn’t have to be exact but entry checkpoint should be. Please be inform that you CANNOT change your E-visa application once submitted. Which means if you have submitted and you have plans to change your entry checkpoint, you’ll have to apply for a COMPLETELY NEW E-visa.

If you have child(ren) under 14 years old traveling with you, put their information into the section via the plus button. If not, just ignore.

3/ Once filled, proceed to make payment online for the type of visa you apply for. Please note that the fee will NOT be refunded even if your visa is denied. So make sure everything you enter is correct because you only have one shot, do not miss the chance to blow… get the reference?!

4/ Now we wait. The waiting game is never fun I know, and it takes 3 - 7 working days (NOT including the weekend) for your E-visa to be processed. Patience is a virtue! For some people it even takes approximately 2 weeks, so we’d recommend applying for your E-visa 2 - 3 weeks before your intended departure date.

5/ During this time, you can, and should, check the status of your visa THIS link:

Fill in the required information and click search. If granted, you can see your E-visa by cliking on the Green arrow next to print visa. Download your E-visa and TADAAA… you’re ready to go! Although you can just show your E-visa from your phone, you should also print it out just in case of technological issues! Your E-visa will look like this:

DIY OR THROUGH AGENTS?

We’d recommend doing it 100% by yourself. The process might be a bit confusing at times but it’s actually pretty straightforward, also saves you a bunch of money as the agents can sometimes quote you notorious fees. Maybe (stress on maybe) use an agent if you’re in emergency situation like your flight is leaving in a few hours and you haven’t received your E-visa. And do a research on your agent before you decide to go with them.

I guess that’s pretty much it huh. With your E-visa ready, it’s time to discover Vietnam’s hidden charm!

Saigon Vintage Tour - Vespa A Go Go
ADDRESS: 13A Nguyen Van Mai, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
PHONE & WHATSAPP : +84 385 312 407
EMAIL: support@vespagogo.com
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