Vietnam entry requirements for U.S. citizens

What you need to enter Vietnam

Entry document for a tourist trip: Electronic visa (e-Visa) required¹. You request the e-visa online, on the official site, evisa.gov.vn². A Vietnamese embassy or consulate can also issue visas; check the official source if you prefer that route.

How long the e-visa lasts

Vietnam's e-visa can be issued for up to 90 days⁴, for one entry or for several. Choose your dates with care, because two rules apply once you are there:

• Vietnam does not allow an e-visa to be renewed or extended from inside the country.⁵
• To leave Vietnam you need a valid visa, a residence card, or approval from the Immigration Department.⁷

Passport rules for Vietnam

Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned stay in Vietnam.⁶ At least one blank visa page is required, not counting the endorsement page.⁸

If your passport does not meet these rules, renew it before you apply for the e-visa. Routine processing takes 4–6 weeks⁹, plus mailing time: see Renew your U.S. passport by mail. If you travel internationally soon, you can book an appointment at a passport agency or center once you are within 14 calendar days of your trip, or 28 days if you also need a foreign visa.¹⁰ Read Urgent travel: getting a passport fast.

At the border

Travelers with an e-visa must present the printed e-visa together with a valid passport at the port of entry.¹¹

Travel advisory

The U.S. Department of State currently rates Vietnam at Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions¹². Advisory levels can change at any time. Read the current advisory before you book and again before you leave.

Step by step

Checklist

Before you fly to Vietnam

Print checklist

• Passport that meets Vietnam's validity rule
• Blank visa pages, as Vietnam requires
• Approved e-visa with dates that cover your whole stay
• Printed copy of the e-visa, kept with your passport
• Current U.S. travel advisory read
• Official site checked again for rule changes

Do and don't

Do

• Apply on the official site, evisa.gov.vn², and keep a copy of what you submit.
• Ask for e-visa dates that cover your whole stay. Vietnam does not allow an e-visa to be renewed or extended from inside the country.⁵
• Keep the printed e-visa with your passport.

Don't

• Don't overstay your e-visa. To leave Vietnam you need a valid visa, a residence card, or approval from the Immigration Department.⁷
• Don't pay a website that only looks official. Check the address before you enter your passport details.
• Don't travel on a passport that misses Vietnam's validity rule.

Fees

This is a government fee, paid to the government of Vietnam. Passmere does not process visas and does not charge for this guide.

A multiple-entry e-visa costs more. The official site, evisa.gov.vn², shows the current fee for each type.

Frequently asked questions