Vietnam E-Visa for Indians

The Modern Way to Enter Vietnam on an Indian Passport

Direct flights from New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Kochi have brought Vietnam closer than ever for Indian travellers. Whether you want to sip egg coffee in Hanoi's Old Quarter, trek through Sapa's misty rice terraces, or cruise around Ha Long Bay, the trip starts with a simple digital document. Vietnam offers an electronic visa (e-Visa) for all Indian passport holders, valid for up to 90 days with options for single or multiple entry.

The application is entirely online. You do not need to drop off your passport at an embassy, mail physical documents, or line up at a stamping counter on arrival. However, slight mistakes on your form can delay processing or result in a flat rejection at airport check-in desks in India. Following the exact steps below will ensure your approval arrives smoothly.

Beware of Fake Websites: Finding the Official Portal

Search engines are flooded with third-party agencies that look remarkably official. These sites charge $70 to $120 for a service that actually costs a fraction of that amount. Worse, some issue invalid approval letters that get travellers turned away at immigration.

The Vietnamese government operates its portal under the Ministry of Public Safety. Always ensure your browser URL points to either evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn or dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn. If the portal asks for anything above $25 for a single-entry visa, you are on a commercial agency site, not the government portal.

Visa Types, Validity, and Official Fees

Indian citizens can select between two primary options when applying online:

• 30-Day or 90-Day Single Entry: Costs exactly $25 USD (approx. ₹2,100 INR). This allows you to enter Vietnam once. If you step out to visit Cambodia or Laos, you cannot re-enter on this same visa.
• 30-Day or 90-Day Multiple Entry: Costs exactly $50 USD (approx. ₹4,200 INR). This lets you cross borders into neighbouring countries and return to Vietnam as many times as you like within the validity period.

All visa fees are non-refundable, even if your application contains errors or gets rejected. Make sure every entry is double-checked before submitting payment.

Required Documents and Pre-Application Preparation

Before opening the application page, prepare these files on your device. Having them correctly formatted ahead of time saves frustration during the upload process.

1. Digital Passport Photo

Your passport photo must be taken within the last six months. Do not use a cropped selfie or a photo of an existing physical print taken with your phone camera.

• Format: JPG or JPEG file.
• Background: Solid white, clean, and untextured.
• Appearance: Look straight into the camera with a neutral face. Both ears must be clearly visible.
• Attire & Eyewear: Do not wear glasses, hats, or headwear (unless worn daily for religious reasons, in which case the full face from chin to forehead must remain unobscured). Avoid white shirts, as they blend into the white background.

2. Passport Bio-Page Scan

Upload a clear, full-colour scan of your passport’s bio page (the page containing your photo, personal details, and signature line).

• Your passport must have at least six months of remaining validity from your planned date of entry into Vietnam.
• It must contain at least two completely blank pages for entry and exit stamps.
• Ensure no glares, light reflections, or fingers cover any text. The Machine Readable Zone (the two lines of text and symbols at the very bottom of the page) must be entirely clear and uncropped.

Step-by-Step Application Walkthrough

Step 1: Access the Application Form

Head to the official portal, select the e-Visa application option for foreign individuals, and read the instructions. Tick the confirmation box indicating you have understood the terms, then click to proceed to the main form.

Step 2: Upload Your Images

Upload your passport bio-page scan and your portrait photo into their respective slots. The portal uses optical character recognition (OCR) software to automatically populate certain fields based on your passport scan. Never rely entirely on this feature—it frequently misinterprets Indian names and dates.

Step 3: Fill Out Personal Details Accurately

Pay extra attention to this section. Any mismatch between your application and your physical passport will lead to major issues at airport immigration.

The Indian Name Setup: Indian passports usually split names into "Given Name(s)" and "Surname". Fill these fields strictly as printed on your passport.

• If your passport displays your full name under "Given Name" and leaves "Surname" blank, type your full name into the Given Name field on the form, or follow the portal's explicit instruction for single-name applicants.
• Do not add prefixes like Mr, Mrs, Late, or Dr.
• Make sure your date of birth, nationality, gender, and passport number match your document character for character.

Step 4: Enter Travel Details and Itinerary

Provide your intended entry date, duration of stay, and local temporary address in Vietnam. A confirmed reservation at a hotel or hostel in your starting city (such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City) works perfectly. You do not need to submit proof of accommodation, but the address field cannot be left blank.

Step 5: Select Your Entry and Exit Checkpoints

This is a major sticking point for travellers. You must select your specific port of entry (e.g., Noi Bai Int Airport in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat Int Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Nang Airport) from the drop-down menu.

You may arrive on or after your approved start date, but never before. Additionally, you cannot enter Vietnam through an airport or land border that differs from the entry point listed on your approved e-Visa. Double-check your flight tickets before selecting your port of entry.

Step 6: Review and Save Your Registration Code

After completing the form, the system generates a unique Registration Code. Copy this code down immediately and save it in your notes app or take a screenshot. You will need this code, alongside your email address and date of birth, to track your approval status and download the visa later. The system does not always send this code via email automatically.

Step 7: Complete Payment

Pay the fee using an international credit or debit card. Most Indian debit cards have international transactions turned off by default—activate international usage through your bank’s mobile app before attempting payment.

Payment gateways incur a small transaction fee (around $0.75 to $1 USD). Consider using a zero-forex card (like those issued by Niyo, Fi, or OneCard) to avoid the standard 3.5% foreign exchange mark-up added by conventional Indian banks.

Processing Time and Tracking Your Application

Standard processing takes three to five business days. Note that Vietnamese public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays do not count toward this processing timeline. During peak travel seasons (November to February), applications can take up to seven business days.

To check your status, return to the official portal, navigate to the "Search e-Visa" tab, and enter your Registration Code, email address, and date of birth. Once approved, your status will change to "Granted", and a download link for a PDF document will appear.

What to Do Upon Arrival in Vietnam

When you land at airports in Vietnam, do not stand in the long queues for the "Visa on Arrival" or "Landing Visa" counter. That counter is strictly for travellers holding physical approval letters who need to pay stamping fees on-site.

Since you already hold a valid e-Visa, walk straight to the standard passport control/immigration lanes. Keep the following documents ready in your hand:

• Your original Indian passport (valid for at least 6 months).
• Two clean physical printouts of your approved e-Visa PDF (keep one as a backup in your daypack).
• Your return flight ticket back to India or onward to another country.

The immigration officer will verify your details, stamp your passport with your permitted length of stay, and wave you through. From there, collect your luggage, grab a local SIM card or activate an e-SIM, withdraw local currency (Vietnamese Dong) using a fee-free ATM like TPBank, and step out into Vietnam.