Vietnam Visa for Indians

Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam?

Ordinary Indian passport holders planning a mainland Vietnam holiday should arrange a visa before travel. India is not listed for ordinary-passport visa exemption in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs table. Diplomatic and official passport arrangements are different and should not be used to plan a family holiday.

The practical online route is the Vietnamese Immigration Department's eVISA. It is available to citizens of all countries and territories, including India, for a maximum validity of 90 days, with single-entry or multiple-entry options. Use the dates and entry conditions on the visa actually issued. A 90-day ceiling does not automatically give every traveller 90 days.

Use the official application websites

The Immigration Department directs applications and result checks to evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. Check the spelling before entering passport information or paying. Commercial websites can charge additional fees and are not the government portal.

The department says applicants must be outside Vietnam, hold a valid passport and meet the legal entry conditions. The embassy's eVISA guidance asks for a portrait photograph and the full passport data page, including its machine-readable lines. Complete every required field and check names, passport number, nationality, travel dates and entry point carefully. Follow the current portal's upload instructions rather than an old agency checklist.

Fees, processing and the approved document

The government's eVISA guidance lists US$25 for a single-entry eVISA and US$50 for a multiple-entry eVISA. These are government fees, not a quote for any agency service or bank conversion charge. The Immigration Department says the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused. The embassy also says unused eVISA payments are not refundable.

The official Immigration portal states processing within three working days after complete information and the fee are received, while the Embassy of Vietnam in New Delhi advises allowing 5 to 30 working days. Apply well before travel; do not treat the portal figure as a guarantee or a safe last-minute deadline. Apply early enough to correct mistakes and allow for non-working days. Keep the application reference and check the result through the official portal.

Once approved, check the document before departure. The embassy instructs travellers to present a printed eVISA and the valid passport at the checkpoint. Enter within its validity period. A saved application or payment receipt is not an approved visa.

Entry points and leaving Vietnam

eVISA travel uses government-designated international border gates. Check the current list for the airport, land crossing or seaport in your itinerary rather than assuming every crossing accepts it. The official published list includes Hanoi's Noi Bai, Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang and Phu Quoc airports.

If your holiday leaves Vietnam for another country and returns, a single-entry visa will not cover the second entry. Choose the entry type that fits the whole route before applying. Check transit arrangements with your airline, especially separate tickets or baggage collection that requires clearing immigration.

Phu Quoc is a separate exception

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists a visa exemption for foreign passport holders visiting Phu Quoc for no longer than 30 days. This is not a mainland Vietnam visa exemption. The embassy describes it for trips where Phu Quoc is the only Vietnamese destination and gives specific arrival, onward-travel and passport conditions.

Do not use the island exemption for a combined Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc trip. Arrange an appropriate visa for mainland travel. If a connection is involved, confirm the exact routing with the airline and Vietnamese authorities before relying on the island exception.

Pre-arrival information is not an eVISA

The Ministry of Public Security says the Pre-arrival Information system is separate from visa applications. Its May 2026 pilot notice described declarations within three days before entry and a QR code, not an eVISA.

A newer notice from the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore, dated 2 July 2026, names Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc airports and strongly encourages travellers to complete the declaration within three days before arrival or upon arrival. It does not describe the declaration as a visa or establish a nationwide mandatory rule.

Use only the official pre-arrival website and recheck current airport and airline instructions before flying. A pre-arrival QR code is not a substitute for an approved visa.

Planning with parents

Keep a printed approved eVISA and passport together for each traveller, with another secure copy available if needed. Check every family member's document separately. Keep hotel contacts and the first-night address easy to find. Arrange airline mobility assistance and suitable travel medical insurance separately; they are practical travel planning, not substitutes for entry permission.