🇻🇳 Vietnam Visa Guide for Indian Passport Holders

Important: use only the official government websites

The Embassy of Vietnam in New Delhi's own guidance is unusually direct on this point: "ALL OTHER WEBSITES ARE INVALID." Vietnam's e-Visa system operates only on two official domains, per the Vietnam Immigration Department's own notice (effective from 11 November 2024): evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. Numerous look-alike third-party sites exist that charge more than the official fee or provide unreliable service — the Embassy explicitly states it cannot approve, issue, correct, or verify the legitimacy of an e-visa itself; only the Immigration Department can, through the contact channels listed on the official e-visa website.

At a glance

Indian passport holders need an eVisa to travel to Vietnam for tourism or business — Vietnam's eVisa programme is open to citizens of all countries and territories, valid for up to 90 days, for single or multiple entries. There is no visa-free arrangement for Indian passport holders.

Choose your purpose of travel

• Tourist eVisa: for holidaying and general visits, up to 90 days, single or multiple entry.
• Business eVisa: for business activities, also up to 90 days, single or multiple entry.
• Transit eVisa: for travellers passing through Vietnam, up to 90 days.
• Visa on Arrival (Pre-Approval Letter): a separate, older route requiring a pre-approval letter before departure, then a stamp issued at the airport for a fee — the eVisa is generally the simpler, more direct official route and is used by most applicants today.

Visa requirement for an Indian passport holder

A visa is required for every visit. Vietnam's visa-exemption list applies to specific other nationalities and does not include India, so Indian passport holders need an eVisa (or a sticker visa from a Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate) for any purpose covered by this guide.

Where and how to apply

• Apply directly online at the official portal: evisa.gov.vn (or the equivalent thithucdientu.gov.vn) — this is run by the Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam.
• Enter and exit only through designated international border gates listed by the Vietnamese Government — check the current list on the official portal, since not all border crossings accept eVisa holders.

iamravi.com is not affiliated with the Government of Vietnam, the Vietnam Immigration Department, or the Embassy of Vietnam. All application, payment, and issuance steps happen on the two official government domains listed above — never here, and never on any other website claiming to offer this service.

Eligibility and passport conditions

Your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after your date of arrival in Vietnam. Eligibility for the eVisa additionally requires that you are not otherwise covered by specific categories under Vietnam's Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners (broadly: existing diplomatic arrangements or entry suspensions) — this is unlikely to affect most leisure or business travellers, but the official portal will flag it if relevant to you.

Application steps

1. Go to the official e-Visa portal (evisa.gov.vn) and fill out the application form accurately.
2. Upload the required documents — your passport bio-data page and a personal photo, per the portal's own specifications.
3. Complete payment through the e-visa portal's e-payment gateway. This fee is non-refundable, even if your visa is not granted.
4. Wait for processing — official guidance states this typically takes 5 to 30 working days after your application and full fee are received; apply well ahead of travel (some guidance suggests 7–40 working days as a safe margin) to avoid affecting confirmed bookings.
5. Check and download your result directly on the e-visa portal using your registration code, email, and date of birth — the Immigration Department does not email you the result; you must actively check the portal yourself.

Forms required

The entire eVisa application is completed through the official online portal — there is no separate paper form for this route.

Document checklist

Per the official portal: a valid passport (with at least 6 months' validity from your arrival date), a personal digital photo, and payment for the non-refundable e-visa fee. Business applicants may need to provide purpose-specific details as prompted by the portal.

Fees

The e-visa application fee is paid through the official portal's e-payment gateway and confirmed as non-refundable even if your visa isn't granted — check the current fee for your chosen entry type (single or multiple-entry) directly on the official portal before paying, since fee schedules can be revised and the primary sources reviewed did not display one single, dated fee table we could cite with full confidence.

Processing information

Official guidance states an e-Visa is generally processed within 5 to 30 working days after the Immigration Department receives your completed application and full fee — apply with a wide enough margin before travel, and avoid finalising non-refundable bookings until your e-visa is confirmed.

After submission

Check your result directly on the official portal's status-check page using your registration code, email address, and date of birth — save your registration code, since it's required to check and print your result, and no confirmation email is sent for the final result itself.

Common mistakes

• Applying through a look-alike third-party website rather than the two official domains (evisa.gov.vn / thithucdientu.gov.vn) — the Embassy of Vietnam explicitly warns against this.
• Losing your registration code, which is required to check your e-visa result — there's no email notification for the final decision.
• Planning to enter or exit through a border gate not on Vietnam's designated eVisa list.
• Booking non-refundable travel before receiving your e-visa result, given processing can take up to several weeks.

Official links

• Official Vietnam e-Visa portal (evisa.gov.vn)
• Vietnam Immigration Department portal
• Embassy of Vietnam in India — E-Visa