Vietnam eVisa for Japanese Citizens

Updated 2026-07-02

Japanese citizens do not need a visa for Vietnam for stays of up to 45 days — the exemption covers tourism and business alike and runs until 14 March 2028. For anything longer, the 90-day eVisa is the standard route. This guide explains when the exemption is enough, when you need the eVisa instead, and how to get one quickly if your departure is close.

Do Japanese citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

No — not for short stays. Japan is one of 12 countries whose citizens Vietnam admits visa-free for up to 45 days under Resolution 44/NQ-CP. The exemption runs from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028, applies to every passport type, and covers any entry purpose — tourism and business alike. The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan has confirmed the policy.

You still need a passport in good condition: valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned stay, undamaged, and with blank pages for stamps (two is a safe rule). But there is no form, no fee, and no application — you are stamped in at the border for up to 45 days.

When do Japanese citizens need an eVisa?

When the stay will run past 45 days. Vietnam's eVisa has been open to all nationalities since 15 August 2023, and it allows a stay of up to 90 days as either a single-entry or multiple-entry visa.

The catch: an eVisa has to be arranged before you arrive. The 45-day exemption cannot simply be converted into something longer at the airport, so if there is a real chance your trip passes the 45-day mark — a long project phase, a slow negotiation, an open-ended visit — apply for the eVisa before you fly and enter on that instead.

eVisa fees and validity

The numbers are simple, and the only official cost is the government fee paid on the official portal:

• Government fee: US$25 for single entry, US$50 for multiple entry
• The fee is non-refundable, even if the application is refused
• Maximum stay: up to 90 days
• Issued by: the Vietnam Immigration Department, through evisa.gov.vn

How to apply and how long it takes

Apply on evisa.gov.vn, the Immigration Department's official portal. You will need a clear scan of your passport bio page, a plain portrait photo, your intended entry date, and — importantly — the entry and exit ports you plan to use. Pay the government fee by card and keep your application code.

Processing is officially 3 working days for a complete application; in practice 3–5 working days is the common experience. Since December 2025 (Resolution 389/NQ-CP) the eVisa is accepted at 83 ports of entry across airports, land borders, and seaports — but your own eVisa is valid only at the ports you selected on the form, so choose them carefully.

Can Japanese business travelers use the 45-day exemption?

Yes. The exemption applies regardless of entry purpose, so meetings, factory visits, audits, and trade shows fit within it — no visa needed for trips under 45 days.

Repeat trips are also straightforward. Vietnam abolished the old rule that visa-free travelers had to wait 30 days before re-entering (Law 51/2019/QH14), so you can leave and come back visa-free with no waiting period between trips. For a single continuous stay longer than 45 days, though, the 90-day eVisa is the tool to line up before you travel — multiple-entry (US$50) if you expect to cross borders while it is valid.

Common mistakes to avoid

We found no Japan-specific traps — the pitfalls are the universal ones, and all of them are avoidable:

• Name mismatches. Your eVisa application must match your passport exactly — even minor typos can lead to denial of entry, a risk the US State Department warns about explicitly.
• Wrong port. The eVisa works only at the entry and exit ports chosen on the application. Landing at a different airport means the visa does not apply there.
• Not checking the entry stamp. Before leaving the border area, check the stay date immigration gave you — it will not be corrected afterwards, and Vietnam has increased fines and enforcement against overstays.
• Assuming you can sort it out on arrival. If your trip might exceed 45 days, get the eVisa before departure — the exemption cannot simply be converted at the airport.

In a hurry? How InTimeVisa helps

The official portal works well when you have a week in hand. It is less comforting when you fly on Friday. InTimeVisa's urgent service exists for exactly that gap: we prepare and lodge your application the same day, check every field against your passport before it goes in — names, dates, ports — and follow it until the approval is issued, with express and same-day handling for tight departures.

We are a private agent, not the government: you pay the official US$25/US$50 government fee plus our clearly quoted service fee, and one person handles your file until the eVisa is in your inbox.