Vietnam eVisa for US citizens

Updated 2026-07-02

US passport holders are not visa-exempt in Vietnam — you need a visa for every trip. For most travelers that means the 90-day eVisa; frequent visitors can also apply for a 1-year multiple-entry visa available only to US citizens. This guide covers both options, the official fees, processing times, and the mistakes that most often get Americans turned away at the border.

Do US citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes. There is no visa exemption for US passport holders — the United States is not on Vietnam's visa-waiver lists, and no bilateral exemption agreement exists. Unlike travelers from the UK, Japan, or South Korea, who currently get 45 days visa-free, Americans need a visa for every entry, whatever the length of the stay.

There is one narrow exception: Phu Quoc island. If you arrive directly at Phu Quoc by air or sea and stay only on the island, you can visit visa-free for up to 30 days. For anywhere else in Vietnam — Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang — you need a visa arranged before you travel.

eVisa or 1-year multiple-entry visa: which fits your trip?

US citizens have two realistic routes. The eVisa is the standard one: issued online by the Vietnam Immigration Department, valid for up to 90 days, as either a single-entry or a multiple-entry visa. It covers most trips — tourism, business meetings, visiting family — and everything is done online, with no embassy visit.

The second route exists only for US passports. Under a bilateral arrangement, Vietnamese embassies and consulates can grant US citizens multiple-entry visas valid for up to 1 year. If you travel to Vietnam several times a year, this spares you reapplying every 90 days. It is a separate application made through a Vietnamese embassy or consulate, not the eVisa portal, and the embassy does not publish the full conditions online — confirm the fee and the permitted length of each stay directly with the embassy or consulate before applying.

What do you need to apply for the eVisa?

The requirements are the same for all nationalities — the eVisa has been open to every nationality since 15 August 2023. Every detail you enter must match your passport exactly:

• US passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned stay, with at least one blank page
• A clear photo or scan of your passport's biographical page
• A recent passport-style portrait photo that meets the official portal's photo requirements
• Your intended entry date, plus your entry and exit ports — the eVisa is only valid at the ports you select
• A card to pay the government fee online

How much does the Vietnam eVisa cost?

The official government fee is US$25 for a single-entry eVisa and US$50 for a multiple-entry eVisa, paid on the official portal, evisa.gov.vn. The fee is non-refundable, even if the application is refused.

Both versions are valid for up to 90 days. Single-entry covers one continuous trip; multiple-entry lets you leave and come back on the same visa — useful if your itinerary includes side trips to Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand.

Anything you pay beyond the government fee is a service fee. Be careful with look-alike commercial websites that imitate the official portal and charge several times the US$25 fee without saying what you are paying for. Only evisa.gov.vn is official. A legitimate agent — ours included — tells you plainly which part of the price is the government fee and which part pays for the service.

How do you apply, and how long does processing take?

You apply entirely online:

• Complete the application on evisa.gov.vn, entering your name exactly as printed in your passport
• Upload your passport-page scan and portrait photo
• Select your entry date and your entry and exit ports
• Pay the government fee (US$25 or US$50) by card and save your registration code
• Check your status online, then download and print the eVisa PDF once it is granted — you will show it at airline check-in and at immigration on arrival
• Processing officially takes 3 working days from a complete, paid application; the US State Department describes it as three to five working days in practice. Weekends and Vietnamese public holidays do not count, so apply at least a week before you fly

What mistakes get US travelers denied?

Names first. The US State Department warns that minor differences between your application and your passport's biographical page — typos, or a missing middle name — can result in denial of entry. US passports print full middle names, and online forms drop or abbreviate them easily. Enter your name exactly as the passport shows it, middle name included, and check it before you pay: the government fee is not refunded if the eVisa is refused or unusable.

Second, the port list. Your eVisa is valid only at the entry and exit ports you selected on the application. Since Resolution 389/NQ-CP (December 2025) there are 83 eligible ports — up from 42 — but if you arrive at a port that is not on your visa, you can be turned away. Double-check the ports before booking multi-city or overland itineraries.

Third, passports themselves. Applications made on an emergency passport may be refused — if you are traveling on one, contact a Vietnamese embassy or consulate about your options instead. And make sure your regular passport has 6 months of validity beyond your planned stay and at least one blank page.

Finally, do not overstay. The State Department notes that Vietnam has recently increased penalties and enforcement of visa overstays, including substantial fines and significant processing times for the exit visa you would then need.

Flying soon? How InTimeVisa helps

Standard processing works fine when you have a week or more before departure. When you do not, our urgent service handles express and, where the timeline allows, same-day eVisa processing.

Before anything is submitted, we check your application against your passport line by line — middle name, passport number, dates, ports — the exact details that cause denials at the border. You get one person responsible for your file, status updates until the eVisa is issued, and a clear breakdown of the government fee versus our service fee.

Not sure whether the 90-day eVisa or the 1-year multiple-entry embassy visa suits your travel pattern? Ask us before you spend anything — we will tell you which route fits and what it involves.