Vietnam Visa for Indians: e-Visa, Fees & Process 2026
Yes, Indians need a visa for Vietnam, and for nearly every tourist the sensible choice is the e-visa. It costs USD 25 for single entry or USD 50 for multiple entry, stays valid up to 90 days, and you apply for it yourself at the government portal, evisa.gov.vn. No embassy queue. No agent stamp in your passport. Just an online form, two uploads, and an online payment.
That is the short version of the vietnam visa for indians question in 2026. The longer version matters, because this is exactly the kind of visa where a careless Google search costs you three times the real fee. So let me walk you through the fee, the steps, the photo rules, the ports you can actually land at, and the scam that catches thousands of Indian travellers every year.
Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes. Indian passport holders don't get visa-free entry to Vietnam, so you must arrange a visa before you fly. Since August 2023, Vietnam's e-visa has been open to all nationalities, Indians included, and it replaced the old 30-day single-entry limit with a 90-day validity and a multiple-entry option. Your passport needs at least six months of validity from your arrival date and two blank pages.
For a holiday, a family trip, a short business visit, or a Hanoi-Hoi An-Ho Chi Minh loop, the e-visa covers you. Longer work or study stays need a different category arranged through a sponsor, and that's out of scope here.
The Vietnam visa for Indians: what the e-visa actually gives you
An e-visa is a PDF. That's the whole product. The Vietnam Immigration Department issues it electronically, emails it to you, and you print it and carry it. There's no sticker, no counter, no on-arrival payment.
You pick one of two versions:
Single-entry, USD 25 - you enter Vietnam once. Leave, and the visa is spent, even if days remain on it.
Multiple-entry, USD 50 - you come and go as many times as you like inside the 90 days. Handy if you're pairing Vietnam with a side trip to Cambodia, Laos or Thailand and re-entering.
Both run up to 90 days from the start date you choose on the form. Pick that entry date carefully. The clock starts then, not when you land.
Vietnam visa fees for Indians in 2026
Here's the part people get wrong most often. The official vietnam visa fees are fixed and low. Anyone quoting you Rs 6,000-Rs 9,000 for a "standard" tourist e-visa is adding a markup you don't need to pay.
|
Visa Type |
Official Fee (USD) |
Approx. in INR* |
Validity |
Entries |
|
Single-entry e-Visa |
USD 25 |
About ₹2,400 |
Up to 90 days |
One entry |
|
Multiple-entry e-Visa |
USD 50 |
About ₹4,800 |
Up to 90 days |
Multiple entries |
*The portal charges in US dollars. At roughly Rs 96 to the dollar in mid-July 2026, USD 25 lands near Rs 2,400 and USD 50 near Rs 4,800, but your card's forex rate and any bank fee will nudge the rupee figure. Confirm the live amount on evisa.gov.vn before you pay.
The fee is non-refundable. If your application is rejected or you cancel, that money is gone, which is one more reason to fill the form carefully the first time.
How to apply for the Vietnam e-visa
The process is genuinely simple if you use the right website. Budget 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 1. Go to evisa.gov.vn and open "Apply now." Check the address bar. The only official domain ends in .gov.vn; the government system also runs at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn.
Step 2. Read the declarations, tick the boxes, and start a new application.
Step 3. Upload your two images: a 4x6 cm portrait photo and a clear scan of your passport bio-data page.
Step 4. Fill in your details exactly as they appear in your passport - full name, passport number, date of birth, intended entry and exit dates, your port of entry, and a Vietnam address (your hotel is fine).
Step 5. Pay the USD 25 or USD 50 fee online and save the registration code the system gives you.
Step 6. Wait for the email, then use that code to check your status and download the approved PDF.
Print two copies of the e-visa. Keep one in your bag and one with your travel documents. Immigration officers in Vietnam still like to see paper.
Documents and photo specification
You need surprisingly little: a passport valid for six-plus months, a passport bio-page scan, a passport-style photo, a working email, and a card for payment.
The photo trips people up, so get it right. It must be 4x6 cm, recent, on a plain white background, face straight to the camera, no glasses, no hat, no heavy shadow. Upload it as a JPG or JPEG under 2 MB. A grainy selfie or a photo with a coloured wall behind you is the single most common reason an Indian e-visa gets bounced back for re-submission.
Common reasons an Indian e-visa gets held up
Most rejections and delays come down to five avoidable things:
The photo. Coloured background, glasses, or blur, as above. This is the biggest cause by a distance.
Name mismatch. Enter your name in the same order and spelling as your passport, surname and given names in the right fields.
Wrong port of entry. Naming a checkpoint you won't actually arrive through will stop you at the border.
Passport validity. Under six months from your arrival date and you're refused.
Typos. A single wrong digit in the passport number or date of birth is enough for the system to kick it back.
Get these right before you submit and approval is usually routine.
Processing time: how long it really takes
Official processing is usually three to five working days. The portal historically cites three, and in a quiet week you may well see it approved that fast. Around Tet (Vietnamese New Year, late January to February) and the summer peak, give it longer.
My advice: apply at least a week before you fly, ideally ten days. That buffer absorbs a photo rejection or a public holiday without turning into a cancelled trip. Don't book non-refundable flights on the assumption of a three-day turnaround.
Where you can enter Vietnam on an e-visa
This changed recently, and it's good news. On 2 December 2025, the Vietnamese government issued Resolution 389/NQ-CP, adding 41 new border gates for e-visa entry and exit. That took the total from 42 checkpoints to 83, covering the major international airports (Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, plus Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc), land crossings from Cambodia and Laos, and several seaports.
The practical takeaway: the checkpoint you name on your form must be one on the approved list, and you must actually enter through it. Check the current list on evisa.gov.vn before you commit, especially if you're crossing overland.
e-Visa vs visa on arrival: which should you pick?
For most Indian travellers, the e-visa wins. It's cheaper, fully online, and works at all 83 ports including land borders.
Visa on arrival (VOA) is a different animal. It needs a pre-approved "visa approval letter" arranged through a private agency before you fly, then you queue at the airport to get the visa stamped and pay a separate stamping fee in cash. It only works at airports, not land crossings. The one situation where VOA earns its keep is genuine urgency: some agencies turn approval letters around in a few hours, so if your flight leaves tomorrow and you've run out of e-visa runway, it's a fallback.
|
Feature |
e-Visa |
Visa on Arrival |
|
Where you apply |
Online through the Vietnam e-Visa portal |
Approval letter via a private agency, then receive the visa stamp at the airport |
|
What you pay |
USD 25 (single entry) / USD 50 (multiple entry) |
Agency service fee plus a stamping fee paid in cash on arrival |
|
Entry points |
All 83 designated e-Visa entry checkpoints, including airports, land borders, and seaports |
International airports only |
|
Processing time |
Usually 3–5 working days |
Approval letter is often available the same day or through urgent processing |
|
Best for |
Most tourists and short-term business travellers |
Genuine last-minute travel |
If you have three or more days in hand, there's little reason to choose VOA over the e-visa. And be careful: many "visa on arrival" websites are the same overcharging operators I'm about to warn you about.
The scam you have to watch for
This is the whole reason to read a guide before applying. Search "Vietnam visa" on Google and the top results are often paid ads from private sites dressed up to look official. An analysis of dozens of third-party visa sites found average charges around USD 79 for a visa that costs USD 25 at source, a two-to-four-times markup for nothing extra. Some charge USD 100 or more.
Worse than the money is the data. Copycat sites harvest passport scans and card numbers. A few take your fee and file nothing, leaving you at the airport with a worthless PDF.
Three rules keep you safe. One, only ever apply at evisa.gov.vn, and check the .gov.vn in the address bar every single time. Two, don't click visa ads or emailed "apply here" links; type the address yourself. Three, if a site quotes far more than USD 25 or USD 50, close the tab.
Getting help without getting fleeced
Plenty of Indian travellers are happy to file their own e-visa. Some aren't, and that's fair. A rejected application days before a family holiday is a real headache. If you'd rather have a checked, hand-held process, use an established facilitator rather than an anonymous ad.
DU Global (DU Digital Global) is an NSE-listed visa and immigration company that has processed more than 1.8 million applications across 35-plus offices worldwide, and it works directly with governments and embassies. If you're unsure which documents you need or whether your trip fits the e-visa, start with the DU Global visa checklist, or begin an application through apply for any visa, You still pay the real government fee; what you buy is someone catching the photo error before Vietnam's system does.
Frequently asked questions
Can Indians get a visa on arrival in Vietnam?
Sort of. There's no true "turn up and get a visa" for Indians. VOA still needs a pre-arranged approval letter from an agency before you board, then stamping at the airport. For most trips the online e-visa is simpler and cheaper.
How much will the Vietnam visa cost for Indians in 2026?
USD 25 for a single-entry e-visa and USD 50 for multiple entry, both valid up to 90 days. That's roughly Rs 2,400 and Rs 4,800 at mid-2026 rates, charged in dollars on evisa.gov.vn.
How long is the Vietnam e-visa valid?
Up to 90 days from the entry date you select. Single-entry lets you in once; multiple-entry lets you come and go through those 90 days.
How many days does the Vietnam e-visa take?
Usually three to five working days. Apply at least a week ahead, and more around Tet and the summer peak.
Is the e-visa accepted at land borders?
Yes, at the approved crossings from Cambodia and Laos among the 83 e-visa checkpoints. Confirm your exact border gate on evisa.gov.vn.
Do I need to print the e-visa?
Yes. Carry a printed copy, and two is safer. Vietnamese immigration officers routinely ask to see it on paper.
Before you book anything
If you take one thing from this guide, make it this: the vietnam visa for indians is a USD 25-50 online formality, not a Rs 9,000 ordeal, as long as you apply at evisa.gov.vn and nowhere else. Sort the visa before you lock in non-refundable flights, get the photo right the first time, and give yourself a week of breathing room.
Then go. Ha Long Bay, the Hoi An lanterns, and a bowl of pho on a plastic stool are waiting. Want a second pair of eyes on your paperwork first? Run through the DU Global visa checklist or start with applying for any visa, and travel with the boring part already handled.
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