Vietnam e-Visa for Canadians 2026: Requirements, Fees, Processing Time and How to Apply

Do Canadians Need a Visa for Vietnam? (2026 Quick Answer)

Yes. Global Affairs Canada's travel advice, updated on 13 October 2026, lists a visa as required for tourism, business, study and work in Vietnam.

Vietnam waives visas for citizens of 24 countries, for up to 45 days, under Government Resolutions 44 and 229 until 14 August 2028. Canada is not on that list, and the official portal grants visa-free stays only to exempted countries and visa-waiver treaty partners.

The standard route is the e-visa. Key points as of October 2026:

• Where: only evisa.gov.vn or its twin domain thithucdientu.gov.vn.
• Validity: a maximum of 90 days.
• Fees: US$25 single entry or US$50 multiple entry, confirmed by Circular 28/2026 from 1 April 2026, with no refund if refused.
• Processing: by law, a reply within 3 working days of a complete application and the fee.

Two exceptions exist: up to 30 days without a visa if you stay only on Phu Quoc Island, and a visa exemption certificate from the Embassy of Vietnam in Ottawa for Vietnamese-Canadians and spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens (see the FAQ).

Vietnam e-Visa Explained - Validity, Stay and Entries

Global Affairs Canada and Vietnam's Immigration Department both describe the e-visa as valid for up to 90 days, with single or multiple entry:

• Single entry, US$25: a side trip to Cambodia or Laos uses it up, and returning would take a new visa.
• Multiple entry, US$50: you can leave and re-enter while it is valid.

It is issued only to foreigners outside Vietnam who hold a valid passport and are not barred under Article 21 of the immigration law, so it cannot be requested from inside the country.

Extensions and longer stays

There is no online self-extension. The Immigration Department says an e-visa holder in Vietnam may get a new visa only if an authority, organisation or individual there invites or guarantees them; Global Affairs Canada adds that certain local travel agencies and tour companies can help. The Immigration Department decides.

Longer or non-tourist stays usually need a visa sponsored by an organisation in Vietnam; for business visas, the Embassy of Vietnam in Canada says the Vietnamese partner obtains an approval letter. The Embassy can confirm the current route.

Paper visas from the Embassy in Ottawa

The Embassy issues physical visas on e-mail applications. Its tourist visa is valid for up to 1 month, takes about 2 weeks and is accepted at any border gate. Embassy fees are not published online.

How to Apply on the Official Portal Step by Step

Since 11 November 2024, the portal has run on two domains only: evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. Based on its instructions as of October 2026, the steps are:

• Uploads: a portrait photo and the passport data page. The system pre-fills your details for you to check.
• Answers: in English, complete and truthful. Dishonest information leads to denial.
• Name: in capitals, exactly as on the passport's machine-readable (ICAO) lines. A passport showing only one name part goes in the given-names field.
• Border gates: your intended gate of entry and gate of exit.
• Payment: by credit or debit card inside the portal, confirmed with a one-time password (OTP).
• Result: by e-mail or on the portal. A status check needs the application (profile) ID, date of birth and e-mail address.

In December 2025, Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security said the whole process, including payment and printing, is online, with no intermediary needed.

Photo, Passport Scan and Other Requirements

The portal asks for a recent 4x6 cm portrait, JPG or JPEG, under 2 MB: front-facing, no hat or glasses, formal clothing, white background. Canadian passport photos are 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, so they do not match. A fresh digital photo cropped to 4x6 cm is simpler.

The passport upload is one clear image of the data page with no cut-off corners. An invalid image blocks submission.

Passport validity

Global Affairs Canada advises at least 6 months of validity beyond your planned departure from Vietnam, and we recommend that margin. The portal's legal minimum is lower: per its FAQ, last read in early October 2026, the e-visa has to end at least 30 days before the passport expires.

A visa in an expired Canadian passport is not valid and has to be transferred to the new one, so applying with a renewed passport avoids that step.

Special cases

• Temporary or emergency passports: different entry rules may apply, and the portal's text suggests these types may not be accepted. A regular passport is safer; otherwise, check with the Embassy.
• "X" gender identifier: Canada cannot guarantee entry abroad with it, and the form appears to offer only Male and Female, so checking with the Embassy first makes sense.
• Children under 14 need a parent, guardian or authorised person to enter. A child in a parent's passport joins that request; a child with their own passport applies separately.

Fees and Processing Time

As of October 2026, the e-visa costs US$25 for single entry and US$50 for multiple entry. Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, in force since 1 April 2026, kept both amounts. The fee is paid by card on the portal and is not refunded if the e-visa is refused. Your card issuer converts it to Canadian dollars at its own rate; there is no official CAD fee.

The only official timing we found is a legal deadline. Under Article 16a of the immigration law, added by Law 51/2019/QH14, the Immigration Department replies within 3 working days of a complete application and the fee. Weekends and Vietnamese holidays do not count; it is a limit, not a promise.

Applying early is the best safeguard: the portal's FAQ, as read in early October 2026, allows applications up to 1 year ahead. We found no official fast-track e-visa service.

Ports of Entry and Arrival Checks

Government Resolution 389/NQ-CP of 2 December 2025 raised the e-visa list to 83 airports, land crossings and seaports; the new Long Thanh and Gia Binh airports count only once operating. Shorter 2023 lists still circulate, even in a portal pop-up, so it is worth checking the border-gate list in the portal's instructions before booking.

Global Affairs Canada says the e-visa allows entry only through the port named in the approval, so pick the gate where you will actually arrive. For leaving, the portal's FAQ (last read in early October 2026) allows any listed gate.

Pre-arrival declaration

The Immigration Department has introduced a pre-arrival information declaration at Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang, Cam Ranh (Nha Trang) and Phu Quoc airports. Vietnamese authorities strongly encourage filing it at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn within 3 days before arrival or on arrival. We recommend doing so and keeping the QR code. It is not a visa.

Police registration and health

Hotels usually register your stay with local police; guests in private homes register at the nearest police station. According to Vietnam's consulate in San Francisco, Decree 165/2026/ND-CP does not require a health declaration from every traveller from 1 July 2026. When one is needed, it is due within 7 days before entry, and tokhaiyte.vn is not used by the Ministry of Health.

Phu Quoc Island

Foreign tourists can spend up to 30 days on Phu Quoc without a visa if they stay on the island. According to VnExpress International (10 April 2026), arriving via another Vietnamese international gate also works, but no official page we found explains connections via Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, so a direct international flight or an e-visa is safer. Any mainland travel needs a visa.

Unofficial e-Visa Websites and Common Mistakes

The Embassy of Vietnam in Canada warned in 2023 that private websites pose as official government visa platforms and cannot issue visas, and that it is not responsible for travellers refused boarding or entry with their visas. Anyone who bought a "visa on arrival" or "approval letter" from such a site is asked to contact the Embassy.

In August 2026, VnExpress International reported that authorities were removing fake e-visa sites. A Ministry of Public Security cybercrime officer advised using only ".gov.vn" sites and warned about promises of "instant visas" or "guaranteed approval".

The Embassy calls its own site the only official one for visas, which covers its paper visas. E-visa problems such as failed payments, wrong details or delays go to Vietnam's Immigration Department, not the Embassy.

Common mistakes

• Details not matching the passport exactly: Global Affairs Canada warns this can mean extra fees, denied boarding or refused entry.
• A name not in capitals or not as on the ICAO lines.
• Incomplete or untrue answers.
• Single entry when side trips are planned.
• A 50x70 mm Canadian photo instead of 4x6 cm.
• An entry gate that differs from the real arrival point.
• Travelling on a new passport while the visa sits in the expired one.

Visarun is a private agency, not a government site. We help Canadians prepare and check e-visa applications before they are filed on the official portal, where the fee is paid. Vietnam's Immigration Department decides, and no agency can promise an outcome or timeline.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 15 August 2025: the visa waiver expands to 24 countries until 14 August 2028; Canada is not included.
• 2 December 2025: Resolution 389/NQ-CP raises e-visa gates to 83.
• 3 December 2025: the Ministry of Public Security confirms the e-visa process is fully online.
• 1 April 2026: Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC keeps the US$25 and US$50 fees.
• Mid-2026: the pre-arrival declaration covers the five main airports (Vietnam's Embassy in Singapore, 2 July 2026).
• 1 July 2026: under Decree 165/2026/ND-CP, not every arrival needs a health declaration.
• August 2026: a crackdown on fake e-visa websites.
• 24 September 2026: Vietnam and Canada become Strategic Partners at talks in Ottawa. As of mid-October 2026, Canadians still need a visa.

Rules can change quickly, so we recommend rechecking Global Affairs Canada and the portal before applying.

FAQ

Can Canadians get a visa on arrival in Vietnam?

Not as a walk-up option. The only airport pickup we found is the Ottawa Embassy's urgent landing visa, which needs an approval letter e-mailed by the Embassy beforehand; letters sold by unofficial sites are not equivalent.

How does the Embassy's urgent landing visa work?

It is an Embassy service for urgent trips. Approval could come within 24 hours, excluding weekends and Canadian or Vietnamese holidays, after the Embassy confirms your request. The approval letter comes by e-mail, and an unpublished urgency fee applies.

Do Vietnamese-Canadians need a visa?

They, and foreign spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens, may qualify for a visa exemption certificate. Per the Embassy, it is valid up to 5 years (ending 6 months before passport expiry), allows stays of up to 6 months each, as Vietnamese immigration decides, needs a passport valid over 15 months and takes 5-7 working days, up to 4 weeks.

Can I extend my e-visa in Vietnam?

Not online. A new visa inside Vietnam needs a sponsor, such as an organisation or certain local travel agencies, and the Immigration Department decides.

Do I need to print the e-visa?

No official rule we found requires a printout; officials say you can print it yourself online. A paper copy plus a phone copy covers both cases.

Can I fix a mistake after approval?

We found no official amendment procedure. The Embassy says problems with an issued e-visa go to Vietnam's Immigration Department.

What happens if I overstay?

Global Affairs Canada calls it a serious matter: you may be delayed from onward travel until a fine is paid. Official fine amounts were not confirmed, so plan to leave before the e-visa ends.

Is Visarun the official e-visa website?

No. Visarun is a private agency that helps prepare and check applications. The government fee is paid on evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, and decisions belong to Vietnam's Immigration Department.