Vietnam E-Visa for Indians 2026: How to Apply, Fees and Processing Time

Vietnam E-Visa for Indians: The Essentials (2026 Quick Answer)

Indian passport holders need a Vietnam visa before entering the country. According to travel advisory guidance (secondary travel-agency source, not the government portal), India is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list, so a Vietnam e-visa is the standard route for tourism, short business trips, and family visits.

Apply for the e-visa online through Vietnam's official Immigration Department portals, evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. All other websites claiming to issue Vietnam e-visas are not official. Nothing else counts. The e-visa allows a stay of up to 90 days on a single or multiple-entry basis, and the entire application is completed from India before departure.

Visarun.ai's Vietnam e-visa package for Indian citizens is currently listed at USD 72, comprising the USD 25 government fee and a USD 47 service fee, with processing described as 2-3 business days. That's current pricing per Visarun.ai's own listing; confirm before booking, since third-party fees change.

Who Can Apply and What the E-Visa Allows

Typically, according to visa service guidance, Indian citizens can apply for a Vietnam e-visa for tourism, short business trips, family visits, or other temporary stays under 90 days.

According to visa agency guidance (confirm on the official portal), applicants must be outside Vietnam at the time of submission and hold a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of arrival in Vietnam. Applications submitted from within Vietnam are automatically rejected, according to visa agency guidance, though rules may vary.

According to visa consultancy reporting (not the official portal), Indian citizens are not covered by Vietnam's unilateral 45-day visa-exemption policy, which applies to selected nationalities. The e-visa system is a separate route. Most Indian visitors use it.

One practical note: surname is not mandatory on the Vietnam e-visa application. Indian passport holders who carry only a single given name on their passport can complete the form without entering a surname.

Step-by-Step Application on the Official Portal

Where to Apply

Go directly to evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, both operated by Vietnam's Immigration Department. Avoid every other website. None of them are official.

What to Enter

According to travel-agency guidance, the application requires entering personal details exactly as they appear on the passport: full name, date of birth, passport number, and passport expiry date. Applicants also upload a portrait photo and a scan of the passport data page. According to visa consultancy guides (specific portal behavior unconfirmed officially), these must be two separate file uploads, not duplicates of each other.

According to travel-agency guidance, applicants must also provide their intended entry date, a specific port of entry (such as Noi Bai for Hanoi or Tan Son Nhat for Ho Chi Minh City), and an accommodation address in Vietnam.

Choosing an Entry Date

A commonly recommended practice, rather than official guidance, is to set the e-visa entry date a few days earlier than your planned arrival and request the full 90-day validity window. This builds in flexibility for flight changes without needing to reapply. Typically, according to visa consultancy guidance, a traveller can enter on or after the start date but must still enter before the e-visa expiry date, and can exit earlier than the exit date without issue. But staying even one day past the exit date violates immigration law.

After Submission

Once the fee is paid and the application submitted, print the approved e-visa before travelling. A physical copy is required for presentation at the border.

Fees and Payment from India

Vietnam's Ministry of Finance issued Circular No. 28/2026/TT-BTC on 27 March 2026, effective 1 April 2026. It reset the official fee schedule for entry, exit, transit, and residence across all categories, replacing two earlier circulars.

The Vietnam e-visa government fee is billed in USD, and the traveller's own bank applies its own exchange rate when converting to INR, as of visa centre's published rate. The official government e-visa fee is USD 25 for single entry and USD 50 for multiple entry, unchanged by Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in India; confirm on the official portal before paying. The exact INR amount will depend on your card issuer's rate on the day of payment.

If applicants choose a third-party visa service rather than the official portal, reports suggest they pay an additional service fee, commonly from about USD 15 up to USD 50 depending on the provider and turnaround. Fees vary by provider.

The e-visa application fee is non-refundable if the application is refused, as corroborated by official portal wording. It's treated as a mandatory administrative processing charge regardless of outcome.

Processing Time and How to Check Your Status

The official Vietnam e-visa processing time is 3 working days as stated on the government portal, though real timelines can range from 3 to 7 working days, as of June 2026, per aggregator reporting. Actual times vary.

According to the Embassy of Vietnam in India, processing can take 5 to 30 working days, and the embassy recommends applying 7 to 40 working days before departure. That's a considerably more cautious window than the 3-day portal claim. Reports suggest applying at least 15-20 days before travel, particularly during busy travel periods (January-April, late August-September, November-December), when processing may be slower.

During Tet (Lunar New Year) in February, Vietnamese government offices close for 5-7 days and e-visa processing can take 7-10 working days, according to 2026 seasonal estimates.

To check your application status, go to evisa.gov.vn/e-visa/search. According to visa agency notices (unconfirmed on official portal text), no email notification is sent when an application contains errors. So check the portal regularly after submission.

Documents and Photo Requirements

Passport

Typically, per travel-guide reporting (2026), your passport must have at least 6 months of validity remaining beyond your date of entry into Vietnam and at least 2 blank pages for entry stamps. According to visa agency guidance (May 2026), use the same passport for the application as the one you carry to the border.

Photograph

Typically, per visa agency guidance, the portrait photo should be 4x6 cm (40 x 60 mm), taken against a plain white background with no glasses. Typically, per visa consultancy guidance, both the portrait photo and the passport data page scan must be uploaded as JPG/JPEG; keep each file under 1 MB, since the portal instruction page currently states under 2 MB for the portrait and older Immigration Department guidance lists far smaller limits. Skip digital editing or filters.

Supporting Documents

According to visa service provider guidance, Visarun's documentation checklist for Indian applicants includes a passport valid at least 6 months from your date of entry plus a colour scan of the bio-data page, a recent 4x6 cm white-background photo in JPEG, a confirmed round-trip flight reservation, and a confirmed hotel booking or host invitation letter, with files saved as PDF or JPEG. The portrait photo and passport scan must always be submitted as two separate files.

Entry Points, Phu Quoc and Visa on Arrival Compared

E-Visa Entry Checkpoints

As of a 2025 policy update, according to the Vietnamese government portal, Vietnam Government Resolution No. 389/NQ-CP, issued on 2 December 2025, added 41 new international border gates for e-visa entry and exit. That raised the total eligible ports from 42 to 83. According to travel-agency guidance (subject to change), these 83 checkpoints comprise 17 airports, 27 land border gates, and 39 seaports.

Typically, per visa agency guidance, arriving at a different airport or land border than the one listed on your e-visa can result in being denied entry, since the port must exactly match your arrival point. Typically, according to visa agencies (November 2024 guidance), if your travel route changes you will need to reapply for a new e-visa with the correct port. No exceptions are made at the border. Typically, according to visa agencies, a Vietnam e-visa holder can exit at any approved checkpoint, even one different from the entry checkpoint used.

Phu Quoc — Changed Rules for Indians in 2026

Indian citizens can still enter Phu Quoc visa-free for up to 30 days, but only if they arrive from abroad directly at Phu Quoc International Airport or seaport, stay only on Phu Quoc, and depart Vietnam directly from Phu Quoc, according to the Indian Embassy advisory of April 2026.

As of April 2026, Indians who do not arrive on a nonstop international flight to Phu Quoc, or who plan to travel to mainland Vietnam, must secure an e-visa in advance. According to tour operators' estimates (not independently verified), roughly 60% of Indian passengers previously used one-stop low-cost-carrier routes via Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, or Kuala Lumpur. Those routes no longer qualify for the Phu Quoc waiver after the 2026 tightening. If your flight includes a stop in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Nang, a valid Vietnam visa is required before travel, according to travel guides consistent with 2026 tightening reports.

Visa on Arrival — How It Differs

Vietnam's visa on arrival for Indians requires a pre-approved visa approval letter secured before departure, according to visa agency guidance. Travellers present this letter with their passport at the airport to receive a visa stamp on arrival. According to visa consultancy guidance, airlines will refuse boarding without this pre-approved letter, so the route still requires advance preparation. For most Indian travellers, the e-visa through the official portal is simpler. Just the approved e-visa document and passport are needed at the border.

Common Mistakes That Get E-Visas Rejected

All information on the e-visa must exactly match the passport. If details don't align, immigration may deny entry. According to visa consultancy advice, even a small mismatch, such as a wrong name spelling or an incorrect passport number, is among the most common and preventable causes of application problems for Indian travellers.

Visa consultancies commonly flag confusion between Vietnam's DD/MM/YYYY date format and the MM/DD/YYYY format used in some other countries as one of the most frequent errors when entering dates on the application form.

Other avoidable errors include uploading the same image for both the portrait photo and the passport scan, and using photos with a coloured background or with glasses on. Applying while still inside Vietnam is another, along with selecting a port of entry that doesn't match your actual arrival point.

You must enter on the same passport used in the application, so if you renew or replace it you will need to apply again. The new passport details will not match the approved document.

Recent Changes (2025-2026 Updates)

Several significant policy changes came into effect in late 2025 and early 2026 that directly affect Indian travellers.

Vietnam Government Resolution No. 389/NQ-CP, issued 2 December 2025, according to the Vietnamese government portal, expanded the list of e-visa-eligible border checkpoints from 42 to 83 by adding 41 new international border gates. That gives Indian travellers more options for which port of entry to list on their application.

Vietnam's Ministry of Finance issued Circular No. 28/2026/TT-BTC on 27 March 2026, effective 1 April 2026. It reset the official fee schedule for entry, exit, transit, and residence, replacing two older circulars.

Vietnam significantly increased penalties for visa overstays. Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, effective 15 December 2025, introduced fines scaled to the length of overstay, and Decree 59/2026/ND-CP, effective 1 April 2026, provides that overstays of 16 days or more may result in deportation.

The Phu Quoc visa-free arrangement for Indians was narrowed as of April 2026. Indian travellers now need a valid e-visa unless they arrive on a nonstop international flight directly to Phu Quoc International Airport and don't continue to mainland Vietnam.

FAQ

Does an Indian citizen need a visa for Vietnam in 2026?

Yes. According to travel advisory guidance (secondary travel-agency source, not the government portal), India is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list. Indian citizens need a Vietnam visa regardless of the purpose or length of their visit. The e-visa, applied for through evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, is the standard route.

How long is a Vietnam e-visa valid for Indian citizens?

Vietnam's e-visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days and can be issued for single or multiple entry. Typically, per visa consultancy guidance (verify the exact day count with the official portal), the exit date falls 89 calendar days after the entry date chosen at application. Arriving late does not extend the exit date.

What is the Vietnam e-visa fee for Indians?

The government e-visa fee is billed in USD, and the exact INR amount depends on your card issuer's exchange rate on the day of payment. The official government fee is USD 25 for single entry and USD 50 for multiple entry, unchanged by Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in India. If you apply through a visa service provider, reports suggest an additional service fee commonly from about USD 15 up to USD 50 applies, depending on the provider and turnaround. Visarun.ai's Vietnam e-visa package for Indian citizens is currently listed at USD 72 total (USD 25 government fee plus USD 47 service fee), per Visarun.ai's own listing. Confirm before booking, as third-party fees change.

How long does Vietnam e-visa processing take for Indians?

The government portal states 3 working days, though real timelines can range from 3 to 7 working days, as of June 2026 per aggregator reporting. The Embassy of Vietnam in India recommends applying 7 to 40 working days before departure. Reports suggest submitting the application at least 15-20 days before travel, particularly during Vietnamese public holidays or high-volume travel months.

Can I check my Vietnam e-visa application status online?

Yes. According to visa agency notices (unconfirmed on official portal text), you can check your status at evisa.gov.vn/e-visa/search. No email notification is sent if the application contains errors. Check the portal regularly instead of waiting for a response.

Do I need to print my Vietnam e-visa before travelling?

Yes. Vietnam e-visa holders must print their e-visa before travelling, as a physical copy is required for presentation at the border. Keeping a digital backup on your phone alongside the printout is a sensible precaution.

Can I enter Phu Quoc without a visa as an Indian citizen in 2026?

The Phu Quoc visa-free arrangement for Indians has been tightened. As of April 2026, Indian travellers who do not arrive on a nonstop international flight directly to Phu Quoc International Airport, or who plan to travel onward to mainland Vietnam, must secure a Vietnam e-visa in advance. If your flight involves a stop in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Nang, an e-visa is required. Confirm the current rules with the official embassy or immigration authority before booking travel, as this policy continues to evolve.

What happens if my entry port changes after I receive my e-visa?

Typically, according to visa agencies (November 2024 guidance), if your travel route changes and you will arrive at a different port than the one listed on your e-visa, you need to reapply for a new e-visa with the correct port. No exceptions are made at the border, and the original e-visa fee is non-refundable.

Is a surname required on a Vietnam e-visa application?

No. Surname is not mandatory information on the Vietnam e-visa application. Indian passport holders who carry only a single name on their passport can complete and submit the application without entering a surname field.

What are the penalties for overstaying a Vietnam e-visa in 2026?

Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, effective 15 December 2025, introduced fines scaled to the length of overstay. Decree 59/2026/ND-CP, effective 1 April 2026, provides that overstays of 16 days or more may result in deportation. Staying even one day beyond the exit date shown on your e-visa violates Vietnamese immigration law. Track your dates carefully throughout the trip.