Vietnam Visa on Arrival for Indians 2026

Can Indians Get a Vietnam Visa on Arrival in 2026?

Yes, Vietnam does offer a Visa on Arrival (VOA) facility to Indian passport holders in 2026 — but it is not the walk-up-and-get-stamped process the name suggests. To use VOA, applicants need to obtain an official approval letter from an authorised Vietnam visa service before leaving India. Without this letter, airlines typically deny boarding, and immigration officers at Vietnamese airports will not issue a visa stamp.

For most Indian travellers, the Vietnam e-Visa is the far simpler route. Applied entirely online through the official portal at evisa.gov.vn, it removes the need for an approval letter, a third-party agency, or any embassy visit. The e-Visa is valid for up to 90 days and accepted at all 83 international entry and exit points in Vietnam, including land borders and seaports.

India is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list, so a visa is required for mainland travel. The only exception is Phu Quoc Island, where Indian citizens can stay visa-free for up to 30 days — provided they fly directly to Phu Quoc and do not cross to the mainland. This article covers both VOA and e-Visa in full, so you can choose what suits your trip.

Vietnam Visa on Arrival vs e-Visa — Which One Applies to Indians

Vietnam offers three main visa routes for Indian citizens. Here is how they compare:

• e-Visa — applied entirely online at evisa.gov.vn; no embassy visit; valid at all 83 entry points including land borders and seaports; stay up to 90 days; single or multiple entry available
• Visa on Arrival — requires a pre-arranged approval letter obtained before departure; visa stamp issued at the airport on arrival; valid only at five international airports; stamping fee paid in USD cash at the counter
• Embassy sticker visa — applied in person or by post at the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi; suited to business travellers or those needing arrangements beyond what the e-Visa covers

For a standard tourist or short business trip, the e-Visa is the more practical choice on almost every measure: lower total cost, no airport queue at the visa counter, and entry flexibility across all border types. If your itinerary includes crossing from Cambodia, Laos, or China overland, the e-Visa is the only pre-arranged option accepted at land borders.

How Visa on Arrival Works (the Approval Letter)

The approval letter is the step that makes Vietnam's VOA process different from a genuine on-arrival service. It is issued by a Vietnam-licensed travel company or visa agency after you submit your passport details, intended arrival airport, travel dates, and purpose of visit. Standard processing takes two to five working days; urgent requests can be fulfilled in one to four hours for major airports.

Here is the full sequence once you have the letter:

• Step 1 — Submit your application to an authorised Vietnam visa service from India and pay the approval letter fee online
• Step 2 — Receive the approval letter by email and print it out; a phone screen copy may not be accepted at the immigration counter
• Step 3 — Fill out the Vietnam immigration arrival/departure card (form NA1), available on board your flight or at the airport
• Step 4 — On arrival, proceed to the designated VOA counter; present your passport, printed approval letter, two passport-sized photographs, and pay the stamping fee in USD cash
• Step 5 — Receive the visa sticker in your passport and continue to the main immigration clearance queue

VOA is processed at five international airports: Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang International Airport, Cam Ranh in Nha Trang, and Cat Bi in Hai Phong. It is not available at land border crossings or seaports. Any entry point outside these five airports requires an e-Visa.

Vietnam Visa on Arrival Fee and Stay Duration

Costs for the VOA route come in two parts paid at different stages of the process:

• Approval letter fee — paid online to the visa service before travel; typically ranges from USD 12 to USD 50 or more depending on the agency, processing speed, and group size
• Stamping fee — paid in USD cash at the airport on arrival; USD 25 for a single-entry visa and USD 50 for a multiple-entry visa

The maximum stay under both the e-Visa and VOA tourist categories is 90 days. Prior to August 2023, the limit was 30 days — the extension to 90 days made Vietnam considerably more accessible for Indian travellers planning longer trips or remote-work stays.

The stamping fee is payable in US dollars cash only. Indian rupees are not accepted at VOA counters, and card payment facilities are typically unavailable. Carrying the exact amount in USD avoids delays when queues are long.

Documents to Carry at the Airport

Whether entering on a VOA stamp or a pre-approved e-Visa, the document checklist at Vietnam's immigration counters is largely the same:

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended date of entry into Vietnam
• At least two blank pages in the passport for immigration stamps
• Printed copy of the e-Visa or the VOA approval letter — printed on paper, not just displayed on a phone screen
• Two recent passport-sized photographs (35 mm x 45 mm) — required at the VOA stamping counter; carrying a spare set is advisable even for e-Visa holders
• USD cash for the stamping fee if using the VOA route
• Completed arrival/departure card — available on board or at the airport

For e-Visa holders, the airport process is faster. There is no separate stamping counter, no cash payment on arrival, and no approval letter to manage. Present your passport and printed e-Visa at the standard immigration lane. Always bring a printed copy of your e-Visa — phone-only copies can slow processing or cause additional verification steps.

How to Get the Vietnam e-Visa from India (Recommended Route)

The official Vietnam e-Visa portal is evisa.gov.vn. As of November 2024, the portal also operates under a second official domain, thithucdientu.gov.vn. Both are maintained by Vietnam's Immigration Department. Avoid third-party websites that mimic the official portal design and charge inflated fees — a .gov.vn domain in the URL is the clearest indicator you are on the correct site.

The application process directly through the official portal:

• Visit evisa.gov.vn and select the option for foreigners applying from outside Vietnam
• Choose India as nationality and enter all personal details exactly as they appear in your passport — name spelling, date of birth, and passport number discrepancies are a common reason for rejections
• Upload a digital scan of the passport bio-data page and a recent digital photograph; save files as JPEG or PDF before uploading, as other formats are often rejected by the system
• Select visa type: single entry at USD 25 or multiple entry at USD 50
• Pay the government fee using an international debit or credit card
• Receive the e-Visa document by email, typically within three working days after a complete submission
• Print the e-Visa and carry it to the airport alongside your passport

Visarun.ai provides an assisted e-Visa service for Indian applicants, reviewing the application for errors and preparing documents before submission to Vietnam's Immigration Department. Applying at least 15 to 20 days before travel is advisable to allow time for any corrections or delays. Approval decisions rest with Vietnam's Immigration Department — no third-party service can guarantee an outcome — but a correctly assembled application reduces the risk of avoidable rejections.

Cost Breakdown for Indians (2026)

Costs vary depending on whether you apply directly through the official portal or through an assisted service.

Applying directly on evisa.gov.vn:

• Single-entry e-Visa — USD 25 (approximately INR 2,125 at current exchange rates)
• Multiple-entry e-Visa — USD 50 (approximately INR 4,250)
• No agency or service fee applies

Applying through Visarun.ai:

• Government fee — USD 25
• Visarun service fee — USD 47
• Total — USD 72 (approximately INR 6,120)
• Processing time — 2 to 3 business days

For the VOA route, total costs are typically higher. A single-entry VOA runs to approximately USD 37–75 all-in, once the approval letter fee and the USD 25 airport stamping fee are combined. Multiple-entry VOA costs more. The e-Visa is generally the more predictable and economical choice for most travellers.

INR figures above are approximate and based on prevailing USD/INR rates, which shift daily. Final government fees are published on evisa.gov.vn and should be confirmed before submitting an application.

Recent Changes (2025–2026 Updates)

Since August 2023, Vietnam's electronic visa system has been expanded to cover citizens from all countries, including India. The validity of the e-Visa was also increased from 30 days to 90 days, with both single and multiple entry permitted within that period. This single reform made Vietnam significantly more accessible for Indian travellers planning longer holidays or multi-destination Southeast Asia itineraries.

In November 2024, the Vietnam e-Visa portal migrated to two new official domains: evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. Travellers using older bookmarked links were redirected, but it is worth verifying the .gov.vn domain before entering personal data or making payment on any site.

On 6 April 2026, the Embassy of India in Hanoi issued a travel advisory for Indian nationals travelling to Vietnam, flagging concerns around the Phu Quoc Island visa-free entry rules. To enter Phu Quoc without a visa, travellers must fly or sail directly to Phu Quoc from outside Vietnam — connecting through Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi on a domestic flight does not qualify. Travel must also remain strictly within Phu Quoc; any crossing to mainland Vietnam requires a valid visa. Travellers combining Phu Quoc with Ho Chi Minh City or any other mainland destination in the same trip need to hold a valid e-Visa or VOA stamp covering the entire trip before arrival.

As of January 2026, emergency VOA approval letters are available and can be processed in one to two hours for arrivals at Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi airports, including on weekends. This is useful in genuine last-minute situations; for planned travel, the e-Visa remains faster overall and does not require the cash stamping fee at the airport.

FAQ

Do Indians need a visa to enter Vietnam in 2026?

Yes. Indian passport holders need a visa to enter mainland Vietnam. India is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list, so a visa is required before or on arrival. The three main options are the e-Visa applied online, Visa on Arrival with a pre-arranged approval letter, and a sticker visa from the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi. The only exception is Phu Quoc Island, where a 30-day visa-free stay applies under specific conditions.

Is Vietnam Visa on Arrival truly available on arrival for Indians, with no advance steps?

No. Vietnam's VOA requires an approval letter arranged before you board your flight to Vietnam. Without this letter, airlines typically do not allow boarding and Vietnamese immigration officers will not issue a stamp. The term "on arrival" refers only to where the physical visa sticker is applied — at the airport counter — not to the absence of pre-travel arrangements.

Which airports offer Vietnam Visa on Arrival for Indians?

VOA is processed at five international airports: Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang International Airport, Cam Ranh in Nha Trang, and Cat Bi in Hai Phong. It is not available at land border crossings or seaports. For any entry point outside these five airports, an e-Visa is required.

How much does the Vietnam e-Visa cost for Indian citizens?

The government fee on the official portal evisa.gov.vn is USD 25 for a single-entry e-Visa and USD 50 for a multiple-entry e-Visa. If applying through an assisted service such as Visarun.ai, a service fee applies on top of the government fee, bringing the total to USD 72 for a single-entry visa. Government fees may change — verify current amounts on the official portal before applying.

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

Standard processing through the official portal typically takes three working days after a complete and correctly formatted submission. Vietnamese public holidays can extend this timeline. Applying at least 15 to 20 days before travel is advisable to allow room for any document corrections or unexpected delays.

How long can Indians stay in Vietnam on an e-Visa?

The Vietnam e-Visa allows a stay of up to 90 days, with single or multiple entry options. This was extended from 30 days in August 2023. The 90-day limit applies to both tourist and business e-Visa categories issued through the standard online process.

Can Indians visit Phu Quoc Island without a Vietnam visa?

Yes, under specific conditions. Indian citizens arriving directly at Phu Quoc International Airport or seaport from outside Vietnam can stay on the island visa-free for up to 30 days. The exemption applies only if the entire stay remains within Phu Quoc — any travel to mainland Vietnam requires a valid visa. The Indian Embassy in Hanoi issued a formal advisory on this in April 2026 after a number of Indian travellers encountered problems by misunderstanding the conditions.

What happens if a Vietnam e-Visa application is rejected?

Rejection commonly occurs due to mismatched passport details, a photograph not meeting the specified format, or incomplete information. The government fee is typically non-refundable. Applicants can reapply with corrected documents. Using an assisted service that reviews submissions before they are sent to Vietnam's Immigration Department — such as Visarun.ai — reduces the likelihood of avoidable formatting or data errors triggering a rejection.

Is the Vietnam e-Visa accepted at land borders with Cambodia and Laos?

Yes. Unlike VOA, which is restricted to five international airports, the e-Visa is accepted at all 83 official international entry and exit checkpoints in Vietnam, including land border crossings and seaports. This makes it the right choice for multi-country trips that include overland segments between Vietnam and neighbouring countries.

Can a Vietnam e-Visa or VOA be extended while inside the country?

Extensions are assessed on a case-by-case basis by Vietnam's Immigration Department and are not routinely granted for tourist entries. For stays beyond 90 days, a different visa category — such as a business visa or temporary residence arrangement — is typically needed. The nearest Vietnamese immigration office in-country can advise on current procedures, which may change.