Vietnam E-Visa for Indians: Step-by-Step (2026)

Indian passport holders need a visa for Vietnam, and the right way to get it is the official e-visa: fully online, no agent needed, USD 25 (about ₹2,200) for single entry or USD 50 (about ₹4,400) for multiple entry, valid for stays of up to 90 days. You apply on the government portal, wait about 3 working days, and print the PDF.

_Last updated: July 2026._

That is the whole product. Anyone charging you ₹8,000–₹12,000 for a "Vietnam visa" is selling you a USD 25 form with a markup.

This is the number one problem Indian travellers hit, so it comes first.

The only official portal is evisa.gov.vn, run by Vietnam's Immigration Department (it also answers at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn — same system). Everything else is a reseller or a scam.

How to spot a fake:

• The price. The official fee is USD 25 single / USD 50 multiple. Fakes charge USD 70–150 and call it "processing" or "rush service".
• The domain. Fakes use names like "vietnam-evisa.org", "vietnamvisa.vn", "evisa-vietnam.com". Official government sites end in .gov.vn.
• Ads. Fakes buy Google ads to appear above the real site. Scroll past the ads.
• "Guaranteed approval" claims. No one can guarantee a visa. The government site never says this.

Some resellers do deliver a real visa — after tripling the price. There is no reason to pay them.

Step 1: Get your photo and passport scan right

Photo and scan problems are the top rejection cause. You need:

• A recent passport-style photo (4×6 cm, white background, no glasses) as a digital file.
• A clear scan of your passport data page — full page, all four corners visible, no glare, no fingers.

Shoot both with your phone in daylight on a plain surface. Blurry or cropped scans get rejected days later, and you start over.

Step 2: Fill the form — gotchas for Indian applicants

The form is in English and takes 15–20 minutes. Watch these:

• Name exactly as in your passport, including middle names. "Given name" and "surname" must match the machine-readable line.
• Indian addresses often exceed the field length — abbreviate sensibly, keep the PIN code.
• Entry port: pick the airport you will actually land at. This field is locked after approval — more in the next section.
• Entry date: your visa window starts from the date you request, not the approval date. Give yourself a day or two of margin.

Step 3: Pay

Payment is by international credit or debit card, through the portal's e-payment gateway. Two notes for Indian users:

• UPI does not work here. If you only use UPI, enable international transactions on a Visa/Mastercard debit card first — most Indian banking apps let you switch this on in seconds.
• The charge is in USD, so your bank adds a small forex markup. On ₹2,200 it is pocket change.

Step 4: Note your reference number and track

After payment you get a registration code. Save it — you need it, plus your email and date of birth, to check status and download the visa PDF from the same portal. No email arrives in some cases, so check the portal yourself from day 3.

Official processing is 3 working days. Realistic planning:

• Allow 5–7 working days, more around Tet (Vietnamese New Year, late Jan–Feb) and Vietnamese public holidays.
• Apply at least 2 weeks before your flight. For a Nov–Feb high-season trip, apply 3–4 weeks out.
• Print the e-visa. Airlines at Indian airports ask for a paper copy at check-in, and Vietnamese immigration expects one.

The checkpoint trap: the application asks for both an intended entry checkpoint and an intended exit checkpoint. Match them to your itinerary before paying, then check the issued e-visa. Do not assume you can switch airports or land crossings after issue without written confirmation from Vietnam Immigration.

At the immigration counter: hand over your passport and the printed e-visa. Officers rarely ask Indians much beyond the basics — where you are staying and when you leave. Keep your hotel booking and return ticket reachable on your phone. There is no fee to pay at the counter; anyone "helping" you through immigration for money at a Vietnamese airport is a tout.

The Phu Quoc exception: the island of Phu Quoc is visa-free for all nationalities, including Indians, for stays up to 30 days — if you fly in and out of Phu Quoc directly without touching the Vietnamese mainland. Fly via Bangkok or KL on an international connection and you can skip the e-visa entirely for a pure island holiday. Touch Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City on the way, and you need the e-visa like everyone else.

• Delayed past 7 working days? Check the portal with your registration code first. If nothing moves, email the immigration support address listed on the official site. There is no phone hotline worth relying on.
• Rejected? The fee is not refunded. Check every field, photo and passport image against the official instructions, then ask Vietnam Immigration whether to correct or submit a fresh application. Do not guess at the reason.
• Airport "visa on arrival" letters: agencies sell pre-approval letters for a counter process at the airport. It exists, but for tourists it is slower on landing, costs more in total, and depends on an agency middleman. We do not recommend it when the e-visa works fine.

November to February is Vietnam's best weather — and its busiest season. For a December trip, apply in early November. That leaves room for one rejection-and-reapply cycle without touching your flight dates.

Two timing details worth knowing. First, the visa's 90-day window starts on the entry date you request in the form, not on approval — so applying early does not waste validity as long as you set the right start date. Second, Tet (late January to mid-February; dates shift yearly) slows processing and closes much of Vietnam for a week; if your trip brushes Tet, add a full extra week of visa buffer and expect crowded domestic transport.

Visa done in one evening — now the fun part:

• Browse things to do in Vietnam — Ba Na Hills, Ha Long Bay cruises and more, priced in INR.
• Not sure which month? See the best time to visit Southeast Asia.
• Comparing destinations? Thailand currently offers Indians visa-free entry, while Vietnam requires an e-visa. Check the evolving Thailand entry rules before choosing.