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The visa decision for a Vietnam trip

Three real options for most travellers — visa-free entry, e-visa, or the Phú Quốc-only scheme. How to choose, plus the long-stay reality check.

Published 2026-05-21· 5 min read· Vietnam Knowledge
Last reviewed: 21 May 2026Report outdated info

For a tourist trip to Vietnam, the visa decision is usually one of three things. Most travellers get it right in five minutes by following the questions below. The trip-killer is getting it wrong — arriving with no visa when you needed one, or trying to stay 16 days on a 15-day visa-free entry.

Not legal advice. Visa-eligibility rules change. Confirm with the Vietnamese embassy in your country and the official e-visa portal before applying.

Question 1 — how long is your trip?

If your trip is 15 days or fewer: check whether your nationality is on the visa-free list.

If your trip is 16 to 90 days: apply for the e-visa.

If your trip is over 90 days: see the long-stay reality check at the end of this page.

Question 2 — is your passport on the 15-day visa-free list?

Yes if you hold:

  • UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain
  • Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland
  • Russia, Belarus
  • Japan, South Korea

Yes for 30 days if you hold an ASEAN passport (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar — varies by bilateral arrangement).

No (use the e-visa) if you hold US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, Chinese, Indian, or most other passports.

See the 15-day visa-free countries page for the precise list and any exclusions (e.g. you can't use visa-free entry within 30 days of your previous visa-free entry).

Question 3 — are you going only to Phú Quốc?

If your trip is direct international arrival into Phú Quốc and you stay on the island, you qualify for 30 days visa-free regardless of nationality. You can't leave the island under this scheme.

This is genuinely useful for a beach week, but it's only worth it if Phú Quốc is your whole trip. See Phú Quốc visa-free.

The e-visa — what it costs and how long it takes

The e-visa is the standard option for most travellers who can't use visa-free entry, and for anyone staying 16–90 days.

  • Cost: $25 single-entry, $50 multiple-entry
  • Validity: up to 90 days
  • Processing time: 3 working days, often faster, sometimes slower — don't book flights tight
  • Apply at: evisa.gov.vn — the official portal. Avoid third-party agency sites that charge a $50–100 markup for the same service
  • Documents: passport photo page scan, passport-style photo, a Vietnamese address (any hotel name is fine), credit card

See the e-visa guide for the full walkthrough.

Long-stay reality check

If you want to stay in Vietnam for more than 90 days continuously as a general remote worker, retiree, or "long holiday" traveller, you should know:

  • Vietnam has no confirmed general-purpose digital nomad visa equivalent to Thailand's DTV, Spain's nomad visa, or Portugal's D7. Online sources sometimes describe a "Vietnamese DTV" — this is a mix-up with Thailand's DTV. Read the reality check.
  • Vietnam has no confirmed dedicated retirement visa equivalent to Thailand O-A or Philippines SRRV. Read the retirement reality check.
  • What does exist for long stays: work permit (employer sponsors), DT investor visa (you set up a Vietnamese company), TT marriage visa (Vietnamese spouse), DH student visa (recognised institution).
  • The grey-zone alternative that many remote workers use is e-visa cycling — leave and re-enter every 90 days. It works, but it's not formal authorisation to work, and Immigration is increasingly attentive to "permanent tourist" patterns.

Use the visa route checker to surface routes to research, not to "qualify" you for one.

Common visa-decision mistakes

  1. Trying to use 15-day visa-free for a 16+ day trip. Apply for the e-visa instead.
  2. Booking an e-visa through a third-party site. They charge a $50–100 markup. Use the official evisa.gov.vn.
  3. Assuming the e-visa entry/exit ports are flexible. They're not — you specify them in the application and must use them. Some flexibility exists but don't assume.
  4. Stretching the 30-day Phú Quốc-only scheme. It applies only on direct arrival at PQC and only if you stay on the island.
  5. Falling for the "Vietnamese DTV / 5-year talent visa" online article. That's Thailand's DTV. Vietnam has no confirmed equivalent.
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