Vietnam Visa for US Citizens: 2026 e-Visa Guide
Last updated: July 13, 2026
A Vietnam visa for US citizens is required for every American passport holder — there is no visa-free entry — and the fastest, official way to get one in 2026 is the online e-visa. Most applications are approved in three to five working days for US$25 (single entry) or US$50 (multiple entry), letting you stay up to 90 days. Here is exactly how the process works, what trips people up, and how to avoid it.
Quick answer: US citizens apply for the Vietnam e-visa online at the official government portal (evisa.gov.vn), choosing single entry (US$25) or multiple entry (US$50). Processing usually takes 3–5 working days, and the visa is valid for up to 90 days. You will need a digital passport photo and a scan of your passport bio-data page — most rejections come from photo errors, not paperwork. Apply three to four weeks before you fly, and always double-check you are on the government site, not a lookalike agency.
- Official portal: evisa.gov.vn (also evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn)
- Fee: US$25 single entry / US$50 multiple entry
- Max stay: up to 90 days
- Processing: typically 3–5 working days
- Exemptions for US citizens: none — a visa is always required
In this guide: How to apply · Fees & validity · Photos & passport · Entry points · Common mistakes · e-visa vs VOA · FAQs
How do US citizens apply for a Vietnam e-visa?
The whole process happens online, in four steps:
- 1. Go to the official portal — evisa.gov.vn (or evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn) — never a third-party site that isn’t clearly labelled as an agency.
- 2. Fill in your details — passport information, travel dates, and your intended entry point.
- 3. Upload your photo and passport scan — see the requirements below; this is where most delays happen.
- 4. Pay the fee online — US$25 or US$50 — and wait for the approval email, then save and print the PDF.
Genuine agencies exist and can help if you would rather not do the paperwork yourself, but they charge a service fee on top of the government cost. For most travellers, the official site is simplest. If you are building out the rest of your trip at the same time, our Vietnam private tours team can talk you through timing the visa against your flights.
How much does the Vietnam e-visa cost, and how long is it valid?
Pricing is the same for every nationality in 2026, US citizens included. Choose single entry if you are flying in and out once; choose multiple entry if you plan to pop across the border into Cambodia, Laos or Thailand and come back.
| Option | Fee | Max stay | Processing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| e-visa, single entry | US$25 | 90 days | 3–5 working days | One straight trip in and out |
| e-visa, multiple entry | US$50 | 90 days | 3–5 working days | Multi-country Indochina loops |
| Visa on arrival (backup) | Agency fee + cash stamping fee | Case by case | Approval letter in hours | Emergency only, airports only |
Both e-visa fees are paid once, online, in full — there is no separate stamping fee at the border the way there is with a visa-on-arrival approval letter.
What passport and photo requirements does the e-visa ask for?
Your US passport needs at least six months’ validity beyond your planned exit date and at least two blank visa pages. You will then upload two separate images: a current portrait photo and a clear scan of your passport’s bio-data page — and they must be two different files, not the same image twice.
For the portrait: plain white background, no glasses, no hat, taken within the last six months, well and evenly lit with no shadows or filters. For the passport scan: flat, uncropped, no glare, all text legible. Save both as separate .jpg files before you start the form — it saves a resubmission.
Which airports and border crossings accept the e-visa?
The e-visa is the most flexible option for entry: it is accepted at Vietnam’s international airports (including Hanoi’s Noi Bai and Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat) as well as major land and sea border crossings — around 40 designated entry points nationwide. Double-check your planned crossing is on the current list before you travel if you are entering overland from Cambodia or Laos.
Hera’s detail check: match the entry point on your e-visa approval to your actual arrival airport or border gate — it is asked for on the form, and immigration does check it. If your flight plans change after approval, it is worth confirming rather than assuming it will be waved through.
What causes a Vietnam e-visa application to be rejected or delayed?
Almost every delay we hear about traces back to the photo, not the personal details. The most common issues: uploading the same photo for both the portrait and the passport-page fields, glasses or shadows on the face photo, a coloured or patterned background instead of plain white, and a passport-page scan that is tilted, cropped or too blurry to read. Using an old, filtered or over-edited photo causes the same problem.
The fix for all of them is the same: take a fresh, plain, well-lit photo for the portrait, and a flat, well-lit scan of the passport page, saved as two separate files, and check both before you submit.
Vietnam e-visa vs visa on arrival: which should US citizens use?
For almost every American traveller, the e-visa is simpler and cheaper: one online payment, no printed approval letter, no queuing at a separate visa counter on arrival. Visa on arrival still technically exists, but in practice it now mainly serves as a backup — useful if your e-visa is stuck in processing and your flight is within 48 hours, since an approval letter can sometimes be arranged faster through an agency. It also involves an extra cash stamping fee paid at the airport, on top of the agency’s charge, so it usually costs more than the e-visa overall.
Vietnam visa for US citizens: know before you go
- Timing: apply 3–4 weeks before departure so a resubmission never threatens your flight.
- Copies: save the approval PDF to your phone and print a paper copy — immigration prefers a printout.
- Passport: check the six-month validity and two-blank-page rule before you book flights, not after.
- Only official sites: pay only on evisa.gov.vn (or a clearly-labelled agency) — never a random search-ad link.
Vietnam visa for US citizens FAQs
Do US citizens need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes. Vietnam’s visa-free list does not include the United States, so every American traveller needs an approved e-visa, visa on arrival letter, or embassy visa before entering.
How much does the Vietnam e-visa cost for Americans?
US$25 for a single-entry e-visa or US$50 for a multiple-entry e-visa, paid once online at evisa.gov.vn, valid for up to 90 days.
How long does the Vietnam e-visa take to process?
Typically 3–5 working days on the official portal. Build in a buffer, since photo issues are the most common cause of delay.
Can US citizens get a Vietnam visa on arrival instead?
Technically yes, but it now mainly works as a same-week backup when an e-visa is delayed, and it costs more once the agency fee and airport stamping fee are added.
How many days can US citizens stay in Vietnam on an e-visa?
Up to 90 days per entry, whether you choose the single- or multiple-entry e-visa — plenty for most Vietnam and Indochina itineraries.
Why I double-check every American traveller’s visa paperwork
I’ll admit it: I’m the consultant who asks American guests to send me a photo of their passport photo before they upload it. It sounds fussy, but I’ve watched too many people lose four days to a resubmission over something as small as a shadow on the face or the same image used twice. The visa itself is genuinely easy — it’s the small details around it that trip people up, and those are exactly the things I like to catch before they cost anyone their departure date. So if you’re staring at the form and second-guessing whether your photo will pass, send it over — I would far rather check it now than hear about it at the airport.
— Hera, your travel consultant at My Viva Tour
Plan your Vietnam trip with My Viva Tour
Once your e-visa is sorted, let us handle the rest. Tell us your dates and what you want to see, and we will send a free, no-obligation private itinerary within 24 hours, priced in US dollars. See how American travellers are getting there in our Vietnam tours from the USA guide, check flight options in flights to Vietnam from the US, and budget your trip with how much does a Vietnam trip cost. Get your free quote.
Travel notes fact-checked: July 2026. This guide is reviewed every 6 months; visa rules can change without notice, so always confirm current fees and requirements on the official portal before you apply.
