Vietnam e-visa costs $25 for single-entry or $50 for multi-entry and takes 3 business days to process through evisa.gov.vn. Russians and CIS nationals who want to stay beyond the standard 45-day visa-free period — or make regional side trips — need it. I’ve applied three times; here’s what the official instructions skip over.
When you actually need a Vietnam e-visa
Vietnam grants Russians 45 days visa-free. For a two-week holiday that’s more than enough. But for anyone staying 3 months, working remotely, or looping through Southeast Asia, the e-visa earns its keep in two ways:
90 days of continuous stay — three times the visa-free window, no border runs required.
Bank account access — BIDV and Vietcombank require a 90-day entry document to open an account. A visa-free stamp usually doesn’t qualify at most branches in 2026.
E-visa types and costs: $25 vs $50
Single-entry — $25. One way in. Exit Vietnam and the visa is finished.
Multi-entry — $50. Enter and exit freely within the 90-day validity. Worth it if you plan any side trip to Thailand, Laos or Cambodia — one exit already justifies the extra $25 over reapplying from scratch.
The payment wall that trips most people up
Filling out the application is easy. Paying is where things get complicated. Russian Mir cards are rejected. UnionPay doesn’t work either. You need a foreign Visa or Mastercard.
Cards that have worked reliably in 2025-2026:
- Bybit or OKX-issued Visa/Mastercard (crypto exchange cards, available to Russians)
- Cards from Armenian, Kazakh or Georgian banks
- Vietnamese-issued cards (Timo, Cake) if you already have one
If your card fails, switching browsers or connecting through a VPN to a different country sometimes fixes the gateway issue — it has geographic quirks.
No foreign card at all? Visa agencies will handle the full application and pay the $25-50 government fee, billing you in rubles. Add their service fee on top.
Sorting the card and that $25-50 government fee is the fiddly part, and the payment step is where most applications stall — a card the portal won’t take, a status that sits on Processing past the third working day. That’s usually where we come in: our team in Da Nang files e-visas for expats every week and knows which of those cases resolve themselves and which need a resubmission. If you’d rather not fight the portal, tell me your dates on Telegram
and we’ll handle the filing.
After you apply: tracking your approval
Processing takes 3 business days from submission — not calendar days. In practice it can stretch to 7 days. Apply at least two weeks before your arrival date.
After submission, you receive a confirmation email containing your register code. Keep it — you’ll need it to check status. Go to evisa.gov.vn/e-visa/search and enter your register code, email address, and date of birth.
When the status reads “Approved,” download your visa PDF from that same page. The visa is not sent by email — you must log back in and download it yourself.
Save the PDF and screenshot it on your phone. Printing is not technically required — border officers have the database — but a phone screenshot is useful backup at land crossings where connectivity is patchy.
One important limitation: you cannot apply for an e-visa from inside Vietnam. The system is designed for entry from abroad. Travelers who’ve tried submitting from within the country received automatic rejections.
Which border crossings accept the e-visa
The e-visa works at 83 designated international checkpoints — but not all of them. Before booking transport, verify your specific crossing is listed at evisa.gov.vn. If you’re landing at one of the bigger gateways — Da Nang, Nha Trang or Ho Chi Minh City — my Vietnam itineraries start from each of those cities.
Airports (13 total, all accept e-visa): Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Noi Bai (Hanoi), Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Cam Ranh (Nha Trang) and 8 others.
Land border crossings (16 total): Lao Bao (Laos border), Moc Bai (Cambodia), Ha Tien (Cambodia), Huu Nghi (China), Lao Cai (China) among others.
Seaports (39 total): Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and major cruise terminals.
At the checkpoint, show your passport and the e-visa document (printed or on screen). The officer scans the QR code.
Vietnam e-visa is straightforward once the payment step is solved. The 3-day processing window only becomes a problem when you leave it to the last minute — apply two weeks out and you’ll never notice the wait.
Have questions about living in Vietnam, visas or residency? Connect with the Samurai Tour team:
- Telegram @learnx1000 — direct questions about visas, residency and expat life in Vietnam
Useful reads: Vietnam E-Visa for Russians · How to Fill the E-Visa Form · Cost of Living Vietnam 2026
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for Vietnam e-visa from inside Vietnam?
No. The e-visa system is designed for entry from abroad. Applications submitted from within Vietnam receive automatic rejections.
Do I need to print the Vietnam e-visa?
No, printing is not required — border officers have the database. A phone screenshot is sufficient backup.
How long does Vietnam e-visa take to process?
3 business days is standard. In practice it can take 3-7 days. Apply at least 2 weeks before your arrival date.
