The Vietnam e-visa costs $25 for single entry, $50 for multiple. It takes 3 working days. Every nationality can apply. And here’s what nobody puts in the first paragraph: your e-visa cannot be extended once you’re in Vietnam, and you can’t apply for a new one while you’re still here. I learned both of these the hard way.
How to Apply (the Actual Steps)
Go to evisa.gov.vn . This is the only official site. If a URL asks for more than $25/$50 or wants your credit card before the form — it’s a scam.
The form asks for:
- Full name exactly as it appears in the machine-readable lines at the bottom of your passport page (the «< lines). Not what’s printed above in fancy font. This tripped me up on attempt one — my middle name was in the MRZ but I left it out of the form. Rejected.
- Date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format. Not MM/DD. I’ve watched three Americans get confused by this.
- Passport number, issue date, expiry date. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your entry date.
- Entry and exit port. Good news: since 2025, this is just informational. You can enter through any of Vietnam’s 83 approved ports regardless of what you put here.
- Accommodation address in Vietnam. They verify this with your hotel. Don’t make one up.
The Photo That Keeps Getting Rejected
You need two photos: a portrait and a passport page scan.
Portrait: 4x6 cm, JPG format, white background, under 1 MB. No glasses. No filters. No selfie lighting that makes your skin glow. Mouth closed, eyes open, face filling most of the frame.
Passport scan: all four corners visible, no fingers holding the page, no shadow or glare, and the machine-readable lines at the bottom must be clearly legible.
My second rejection was the passport scan. I took it on my bed with a lamp casting a shadow across the bottom. The ICAO lines were unreadable. Retook it on a white table in daylight. Approved in 3 days.
What It Costs and How Long It Takes
Single entry (up to 90 days): $25. Multiple entry (up to 90 days): $50. Non-refundable even if denied.
Processing: 3 working days officially. Can stretch to 5–7 during holidays or peak season. No rush option on the official site.
Payment via Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, or JCB. You’ll get an application code after payment — screenshot it immediately. You need it to check your status.
Third-party agencies charge $55–80 for the same thing. They’re filling out the same form on evisa.gov.vn and taking a cut. Save the money.
At the Airport: What Actually Happens
Print your e-visa PDF. Yes, print it. On paper. Some immigration officers in smaller airports don’t check digital copies on phones.
Walk straight to the immigration counter. No separate visa queue like with the old visa-on-arrival system. Hand over passport plus printed e-visa. Biometric scan. Stamp. Done. Took me 4 minutes at Da Nang airport.
All 17 international airports accept e-visas. Da Nang (DAD), Hanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh (SGN), Cam Ranh/Nha Trang (CXR), Phu Quoc (PQC) — plus 27 land borders and 39 seaports.
The Part Nobody Talks About: What Happens When Your 90 Days Are Up
Tourist e-visas cannot be extended. Period. You also cannot apply for a new e-visa while still inside Vietnam. The system blocks it.
So what do expats actually do? Visa runs.
Exit Vietnam. Fly to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, or Kuala Lumpur — or drive to the Lao Bao border crossing in Quang Tri province, about 4 hours from Da Nang. Apply for a new e-visa from abroad. Wait 3–5 working days. Re-enter.
Total cost: $25–50 for the visa plus your transport. No waiting period between exit and re-entry.
Overstay penalties: 500,000–2,000,000 VND ($20–80) for 1–15 days. Beyond that, you’re looking at deportation and entry bans. Not worth gambling.
E-Visa vs. Visa on Arrival vs. Embassy
E-visa is the right choice for almost everyone. $25–50, online, 3 days, done.
Visa on arrival was the backpacker move for years. As of 2026, it’s restricted to organized tour groups and emergency entries. Individual travelers can’t use it anymore.
Embassy visa only makes sense if your e-visa gets denied (rare) or you need a business/work visa longer than 90 days.
45 countries don’t need a visa at all for stays up to 45 days: UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and others. If you’re from one of these — just show up. But if you plan to stay longer than 45 days, apply for the e-visa before you arrive.
Da Nang Immigration Offices
If you’re on a business or work visa and need an extension:
- Da Nang Immigration Department: 7 Tran Quy Cap, Hai Chau
- Immigration under Da Nang Police: 78 Le Loi, Thach Thang, Hai Chau
- Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00–11:30 AM, 1:30–4:00 PM
Note: you generally can’t extend directly — you need to go through an agency. Extension costs range from $25 (single entry) to $135 (6–12 months) depending on visa type.
The Short Version
Apply at evisa.gov.vn . Pay $25 or $50. Use your MRZ name. Take photos in daylight on a white background. Print the PDF. Your e-visa lasts 90 days and cannot be extended — plan your visa run in advance.
Our team at Samurai Tour navigates this stuff daily for expats relocating to Da Nang. If you’re confused about which visa fits your situation or need help planning a visa run — reach out:
- Instagram @vietnam_samurai — DM the word VISA
- Telegram bot — tap /start