9 Vietnam E-Visa Mistakes That Get Travellers Stopped at Check-In

An e-visa is checked three times: by the airline at check-in, by immigration on arrival, and again when you leave. At each point it is compared with your passport character by character. Australia's Smartraveller advice puts it bluntly: if there are errors, typos or name omissions you may be charged a significant fee to correct the visa, be refused boarding, or be refused entry and deported.

These are the mistakes that cause it.

1. Names in the wrong order

Vietnam's form asks for your full name as it appears in the passport. Western applicants often split given names and surname differently from the way the passport's code lines record them. The safest source is the two lines at the bottom of the photo page: surname first, then given names.

2. A missing middle name

If your passport says Sarah Jane Mitchell, the visa must say all three. Leaving out a middle name because you never use it is one of the commonest reasons a visa is rejected at the desk.

3. One wrong digit in the passport number

Zero and the letter O, one and the letter I, a transposed pair. Check the number against the passport itself, not against a form you filled in earlier.

4. The wrong passport

People renew a passport after applying, or hold two and travel on the other one. The e-visa is tied to the passport number on it. A new passport means a new visa.

5. An entry date that is too early or too late

• You cannot enter before the visa's start date. Give the day you land in Vietnam, not the day you leave home - on an overnight flight they differ.
• You can enter after the start date, but the end date does not move.

6. Single entry on a trip that needs multiple

A side trip to Cambodia or Laos ends a single-entry visa. How to choose between them.

7. A date of birth or nationality slip

Day and month swapped, or the wrong country chosen from a long list. Rare, but fatal to the visa.

8. A passport about to expire

Vietnam and the airlines expect six months' validity from the day you arrive. A visa issued against a passport with less is not a visa you can use.

9. Assuming the visa was approved

The official portal does not email applicants when it needs a correction. People wait, assume silence means approval, and find out at the airport that nothing was ever issued.

Check your e-visa the moment it arrives

Open the PDF beside your passport and compare:

• Full name - every word, in the same order
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Passport number
• Valid from and valid until dates against your flights
• Single or multiple entry

Do it the day the visa arrives, not the night before the flight.

What to do if your e-visa is wrong

An issued e-visa cannot be edited. The only fix is a new application with the correct details, and a new fee.

• If you applied through us and the error is ours, we relodge it at no cost and as fast as the immigration department allows. If the details you gave us were wrong, tell us immediately - the sooner a new application goes in, the better the odds before your flight.
• If you applied yourself, lodge a fresh application straight away rather than waiting to see whether the airline notices. Use urgent processing if your flight is close.
• If you are already at the airport, ask the airline what its policy is. Some will board you to an airport where an emergency visa can be arranged, at a cost; many will not.

How we prevent these

Before anything is lodged, a person compares your application with your passport scan: the names against the code lines, the passport number, the dates, the photo. It is the one step the do-it-yourself route does not have, and it is the reason our service exists.

Frequently asked questions

Can I correct a mistake on my Vietnam e-visa?

Not on the issued visa. You need a new application with the right details.

Will a small spelling mistake matter?

Yes. Airlines and immigration compare the visa with the passport exactly, and a single letter is enough to be refused.

My e-visa shows my names in a different order. Is that a problem?

If the same names appear and match the passport's code lines, it is normally accepted. If a name is missing or misspelt, get a new visa.

I renewed my passport after getting the e-visa. Can I still use it?

No. The visa belongs to the old passport number. Apply again with the new passport.