Vietnam Visa for US Citizens: The Complete 2026 Guide for Americans

Every US citizen needs a visa to visit Vietnam. There is no visa-free entry for American passports, and airlines check for a visa before you board in the US.

Since August 2023 that has been simple: the e-visa is open to every nationality, allows up to 90 days, and is issued online. Nobody needs to mail a passport to Washington any more.

Which visa should an American get?

Your trip	The visa
A vacation, one trip in and out, up to 90 days	Single-entry e-visa
Side trips to Cambodia, Laos or Thailand and back, or a cruise with stops outside Vietnam in between	Multiple-entry e-visa
Meetings, trade fairs, factory visits	Business e-visa
Working, studying or living in Vietnam	A sponsored visa - the embassy route

The e-visa arrives by email as a PDF and is accepted at 83 airports, land borders and seaports. Single or multiple entry?

What it costs

The Vietnamese government charges US$25 for a single-entry e-visa and US$50 for multiple entry. You can pay only that by applying yourself on the official portal, evisa.gov.vn.

Through us the price includes the government fee and a person checking your photo, passport scan and every field before anything is lodged. You can pay by card in US dollars. Current prices are on the Vietnam visa for US citizens page. Applying yourself or using an agency.

When to apply from the US

Apply two to three weeks before you fly. Vietnam's Immigration Department quotes three working days and often takes five to seven, and it does not work at weekends or on Vietnamese public holidays.

The time difference matters more than most Americans expect. Vietnam is half a day or more ahead of every US time zone:

Where you are	Vietnam is
New York, Washington, Miami (Eastern)	11 hours ahead (12 in winter)
Chicago, Houston, Dallas (Central)	12 hours ahead (13 in winter)
Denver (Mountain)	13 hours ahead (14 in winter)
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle (Pacific)	14 hours ahead (15 in winter)

So an application sent on Friday afternoon in the US reaches Vietnam on Saturday, and is not looked at until Monday, Vietnam time. If your flight is close, apply early in your week, and choose urgent processing.

Tet, the Lunar New Year in late January or February, shuts Vietnam's immigration offices for about a week. Apply at least three weeks ahead of any trip in that season.

Flights from the US, and the entry port to give

There is a direct flight from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City. Most other trips connect through Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei or Hong Kong.

The e-visa form asks for your entry port: give the airport where you first land in Vietnam. If you connect to Da Nang or Phu Quoc on a domestic flight, that first airport is still your entry port.

Ho Chi Minh City's new Long Thanh airport (LTH) is scheduled to open on 1 December 2026, and long-haul international flights are expected to move there in stages. Check the airport code on your ticket. Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City · Arriving in Hanoi.

Your passport

• Six months' validity from the day you arrive, and a blank page for the stamp.
• A passport card will not work. It is only valid for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
• Renewing soon? An e-visa is tied to the passport number it was issued for. If you renew before the trip, you need a new visa for the new passport.

Cruises

Many Americans see Vietnam on an Asia cruise. Check the whole itinerary: if the ship calls at two Vietnamese ports with a foreign port in between, you leave Vietnam and come back, which needs a multiple-entry e-visa. Ask your cruise line which ports its calls are cleared through. E-visa ports of entry.

Before you land

Vietnam asks arriving foreigners to complete a free online pre-arrival form within 72 hours of landing. It became compulsory at Ho Chi Minh City on 15 April 2026 and reached Phu Quoc, Hanoi, Da Nang and Cam Ranh in June 2026. How to complete the pre-arrival form.

Vietnamese Americans

If you were born in Vietnam, or have a Vietnamese parent or spouse, you may qualify for a five-year visa exemption certificate, which allows stays of up to 180 days per visit. It is issued by Vietnam's embassy and consulates, not through the e-visa system. Until you hold one, you travel on an e-visa like any other US citizen.

If you hold both passports, use the same one for the booking, the visa and the border.

Practical notes

• Health cover. Many US health plans, including Medicare, don't pay for care abroad. Buy travel insurance that does.
• The State Department's STEP program lets the US embassy in Hanoi and the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City contact you in an emergency. It is free.
• Money. Vietnam uses the dong. US dollars are widely recognized but you will pay in dong almost everywhere; cards work in cities and hotels.

Frequently asked questions

Do US citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes. American passport holders need a visa for every trip, except a visit only to Phu Quoc island arriving there directly from abroad. The e-visa covers almost every vacation: up to 90 days, issued online.

How much is a Vietnam visa for Americans?

The government fee is US$25 for single entry or US$50 for multiple entry. Our all-in price, with that fee included, is on the Vietnam visa for US citizens page.

How long can Americans stay in Vietnam?

Up to 90 days on an e-visa. It cannot be extended from inside Vietnam. Longer stays for work, study or family need a sponsored visa.

Can Americans get a visa on arrival in Vietnam?

Only with an approval letter arranged before you fly, and only at international airports. Airlines will not board you without it. Visa on arrival compared.

Do I need to go to the Vietnamese embassy in Washington?

No. The e-visa is issued online and arrives by email. The embassy in Washington and the consulates in San Francisco and Houston matter only for sponsored visas and the five-year exemption certificate.

I have a US green card. Do I need a visa for Vietnam?

The rule follows your passport, not your residence. A green card holder travelling on a British or Japanese passport can visit visa-free for 45 days; one travelling on an Indian, Chinese or Mexican passport needs an e-visa. Check your passport.