Vietnam Visa on Arrival Fees in 2026: Approval Letter, Stamping Fee and the Real Total

"Visa on arrival" sounds like a single fee paid at the airport. In Vietnam it is two payments made in two places, and the second one has to be in cash.

The two fees

1. The approval letter, before you travel

A visa on arrival is only issued to someone the Immigration Department has approved in advance. The approval is requested by a sponsor in Vietnam - in practice a travel agency - and comes back as an approval letter listing your name, passport number and arrival airport.

The agency charges for the letter. There is no government price list for it: the amount is set by each agency and usually depends on how fast you need it and whether you are on a shared letter with other travellers or a private one.

2. The stamping fee, at the airport

When you land, you hand the approval letter, your passport, an application form and photos to the visa-on-arrival counter, and pay the stamping fee - the government's visa fee:

Visa	Stamping fee
Single entry	US$25
Multiple entry, up to 90 days	US$50

Plan on paying in US dollars cash, in clean notes. Card payment at the counter is not something to rely on, and there may be no cash machine before immigration.

What else to bring

• Two passport photos, 4x6 cm, white background, no glasses. Taking them at the airport, where it is possible at all, costs more and takes time.
• The visa application form (form NA1), usually available at the counter. Filling it in on the plane saves time - see Vietnam visa forms.
• A printed copy of the approval letter.

What it really costs, compared with the e-visa

	Visa on arrival	E-visa
Government fee	US$25 / US$50, cash at the airport	US$25 / US$50, paid online
Agency fee	For the approval letter	Only if you use an agency
Photos	Printed, brought with you	Uploaded as a file
Time at the airport	Queue at the visa counter, then immigration	Straight to immigration
Where it works	International airports only	Designated airports, land borders and seaports

The government fee is the same either way. The difference is everything around it: an approval letter you pay for separately, cash to carry, and a second queue on arrival. For most travellers, the Vietnam e-visa costs the same or less once everything is counted, and our price includes the government fee - see Vietnam visa cost.

When visa on arrival still makes sense

A visa on arrival can suit a large group travelling on one approval letter, or someone whose sponsor in Vietnam is already arranging an approval for another reason. For an ordinary holiday or business trip, the e-visa is simpler. The visa on arrival guide explains the whole process.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the visa on arrival fee in Vietnam?

The stamping fee is US$25 for single entry and US$50 for multiple entry, paid in cash at the airport. The approval letter you need before travelling is charged separately by the agency that arranges it.

Can I pay the Vietnam visa on arrival fee by card?

Don't count on it. Bring US dollars in cash.

Is the visa on arrival cheaper than the e-visa?

No. The government fee is the same, and the visa on arrival adds the approval letter, photos and the airport queue.

Do children pay the stamping fee?

Each traveller who needs a visa is issued their own, so plan on a stamping fee for each person, children included.

Can I get a visa on arrival at a land border?

No. Visa on arrival is only issued at international airports. At land borders you need an e-visa, a visa in your passport or a visa exemption - see the nationality pages.