Vietnam Visa for Indians (2026): E-Visa, Fees & How to Apply

Vietnam Visa for Indians: Fees, Rules & How to Apply (2026)

✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-06-26

Vietnam visa for Indian passport holders in 2026 runs through the official e-visa, which costs ₹2,410 (~25 USD), allows a 90-day stay, and is multiple-entry. There is no visa-on-arrival for Indian passport holders anymore, despite what dozens of third-party “Vietnam visa agents” still advertise. The one trap: name mismatch between your passport and your e-visa application gets you bounced at immigration, so check every letter before you hit submit. For a deeper walkthrough, the Vietnam e-visa for Indians step-by-step guide covers edge cases the official portal doesn’t. For related planning, see our guide on Sea Backpacking Hub.

Quick Answers

What	Answer	Price (INR)
Visa required for Indians?	Yes (e-visa is the standard route)	,
Primary visa type	e-Visa (online, pre-applied)	₹2,410 (~25 USD)
Fallback / alternative	None for Indians (VoA was discontinued for Indian passports)	,
Processing time	3 business days (official), often faster	,
Validity / max stay	90 days per stay, multiple-entry	,
Extension possible?	Yes, at Vietnam Immigration Department offices	varies
Mandatory arrival form	No separate health/arrival form as of lastVerified	,

Want the 90-day e-visa broken down step by step? Read the Vietnam 90-day e-visa guide for Indian travelers next.

Visa Types Compared

There is one visa type Indian passport holders use in 2026, and one historical option that no longer applies. Here is the honest version.

e-Visa (the only current option). The Vietnam e-Visa is issued entirely online before you fly. The application goes through the Vietnam Immigration Department portal, the fee is ₹2,410 (~25 USD), and the visa is valid for a single stay of up to 90 days with multiple entries allowed. Photo spec is exact: 4x6 cm, white background, taken within the last 6 months (more on this below). Processing is 3 business days per the official site, but traveller reports from mid-2026 show most applications clear within 24-72 hours if there are no errors. The one thing that makes this better than every other option: it’s the only option. Because VoA was effectively closed to Indian passports, letters previously sold by agents as “visa-on-arrival letters” are now refused at Vietnamese immigration. If a blog is telling you to book a VoA letter, that blog is two years out of date.

Visa on Arrival (no longer available for Indians). VoA used to work for Indians: you got a pre-approved letter from a Vietnamese agency, flew in, paid a ₹2,410 (~25 USD) stamping fee at the airport, and walked out stamped. That pathway has been closed to Indian passport holders since 2024 and the official portal confirms it as of the 2026-06-26 verification. Anything advertising “Vietnam visa on arrival for Indians” today is either selling you a scam letter or charging you for an e-visa at a markup. If you see one, close the tab.

Pre-approved visas via third-country visas (US/Singapore/Japan). Some sources mention Indians with valid US, UK, Japan, or Schengen visas getting easier entry. As of lastVerified, this does NOT exempt Indian passport holders from needing a Vietnamese visa. What it does help with is e-visa approval rates, travellers with a clean US/Schengen travel history report fewer random rejections. Don’t pay extra for “visa assistance” on this basis.

For the full photo rules, see the Vietnam visa photo size for Indians guide.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for the Vietnam e-Visa

Everything below goes through evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. Third-party “Vietnam visa” sites are not involved at any step.

1. Start the application at least 3 business days before your flight. Official processing is 3 days, but traveller reports show weekends and Vietnamese public holidays push it to 5-7. Apply 1-2 weeks out to be safe, and see the Vietnam visa processing time for Indians for realistic timelines.

2. Fill in your details exactly as printed in your passport. Name (first, middle, last in the order your passport shows), passport number, date of birth, nationality. Every field is matched character-by-character against your passport at immigration. If your Aadhaar says “Kumar” and your passport says “KUMAR”, the e-visa system and the immigration officer both need the passport version.

3. Upload your photo and passport bio page. Photo: 4x6 cm, white background, taken within 6 months. Passport bio page: clear scan or photo, all four corners visible, no glare. File size limits apply (usually under 2 MB total), compress if needed.

4. Pay the ₹2,410 (~25 USD) fee. The official portal accepts Visa, Mastercard, and JCB. The fee is non-refundable even if your application is rejected, which is one reason it pays to get the photo and details right the first time.

5. Wait for the e-visa PDF in your email. It comes as a downloadable PDF with a QR code and an application number. Print two copies (one for immigration, one backup) and save the PDF on your phone.

6. At check-in and immigration, present the printed e-visa alongside your passport. Airline staff will scan the QR code at boarding, then the immigration officer at your arrival airport does a second scan. If the QR fails to scan (smudged print, wrong size), the backup print solves it. If both fail, immigration can verify the application number manually, but it adds 15-30 minutes.

For a deeper walkthrough, the Vietnam e-visa for Indians step-by-step guide covers edge cases the official portal doesn’t.

At the Airport / Border

Vietnam has 8 international airports accepting the e-visa (Hanoi Noi Bai, Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Nha Trang Cam Ranh, Hai Phong Cat Bi, Can Tho, Phu Quoc, Thanh Hoa) plus most major land borders with Cambodia, Laos, and China. If you’re crossing overland from Cambodia, the Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh border crossing guide covers what to expect at Moc Bai/Bavet. The e-visa works at all of them.

At immigration, here’s what to expect as an Indian passport holder:

• Join the “All Passports / Foreign Passport” line. There is no Indian-specific counter.
• Hand over your passport (open to the bio page) and your printed e-visa.
• The officer scans the QR code, checks your face against the photo on the visa, and asks 1-2 questions. The most common questions: “Purpose of visit?” (tourism), “How long are you staying?” (in days, not weeks), “Where are you staying?” (name of any hotel or hostel, the first one from your itinerary works).
• Passport gets stamped with entry date. The 90-day countdown starts from this stamp, not from your e-visa issue date.

Photo and document specifics that catch Indians out:

• Photo MUST be 4x6 cm (not 2x2 inches, which is the US/Canada size, not the Vietnamese size). Lots of photo apps default to 2x2 for “passport photo.”
• White background is mandatory. Light grey, off-white, blue, or patterned backgrounds get rejected on upload.
• Glasses are not allowed in the photo. If your passport has glasses, your e-visa photo still needs to be without them.
• Passport needs 6+ months validity beyond your entry date. Travellers with 5-month-validity passports get refused at check-in, not at immigration.
• Two blank pages minimum. The immigration officer needs space for entry and exit stamps.

Land border note: If you’re crossing from Cambodia (Moc Bai/Bavet) or Laos (Cau Treo/Lao Bao), the same e-visa works, but processing can be slower because land border officers do manual lookups more often than airport officers. Have your printed e-visa and hotel booking for your first night in Vietnam ready.

Extensions & Overstay

You can extend a Vietnam e-visa once, for an additional 30 or 90 days, at a Vietnam Immigration Department office in Hanoi, Da Nang, or Ho Chi Minh City. The process takes 5-7 working days and the fee depends on visa type and extension length. As of lastVerified, expect to pay roughly ₹6,266-₹14,943 (~65-155 USD) depending on whether you want single or multiple entry on the extension.

Overstay fines: Vietnam charges a fine for overstaying your visa. The exact amount varies but is generally in the range of ₹482-₹2,410 (~5-25 USD) per day overstayed, paid at the immigration office before you’re allowed to depart. Repeated overstays or overstays longer than 30 days can lead to detention, deportation at your own cost, and a re-entry ban. Don’t risk it. If your 90-day visa is about to expire and you want to stay longer, start the extension at least 10 days before expiry.

Common Mistakes & Rejection Reasons

These are the specific things that get Indian passport holders either rejected at the application stage or turned away at immigration.

Name mismatch between Aadhaar and passport. This is the single most common issue. Your Aadhaar might say “Rahul” and your passport “RAHUL KUMAR SHARMA” or vice versa. The e-visa system uses your passport name exactly. Match the passport, ignore the Aadhaar. If you’ve changed your name on Aadhaar but not on the passport, use the passport version.

Photo rejection on the portal. The 4x6 cm spec is strict. Travellers uploading 2x2 inch photos get auto-rejected, as do photos with white-but-not-pure-white backgrounds (off-white walls, light beige curtains). Take the photo against a real white wall in daylight, or use a photo app that explicitly outputs Vietnam 4x6.

Wrong travel dates in the application. The e-visa application asks for “intended entry date” and “intended exit date.” Pick dates within your actual itinerary. If you put 1 March to 30 May but fly in on 5 March, immigration won’t care, but if you put 1 March to 1 March (accidentally) your visa is useless.

No printed copy. Immigration at Hanoi and Da Nang requires a printed e-visa; phone screenshots are not accepted as the primary document. Always carry two printed copies.

Applying through a third-party “Vietnam visa service.” These sites charge ₹4,820-₹14,461 (~50-150 USD) for the same ₹2,410 (~25 USD) e-visa and provide no extra value. Worse, some still sell “visa-on-arrival letters” for Indian passports, which is a scam in 2026. Use only evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn.

For more on rejection rates and what an actual refused application looks like, read the Vietnam visa rejection rate for Indians breakdown.

Getting Connected

You will need a working SIM the moment you clear immigration. The cheapest and fastest option is the tourist SIM at the airport kiosks before you exit the arrivals hall. Viettel and Mobifone both sell a 14-day tourist SIM with around 6 GB of data for ₹479 (~130,000 VND or ~$4.97). The kiosk accepts cash (VND) and sometimes cards. The SIM is activated on the spot with your passport, no separate registration needed. For budgeting the cash side of that, see the INR to Vietnam currency exchange breakdown.

If you’d rather skip the airport counter, an eSIM gives you data before you even board the flight. ESIMs work on most Indian phones sold after 2021 (check that your phone is eSIM-compatible and carrier-unlocked before relying on this).

FAQ

Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam? Yes. Indian passport holders must apply for an e-visa before travelling. There is no visa-free entry for Indians in 2026.

Can Indians get a Vietnam visa on arrival? No. The visa-on-arrival pathway for Indian passport holders was closed in 2024 and remains unavailable as of lastVerified (2026-06-26). Any site offering “VoA letters for Indian passport” is either outdated or a scam.

How much does a Vietnam e-visa cost for Indians? ₹2,410 (~25 USD) through the official portal at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. The fee is non-refundable.

How long does Vietnam e-visa processing take? 3 business days per the official site. Traveller reports from 2026 show most clear in 24-72 hours.

How long can Indians stay in Vietnam on an e-visa? Up to 90 days per stay, multiple entries allowed on the same e-visa.

Can I extend my Vietnam e-visa? Yes, once, for 30 or 90 days, at a Vietnam Immigration Department office in Hanoi, Da Nang, or Ho Chi Minh City. Apply at least 10 days before your current visa expires.

What happens if I overstay my Vietnam visa? A fine (roughly ₹482-₹2,410 (~5-25 USD) per day) is charged before you can depart. Overstays beyond 30 days can trigger detention, deportation at your own cost, and a re-entry ban.

Subodh’s Take

If you are an Indian passport holder flying to Vietnam in 2026, the entire visa process collapses to one action: go to evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, fill the form, pay ₹2,410 (~25 USD), wait 3 days, print the PDF, fly. The whole thing should take you 20 minutes of actual work. The reason this article exists is that half the “Vietnam visa for Indians” content online is still telling people to book VoA letters from agents, which has been closed for two years and gets travellers turned away at the gate. Cross-check against the official portal before you book anything, and start your application at least a week out, not three days out, because rejections on photo and name specs are common and there’s no fast-track appeal. For the full fees, processing, and rejection-rate numbers in one place, see the Vietnam e-visa for Indians step-by-step application guide.