John Terry VZ
Newbie
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2026
- Posts
- 1
If you're planning a trip to Vietnam, the good news is the e-visa process is pretty straightforward these days. Here's a quick rundown based on what's worked for me and a few travel mates:
1. Apply through the official government portal
The only "official" e-visa site is run by Vietnam's Immigration Department. It supports most nationalities (including Australian passport holders) for a single-entry visa valid up to 90 days.
2. What you'll need
3. Processing time
Officially it's listed as 3 working days, but in practice it can take longer during peak season (Dec–Feb, Jun–Jul). I'd recommend applying at least 7–10 days before departure to be safe.
4. Double-check before you pay
There are a lot of third-party sites that charge extra "service fees" for the same e-visa. Not necessarily scams, but you're paying more for something you can do yourself directly.
5. Print it out
Once approved, print a physical copy — immigration officers at Vietnamese airports still ask for the paper version, not just a phone screenshot.
Happy to share more details on documents or entry points if anyone's planning a specific route (Hanoi vs HCMC vs land border from Cambodia, etc.) — I put together a more detailed step-by-step guide with screenshots .if it helps anyone.
1. Apply through the official government portal
The only "official" e-visa site is run by Vietnam's Immigration Department. It supports most nationalities (including Australian passport holders) for a single-entry visa valid up to 90 days.
2. What you'll need
- A passport with at least 6 months validity
- A digital passport-style photo
- A scanned photo/bio page of your passport
- A valid credit/debit card for the fee
3. Processing time
Officially it's listed as 3 working days, but in practice it can take longer during peak season (Dec–Feb, Jun–Jul). I'd recommend applying at least 7–10 days before departure to be safe.
4. Double-check before you pay
There are a lot of third-party sites that charge extra "service fees" for the same e-visa. Not necessarily scams, but you're paying more for something you can do yourself directly.
5. Print it out
Once approved, print a physical copy — immigration officers at Vietnamese airports still ask for the paper version, not just a phone screenshot.
Happy to share more details on documents or entry points if anyone's planning a specific route (Hanoi vs HCMC vs land border from Cambodia, etc.) — I put together a more detailed step-by-step guide with screenshots .if it helps anyone.
