American passport holders need a visa for Vietnam. Here is exactly what is required, how long it takes, what it costs, and the rules worth knowing before you fly.
Yes, you need a visa. The United States is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list, so Americans need a visa for any visit, of any length, for any purpose. For about 95% of U.S. travelers the right product is the online eVisa: up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, accepted at 83 entry points. The only visa-free option is a 30-day exemption if you fly or sail directly to Phu Quoc Island and stay only there.
Yes, for any visit of any duration. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your stay, with at least one blank visa page. There are only a few ways an American can enter without a standard visa:
For everyone else, the eVisa is the route, and it is the one we recommend.
The Vietnam eVisa is an electronic visa issued by Vietnam's Immigration Department and emailed to you as a PDF. No embassy trip, no visa-on-arrival queue. For U.S. travelers it offers:
You can apply yourself at the official portal, evisa.gov.vn, or let us handle the whole application for a small service fee. The government fee is the same either way; what we add is a check of every field before submission, error correction, faster processing options, and a real person to email when something looks off. Frequent visitors can also get a 1-year multiple-entry visa (available to U.S. citizens) through a Vietnamese embassy, which is worth it for three or more trips a year.
⚠️ Do not apply on an emergency or temporary passport. The U.S. State Department warns that Vietnam may refuse eVisas issued to such documents. Dual nationals should enter and exit Vietnam on the same passport.
| Option | Validity | Our fee (per applicant) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Month Single Entry | 30 days from arrival | $54 |
| 1 Month Multiple Entry | 30 days from arrival | $84 |
| 3 Month Single Entry | 90 days from arrival | $94 |
| 3 Month Multiple Entry | 90 days from arrival | $104 |
All prices include the Vietnam Immigration Department's stamp fee. The official government fee is USD 25 (single) or USD 50 (multiple) and is non-refundable even if rejected, which is exactly why a careful pre-submission review pays off. See the full fee breakdown and currency estimator →
The statutory standard is 3 working days; in practice 3 to 5 is normal, and longer around Vietnamese holidays. Times start when our team submits to Immigration, usually within 2 hours of payment during office hours (08:00 to 21:00 GMT+7). The Immigration Department does not process applications on weekends or Vietnamese public holidays, so apply 2 to 3 weeks ahead where you can.
Single entry suits a linear trip in and out of Vietnam. Multiple entry is the better choice if you might take a side trip to Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand, are doing a cruise that calls at multiple Vietnamese ports, or simply want insurance against itinerary changes. An issued eVisa cannot be upgraded later, so the most common American regret is buying single entry and then scrambling for a second visa mid-trip. When in doubt, choose multiple entry.
Photo and data-entry errors are the number-one cause of rejection. Our team checks yours before anything is filed.
See the full walkthrough on our How to Apply page.
All of these accept the eVisa:
⚠️ Overstay penalties rose sharply at the end of 2025. Fines now run from around USD 19 to USD 76 for short overstays up to several hundred dollars, and as high as roughly USD 1,520 for longer ones, with overstays of 16+ days risking deportation and a multi-year entry ban. Request the full window you need on your application, and set a reminder a week before your visa expires.
Unless your itinerary is strictly in-and-out, pay the small extra for multiple entry. It covers side trips to Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand and protects you if plans change, and an issued single-entry eVisa cannot be upgraded.
Correct. The eVisa is a PDF with no red stamp; it is verified digitally at the border. Print a copy anyway, since some airlines and smaller posts still ask to see paper.
No. To stay longer you exit Vietnam (the Moc Bai land crossing to Cambodia is a common visa run) and apply for a new eVisa, or arrange a sponsored business or residence visa from inside the country.
Not strictly, if you arrive directly, stay only on the island, and leave within 30 days. But if a flight change or emergency could send you to the mainland, an eVisa is inexpensive insurance, and many travelers get one anyway.
If we identify a problem before submission, we refund in full and suggest alternatives. If an application is denied after submission, we refund the full amount you paid us. See our Terms and Conditions.