Quick Answer
French passport holders do NOT need a visa to visit Vietnam for up to 45 days.
France is on Vietnam's unilateral visa-exemption list. You can enter Vietnam with just your French passport — no eVisa, no prior approval needed — for any single stay of 45 days or less.
Staying longer than 45 days? You will need a Vietnam eVisa (90-day validity, single or multiple entry). We can assist with standard and urgent eVisa processing below.
Visa-Free Entry: What French Citizens Need to Know
Vietnam grants French nationals a unilateral visa exemption of 45 days per entry. This policy applies regardless of purpose — tourism, visiting family, short-term business meetings, or transit.
What you need for visa-free entry:
- A valid French passport with at least 6 months validity beyond your planned departure date from Vietnam
- A confirmed onward or return ticket
- Proof of accommodation (hotel booking or host address)
- Sufficient funds for your stay
- Pre-arrival declaration completed if arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) — see SGN note below
There is no official annual limit on how many times you can use the 45-day exemption, provided you genuinely depart and re-enter. However, immigration officers may question very frequent entries with minimal time between stays.
SGN Pre-Arrival Declaration — Mandatory from 15 April 2026
All travelers arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport (Ho Chi Minh City / SGN) must complete an online pre-arrival declaration before boarding. Complete it at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. This applies to visa-free and eVisa travelers alike. Failure to complete it may cause delays at immigration.
When French Citizens DO Need an eVisa
There are several situations where a French citizen needs to obtain a Vietnam eVisa before travel:
| Situation | Solution |
|---|---|
| Staying longer than 45 days | Apply for a 90-day eVisa (single or multiple entry) |
| Working or studying in Vietnam | eVisa or work permit — consult your employer or institution |
| Wanting guaranteed pre-approved entry documentation | Optional: apply for eVisa even for stays under 45 days for peace of mind |
| Multiple-entry travel (Vietnam plus neighboring countries) | 90-day multiple-entry eVisa is the most flexible option |
The Vietnam eVisa is valid for 90 days from your chosen entry date, available as single entry or multiple entry. The government processing fee is USD 25 (paid directly to the portal). Our service fee covers assisted submission, document review, and urgent escalation where selected.
Accents, Compound Names & MRZ Spelling
French names often include accents (e, e, e, c, a, o, etc.) or compound surnames with hyphens. The Vietnam eVisa application system does not accept accented or special characters.
Always use your MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) spelling — the two lines of characters at the bottom of your passport photo page. The MRZ uses only capital Latin letters (A–Z), digits, and the filler character. Hyphens are converted to spaces or dropped; accents are replaced with their plain equivalents.
Example:
Passport name: Marie-Claire Dupont-Lefevre
MRZ line: DUPONT LEFEVRE<<MARIE CLAIRE
eVisa entry — Surname: DUPONT LEFEVRE | Given name: MARIE CLAIRE
A name mismatch between your eVisa and passport can cause problems at Vietnamese immigration. When in doubt, open your passport to the data page, look at the bottom two lines, and copy exactly what you see — character by character.
Government Processing Hours & CET/CEST Cutoffs
The Vietnamese immigration authority processes eVisa applications only during official working hours (Vietnam Time, UTC+7). Hours outside these windows are not processed until the next working session. Public holidays and weekends result in no government processing.
| Vietnam Time (VNT) | Paris CET (UTC+1) | Paris CEST (UTC+2) | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 – 11:30 | 02:00 – 05:30 | 03:00 – 06:30 | Morning session |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | 06:00 – 07:30 | 07:00 – 08:30 | Lunch pause — no processing |
| 13:30 – 18:00 | 07:30 – 12:00 | 08:30 – 13:00 | Afternoon session |
| After 18:00 | After 12:00 | After 13:00 | Outside hours — next business day |
Note on the lunch pause (12:00–13:30 VNT)
If your urgent application arrives just before the lunch pause, we can issue a Boarding Letter to show airlines while your eVisa completes processing after 13:30 VNT. The official eVisa will follow once the afternoon session resumes.
eVisa Pricing for French Citizens — Long Stay & Extended Options
The following tiers apply to French nationals applying for a 90-day eVisa (for stays exceeding 45 days). The USD 25 government fee is paid directly to the Vietnamese portal and is not included in our service fee below.
New eVisa Application
| Processing Tier | Delivery | Days Available | Service Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Business-Day | ~3 business days | Mon – Fri | USD 80 |
| 1-Business-Day | ~1 business day | Mon – Fri | USD 90 |
| 5-Hour | ~5 hours | Mon – Fri | USD 115 |
| 2.5-Hour | ~2.5 hours | Mon – Fri | USD 145 |
| 1.5-Hour | ~1.5 hours | Mon – Fri | USD 175 |
| Weekend / Holiday | Same day (one batch 17:00–18:00 VNT) | Sat / Sun / Public holidays only — cutoff 15:00 VNT | USD 230 |
Speed Up — Escalate an Existing Application
Already submitted to the government portal but worried about timing? Speed Up escalates your existing application — no second USD 25 government fee required. You need your reference code (format: E260705...), registration email, and flight number to Vietnam.
| Speed Up Tier | Target Delivery | Days Available | Service Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Day Speed Up | ~3 hours | Mon – Fri | USD 65 |
| 1-Day Speed Up | ~1 hour | Mon – Fri | USD 85 |
| 5-Hour Speed Up | ~5 hours | Mon – Fri | USD 100 |
| 2.5-Hour Speed Up | ~2.5 hours | Mon – Fri | USD 130 |
| 1.5-Hour Speed Up | ~1.5 hours | Mon – Fri | USD 160 |
| Weekend Speed Up | Same day (17:00–18:00 VNT batch) | Sat / Sun / Public holidays only — cutoff 15:00 VNT | USD 210 |
For stays over 45 days — rated 4.9 / 5 by 153 travelers
Approved Entry Ports (eVisa Holders)
If you travel on a Vietnam eVisa (for stays over 45 days), your port of entry must be one of the five approved international airports listed on your eVisa:
| Airport | City | IATA Code |
|---|---|---|
| Tan Son Nhat International | Ho Chi Minh City | SGN |
| Noi Bai International | Hanoi | HAN |
| Da Nang International | Da Nang | DAD |
| Phu Quoc International | Phu Quoc Island | PQC |
| Cam Ranh International | Nha Trang | CXR |
Transit hubs such as Singapore (SIN), Seoul (ICN), Tokyo (NRT), or Dubai (DXB) are NOT valid entry points under the Vietnam eVisa. Book a direct flight to one of the five airports above.
Traveling with Children
Children traveling on French passports also benefit from the 45-day visa-free exemption and do not need an eVisa for short visits.
If the family stay exceeds 45 days and eVisas are required, each child must have their own separate eVisa application. Attaching a child to a parent's application is not permitted under Vietnamese immigration rules and risks invalidating all documents in the group.
How to Verify Your eVisa
Once you receive your eVisa, verify it is genuine and matches your passport details before travel:
- Visit evisa.gov.vn/e-visa/search
- Enter your reference code (format: E260705...) and passport number
- Confirm name spelling, entry port, entry date, and validity period all match your travel plans
- If anything is incorrect, contact us immediately — do not attempt to enter Vietnam on an eVisa with mismatched details
Frequently Asked Questions
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