Home › E-Visa Application Guide › eVisa for US Citizens: Apply Online 2026
Direct Answer
US citizens are not visa-exempt for Vietnam, unlike UK and most EU citizens. Apply for the e-visa at evisa.gov.vn — $25 (single-entry) or $50 (multiple-entry), 3–5 working days. Your US passport photo won't work — Vietnam's spec is different. Below: exact requirements, US-specific mistakes, and how to spot the real government site.
Prefer document review or need it fast? |
The Mix-Up Worth Clearing Up First
Vietnam's visa-exemption list does include several Western countries — the UK and most EU member states, for stays up to 45 days. The US is not on that list. This distinction gets blurred surprisingly often, including on some genuinely unrelated third-party travel sites that group "USA, UK, EU, Australia, Canada" together under one exemption rule that only actually applies to some of them. For a US passport specifically: an e-visa is required, for any trip length, tourism or business.
Your US Passport Photo Won't Work — Here's Why
A genuinely common American mistake: reusing the passport photo already on file, assuming any government photo works for any government form. It doesn't — the specs are different countries apart:
Spec | US Passport Photo | Vietnam e-Visa Photo |
|---|---|---|
Size | 2x2 inches (51x51mm) | 4x6 cm |
Head size in frame | Specific US State Dept. ratio | Different framing standard |
Bottom line | Take a fresh photo for the Vietnam application — don't crop or reuse your US passport photo | |
Exact Requirements
- Passport: valid 6+ months from your entry date, with 2+ blank pages
- Portrait photo: 4x6 cm, white background, no glasses, full face visible, taken within the last 6 months
- Passport data-page scan: a separate, clear photo of the bio-data page — both this and the portrait photo above are required
- Travel details: entry and exit dates, entry port, and (for some applications) your first night's accommodation address
Want your documents checked before submitting? |
Applying Online: the Steps
- Go to evisa.gov.vn — check the address bar carefully before entering anything
- Complete the form, matching every detail to your passport exactly, especially your name and passport number
- Upload your portrait photo and passport scan
- Choose 30 or 90 days validity — both cost the same, so 90 is usually the better default
- Pay the government fee ($25 or $50) — American Express is often not accepted; have a Visa or Mastercard ready as backup
- Save your registration code and check status at evisa.gov.vn/e-visa/search
Common Mistakes American Applicants Make
- MM/DD/YYYY vs DD/MM/YYYY confusion — Vietnam's form uses day-month-year; a date like 03/05/2026 means May 3rd in the US convention but March 5th in Vietnam's — enter carefully
- Middle name mismatch — US passports often show a middle name in the machine-readable zone that doesn't match how it was entered on the form, silently extending review time
- Confusing this with ESTA — Vietnam's e-visa is a separate national system, unrelated to any US pre-clearance program you may have used for other countries
- Reusing the US passport photo — covered above; take a new one
Verifying You're on a Real Site
- The only official domains are evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn, operating together since a November 2024 update
- The official government fee is $25–50. A significantly higher number, without a clear explanation of what the extra covers (priority processing, document review), is worth questioning before paying
- Consistent contact details across every page of a legitimate agency, and reviews checkable on an independent platform, not just quoted on the page itself
If You Need It Faster
The government portal doesn't offer priority processing directly. If your trip is sooner, an agency's urgent tiers fill that specific gap:
Processing Time | Fee |
|---|---|
Standard (4–6 days) | $50 |
3 days | $90 |
30–60 minutes (fastest) | $215 |
Full 9-tier list on our urgent Vietnam visa service page. Every tier requires Vietnamese working hours to process, Monday to Friday — see our US-specific emergency guide for time zone conversion.
What No Agency Can Honestly Guarantee
No service, including us, can guarantee approval — that decision belongs to Vietnamese immigration alone, whichever route you choose. What we can honestly commit to, if you use our service: a refund on our processing fee if we miss the timeframe you paid for.
Why US Travelers Choose Our Support
Document review that catches exact-spec issues (photo size, format, data mismatches) before submission, not after a delay. Support genuinely available around the clock, transparent pricing, and a public review record you're welcome to verify yourself — 4.9 out of 5 across 150+ Trustpilot reviews, checkable independently on the platform itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are US citizens visa-exempt for Vietnam?
No. Unlike UK and most EU citizens, who have a 45-day exemption, the US is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list at all. An e-visa is required for any trip length — this specific mix-up appears even on some unrelated third-party sites, so it's worth double-checking directly.
Can I use my US passport photo for the Vietnam e-visa?
No — US passport photos are 2x2 inches (51x51mm) with specific US State Department framing rules. Vietnam requires 4x6cm with different composition standards. Take a new photo rather than reusing your US passport photo.
What are the exact photo requirements?
4x6 cm, white background, no glasses, full face visible, taken within the last 6 months — plus a separate scan of your passport's data page. Both are required.
How much does the official e-visa cost?
$25 single-entry or $50 multiple-entry, paid directly at evisa.gov.vn. If a site asks for significantly more without explaining what the extra covers, that's worth questioning.
Which website is the real one?
evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn are the two official government domains, operating together since November 2024. Any other domain claiming to be the official portal is not.
Related Guides
- 👉 Full photo requirements checklist
- 👉 Emergency Vietnam visa for US citizens
- 👉 Payment failed from a US card?
- 👉 Urgent Vietnam visa service: full pricing and options
Ready to apply, with exact specs and honest guidance. Official fee $25-50 • Our support from $90 • 24/7 |
VietnamVisaEasy.com is a private travel agency, not affiliated with the Vietnamese government. We charge a fee to assist with visa applications. If you don't need assistance, you can apply directly on the official government website, evisa.gov.vn. For questions, visit our contact page.