|
Vietnam Visa for US Citizens — Complete Guide
Vietnam Visa for US Citizens: Requirements, eVisa, Pricing, ET Deadlines & Emergency Options
US passport holders are not visa-exempt for Vietnam. Every American needs a valid eVisa or Boarding Approval Letter before check-in — no exceptions. This is the complete reference: correct pricing, ET deadlines across all four US time zones, the two most common US application errors, and every emergency option when time is short.
|
Visa exemption
None — required
|
|
|
Cheapest tier
$90 (3-Day)
|
|
|
Fastest eVisa
$185 ~60 min
|
|
|
Always available
Letter 30 min
|
|
|
Requirements
What US Citizens Need for Vietnam
| Requirement |
Details |
US-Specific Note |
| Visa exemption |
None — visa required for all Americans |
No bilateral agreement. All trip lengths, all purposes. |
| Passport validity |
6 months beyond Vietnam arrival date |
Check against Vietnam landing date, not US departure. |
| Full name incl. middle name |
#1 US error — all given names required |
US passports include middle names in MRZ. Must match exactly. |
| Passport photo |
Bio-data page, JPEG, full MRZ visible |
iPhone: Settings → Camera → Most Compatible (JPEG, not HEIC). |
| Portrait photo |
NOT required for eVisa |
Bio-data page only. No 4x6 headshot needed. |
| Entry port |
#2 US error — Vietnamese airport only |
SGN / HAN / DAD. Never JFK / LAX / ICN / NRT / SIN. |
| Arrival date |
Vietnam landing date — not US departure |
JFK Mon night → SGN Wed morning: enter Wednesday. |
| Validity |
30 or 90 days — chosen at application |
Cannot change after approval. 90 days recommended for longer trips. |
| Entry type |
Single ($25 fee) or multiple ($50 fee) |
Multiple-entry +$25 to VietnamVisaEasy tier price. |
|
The date line: your Vietnam arrival is 1–2 days after your US departure
Vietnam is UTC+7. JFK to SGN via ICN departs Monday night ET and arrives Wednesday morning VNT — two calendar days later. LAX to HAN via NRT departs Tuesday, arrives Thursday. Always enter the Vietnam arrival date from your booking confirmation, not the US departure date. Wrong date = mismatch flag = processing delay.
|
All Pricing Tiers
Complete Pricing — All Tiers, ET/CT/MT/PT Deadlines
All prices USD all-in including $25 government fee, single-entry. EDT summer (UTC−4). EST winter: add 1h to all ET. CT = ET −1h • MT = ET −2h • PT = ET −3h. Mon–Fri VNT for eVisa tiers.
| Tier |
Price |
ET cutoff |
CT |
MT |
PT |
Delivery |
Best for |
| 3-Day Emergency |
$90 |
4pm prev. day |
3pm |
2pm |
1pm |
3 biz days |
Trip 4+ days away |
| 2-Day Express |
$105 |
4pm prev. day |
3pm |
2pm |
1pm |
2 biz days |
Trip 2–4 days away |
| 1-Day Emergency ★ |
$110 |
4pm prev. day |
3pm |
2pm |
1pm |
Same VNT day |
Flight tomorrow |
| 5-Hour Same-Day |
$125 |
8am same day |
7am |
6am |
5am |
~5 hours |
Flight today, PM |
| 2.5-Hour Super Emergency |
$155 |
10am same day |
9am |
8am |
7am |
~2.5 hours |
Flight today, late |
| 1-Hour Ultra Emergency ★ |
$185 |
1am same night |
12am |
11pm prev. |
10pm prev. |
~60 min |
Check-in in hours |
| Weekend New App |
$230 |
8pm Fri / 5pm Sat |
7/4pm |
6/3pm |
5/2pm |
Next VNT AM |
Weekend departure |
| Weekend Speed-Up |
$210 |
8pm Fri / 5pm Sat |
7/4pm |
6/3pm |
5/2pm |
Next VNT AM |
Existing app, weekend |
| Boarding Letter |
WhatsApp |
No cutoff — 24/7 any time |
30 min |
After 1am ET, weekends |
Multiple-entry +$25. 30 or 90 day validity chosen at application. Govt fee $25 single / $50 multiple included in all tier prices. "Prev. day" = the evening before departure day.
US-Specific Rules
The Two Errors That Delay Most US Applications
|
Error #1 — Most common US mistake
Middle name missing from application
US passports print all given names including middle names in the MRZ. Vietnam Immigration runs an automated name check against the MRZ. A mismatch sends the application to a manual verification queue adding 1–3 business days.
| ✗ | JOHN SMITH — if passport reads JOHN MICHAEL SMITH |
| ✓ | JOHN MICHAEL SMITH — all names, as on bio-data page |
|
|
|
Error #2 — Second most common US mistake
Entry port set to transit hub instead of Vietnamese airport
US flights route through Seoul ICN or Tokyo NRT. Many Americans select these transit airports as the entry port. The entry port must be the Vietnamese airport where immigration is cleared first.
| ✗ | ICN, NRT, SIN, BKK — transit only |
| ✓ | SGN (HCMC) / HAN (Hanoi) / DAD (Da Nang) |
|
|
US Airport Routing
Which Entry Port to Select by US Departure Airport
| US Airport |
Typical route |
Transit hub |
Select on eVisa |
Common carriers |
| JFK (New York) |
JFK → ICN → SGN/HAN |
ICN (do not select) |
SGN or HAN |
Korean Air, Delta, UA |
| LAX (Los Angeles) |
LAX → ICN/NRT/HKG → SGN/HAN |
ICN / NRT (do not select) |
SGN or HAN |
Korean Air, Cathay, VN |
| SFO (San Francisco) |
SFO → ICN/NRT/SIN → SGN/HAN/DAD |
ICN / SIN (do not select) |
SGN, HAN, or DAD |
UA, Singapore Airlines |
| ORD (Chicago) |
ORD → ICN → SGN/HAN |
ICN (do not select) |
SGN or HAN |
Korean Air, UA |
| ATL (Atlanta) |
ATL → ICN/NRT → SGN/HAN |
ICN (do not select) |
SGN or HAN |
Delta, Korean Air |
| IAH / DFW / SEA / BOS |
Via ICN, NRT, or HKG |
Transit hub (do not select) |
SGN, HAN, or DAD |
UA, Korean Air, Cathay |
eVisa Not Ready in Time
eVisa Still Processing When Flight Is Soon — Path A and Path B
|
Do NOT reapply on evisa.gov.vn
Two Reference Numbers = 24–48h manual deduplication delay. The single fastest way to turn a recoverable situation into a missed flight.
|
WhatsApp +84 947 754 252 with 3 items:
| Reference Code | From evisa.gov.vn — format E260705USA... |
| Registered email | Email used when submitting on evisa.gov.vn |
| Flight to Vietnam | Flight number arriving in Vietnam |
|
| Path A | Application correct. Escalate directly. No new fee. ~60 min. Boarding Letter bridge. |
| Path B | Error found. Free correction + priority resubmission. Boarding Letter bridge. |
|
Boarding Approval Letter in 30 min is issued immediately as bridge in both paths. Accepted at JFK, LAX, SFO, ORD, ATL, IAH, DFW, BOS, SEA, MIA while escalation runs. Full eVisa PDF delivered before landing.
Every US Situation Covered
US Vietnam Visa Guide Library — Find Your Specific Situation
Frequently Asked Questions
Do US citizens need a visa for Vietnam? ▼
Yes. US passport holders are not visa-exempt for Vietnam. A valid eVisa PDF or Boarding Approval Letter is required at check-in. Applies to all trip lengths and purposes including tourism and business.
What are the correct Vietnam visa prices for US citizens? ▼
All-in including $25 government fee: 3-Day $90 • 2-Day $105 • 1-Day $110 • 5-Hour $125 • 2.5-Hour $155 • 1-Hour $185 • Weekend new $230 / speed-up $210. Multiple-entry +$25. Boarding Letter via WhatsApp.
Do I need my middle name on the Vietnam visa application? ▼
Yes — the #1 US error. US passports include all given names including middle names in the MRZ. Enter full legal name exactly as on the bio-data page. JOHN MICHAEL SMITH, not JOHN SMITH.
What ET deadline applies to which Vietnam visa tier? ▼
EDT summer: 1-Day and cheaper tiers: 4pm ET the day before. 5-Hour: 8am ET same day. 2.5-Hour: 10am ET. 1-Hour: 1am ET same night. Weekend: 8pm ET Friday (Sat batch) / 5pm ET Saturday (Sun batch). Boarding Letter: no cutoff 24/7. EST winter adds 1h.
Which entry port do I select if I fly via Seoul or Tokyo? ▼
The Vietnamese airport where you first clear immigration. Via ICN to Ho Chi Minh City: select SGN. Via NRT to Hanoi: select HAN. To Da Nang: DAD. ICN and NRT are transit hubs, not entry ports. Selecting them is the #2 most common US error.
My Vietnam eVisa is Processing and my flight is today. What do I do? ▼
Do not reapply. WhatsApp +84 947 754 252 with Reference Code (E260705USA...), registered email, and flight to Vietnam. Path A (~60 min) or Path B (error fix). Boarding Letter 30 min as bridge immediately.
How long is the Vietnam eVisa valid and can I choose? ▼
30 or 90 days — you choose at application. Both options available for single or multiple entry. Cannot change after approval. Validity begins on the arrival date entered in the application, not the date of approval.
|
Apply now or get Boarding Letter in 30 min.
From $90 all-in • 1-Hour $185 before 1am ET • Boarding Letter 24/7 • Path A/B free if Processing • No portrait photo • Middle name required
|
Apply eVisa — From $90
WhatsApp 24/7
|
|
