Vietnam Visas for Large Groups and Tour Operators

Arranging a Vietnam visa for a large group is mostly a question of organisation. Every traveler needs their own visa or exemption, so a group of 40 means 40 applications, each with its own photo, passport scan and details. Mistakes multiply quickly. This guide is for tour operators, schools, companies and family organisers who need to get everyone through check-in on the same day.

How does a Vietnam visa for a large group work?

Each traveler holds an individual e-visa or exemption. There is no single document that covers the whole group in the normal e-visa system. The organiser coordinates, but each application is assessed separately.

Check each nationality in our Vietnam visa exemption guide and our guide for stricter passports.

How should you collect documents?

Use one clear template and one deadline. Ask every traveler for:

1. A colour photo of the passport data page, flat, with both machine-readable lines visible.
2. A recent portrait photo on a white background, without glasses, as JPG.
3. Full name exactly as in the passport, including middle names.
4. An email address the traveler actually reads.

Check each file as it arrives. Rejecting a blurry scan on day 1 is much easier than discovering it on the day before departure.

Which entry port and dates should the group use?

One set for everyone travelling together. Use the Vietnamese airport or border gate where the group will first arrive, and the same start and end dates for all. If some members arrive separately, give them their own dates and port.

• Start date: on or before the group's landing date.
• End date: after the last departure from Vietnam.
• Entry type: multiple if the tour visits Cambodia or Laos and returns.

The ports of entry guide lists every official gate.

How early should a group apply?

At least 3 weeks before departure. Processing runs only on Vietnamese working days, and a few applications in any large group need a correction. A 3-week lead time leaves room for:

• replacing a rejected photo;
• fixing a name or passport number;
• handling travelers whose nationality has a longer processing track.

For groups that must travel sooner, our urgent processing guide explains the faster speeds.

How do you track dozens of applications?

Keep a simple tracking sheet. For each traveler, record the application code, nationality, status, the date the e-visa was received and whether the details have been checked. Review the sheet every working day until every e-visa is approved and checked against its passport.

Our e-visa status check guide explains what each status means.

How do you handle passport validity in a group?

Check every passport's expiry date at the start. Vietnam asks for at least 6 months of validity from arrival and at least 1 blank page. In a group of 30 or 40, one or two passports are often too close to expiry. Ask travelers to send the data page in the first week, so anyone who needs a new passport has time to get it before the e-visa is filed.

How should payments be organised?

Decide early who pays for each e-visa. The organiser can pay for everyone in one order, or each traveler can pay their own. One payment is simpler to track, but make sure the payment receipt or invoice shows the group name and the number of travelers, which helps with accounting and refunds.

How do you keep names consistent across bookings?

Use the passport spelling everywhere. Airline tickets, hotel rooming lists and e-visas should all show names exactly as in the passports. A mismatch between the ticket and the e-visa is a common reason for questions at group check-in. Keep a master list with each traveler's passport name and number, and use it for every booking. Share it only with the people who need it, and delete copies of passport scans once the trip is safely over and every traveler is home.

What should the group leader carry on travel day?

A folder with every e-visa printout and a contact list. Keep the printouts in passport order, and make sure each traveler also has their own copy on their phone. The airline checks every passenger separately, so one missing e-visa can delay the whole group at the counter.

What if one traveler's e-visa is late or wrong?

Deal with it individually, without reapplying for everyone. Speed up that traveler's existing application, or correct it if the details are wrong; our guide to correct a Vietnam e-visa mistake explains the options. Official information is on the Vietnam e-visa portal.

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