Vietnam Visa on Arrival vs Urgent e-Visa: Which One Is Faster?
By VietnamVisaEasy Visa Team · 2025-08-01 · Updated 2026-11-07
Travelers who visited Vietnam years ago often remember the visa on arrival. Today the picture has changed. When you compare visa on arrival vs urgent e-visa, the e-visa wins for almost everyone, especially when time is short.
What is the difference between visa on arrival vs urgent e-visa?
Both let you enter Vietnam, but they work very differently.
| Urgent e-visa | Visa on arrival | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get first | The visa itself, as a PDF | An approval letter only |
| Fastest time | 30–60 minutes | Usually days, plus airport queue |
| At check-in | Show the e-visa | Show the approval letter |
| On arrival | Go straight to immigration | Queue at the visa counter, pay a stamping fee |
| Entry points | Airports, land borders, seaports | International airports only |
| Available to | All nationalities since 2023 | Limited cases |
Why is the e-visa usually faster?
Because the visa is finished before you fly. With an urgent e-visa, you land and walk to the immigration desk with your PDF. With a visa on arrival, you still need to queue at a separate counter, hand over photos and pay a stamping fee in cash, which can take an hour or more at busy times.
Do you still offer visa on arrival?
No. We stopped offering visa on arrival approval letters. Since August 2023, citizens of every country can apply for the e-visa, which is simpler, faster to use and accepted at more entry points.
If someone offers you a "visa on arrival" without any approval letter, be careful. See 7 Vietnam e-visa scams.
How fast can I get an urgent e-visa?
From 30–60 minutes during Vietnamese working hours.
| Speed | 1 working day | 5 working hours | 2.5 working hours | 1.5 working hours | 30–60 minutes | Weekend / holiday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | US$110 | US$125 | US$155 | US$185 | US$215 | US$230 |
Prices include the government fee. Read the Vietnam urgent visa guide for how working hours affect timing.
Can I board a plane with only a plan to get a visa on arrival?
Usually not. Airlines check that you can enter Vietnam. Without a granted e-visa, a valid approval letter or a visa exemption, they normally refuse boarding. Read denied boarding without a Vietnam visa.
When might a visa on arrival still be used?
In a few specific cases arranged in advance, for example some business trips sponsored by a Vietnamese company. These go through the sponsor, not through us. For tourism and short business visits, the e-visa is the standard route.
How do I get an urgent e-visa now?
About 5 minutes online.
- Open the application form.
- Choose Apply new e-visa and your speed.
- Upload your passport photo page and a portrait.
- Enter your arrival date and airport.
- Pay and receive the PDF by email.
What if I already have a visa on arrival letter?
Check that it is genuine and valid for your dates. If you are unsure, or the letter came from an unknown website, an e-visa is the safer choice. You can verify any e-visa on the official e-visa portal.
Who can help me choose?
Message us with your flight time. Send it on WhatsApp. We tell you which e-visa speed fits and the exact price. If Immigration refuses the visa because of the information provided, we refund the expedite fee (the government fee and payment fees are not refunded); if it is refused without a stated reason, we refund 100%. If we are more than 30 minutes late, we refund everything you paid. See the refund policy.
What did travelers find hardest about visa on arrival?
The airport part. After a long flight, travelers had to find the visa counter, fill in an entry form, hand over passport photos and wait for their name to be called, often with cash in US dollars for the stamping fee. Families with children found it especially tiring. With an e-visa, all of that is done before you leave home.
Frequently asked questions
Is visa on arrival still possible in Vietnam?
It only works with a pre-approved letter arranged in advance, mainly for specific cases. Most travelers now use the e-visa instead.
Which is faster, visa on arrival or e-visa?
The urgent e-visa. It can be issued in 30–60 minutes during working hours, and you skip the visa counter on arrival.
Can I just turn up at the airport without anything?
No. Airlines usually refuse boarding without a granted e-visa, an approval letter or a visa exemption.
Do you offer visa on arrival?
No. We only process e-visas, including urgent and weekend options.
Is the e-visa more expensive than a visa on arrival?
Not overall. A visa on arrival meant an approval letter fee plus a stamping fee paid in cash at the airport. An urgent e-visa has one all-in price, government fee included.
Can I use the e-visa at land borders?
Yes, at many land borders with Cambodia, Laos and China. A visa on arrival only ever worked at international airports.
How long is the e-visa valid?
Up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, from the arrival date you choose.
What if my flight is on a Sunday?
Use the weekend and holiday service for US$230. The result comes by about 6 PM Vietnam time.
Need your visa today?
Urgent options from 30–60 minutes, also on weekends & holidays.
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