Vietnam Visa Still Processing: What Indian Travelers Should Do

Seeing "Vietnam visa still processing" a day or two before your flight from India is stressful. In most cases, the application is not stuck. It is waiting in a queue that only moves on Vietnamese working days. This guide shows how to count those days in India time, what each status on the portal means, and when to speed up the file you already have.

Why is my Vietnam visa still processing?

Usually because the working days have not run out yet. Vietnam's Immigration Department aims to decide an e-visa within 3 working days after a complete application. In practice, plan on 4–6 working days.

Things that make the wait feel longer:

• Weekends and Vietnamese public holidays do not count.
• An application paid after 17:00 IST on Friday starts on Monday.
• Busy periods, such as the weeks around Tet and Indian holiday seasons.
• A request for an update on the portal that the applicant has not noticed.

Indian passport holders need a visa for Vietnam, so the e-visa must be approved before you fly. Our general guide covers the Vietnam e-visa for Indian citizens.

What are Vietnamese office hours in IST?

06:30 to 17:00 IST, Monday to Friday, with a break at midday. Vietnam is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of India.

Because the hours almost match your working day, a speed-up requested in the Indian morning can often be completed the same afternoon.

What does each status mean?

Check the Search page on the official e-visa portal with your application code, email and date of birth.

Our e-visa status check guide explains each result in more detail.

Should you apply again?

No, not while the first application is still open. A second application for the same passport means a second government fee and two records. Airline staff in India may also question which e-visa is valid.

Apply again only if the first application was refused, or if it contains a serious error, such as a wrong passport number, and your flight is too close to wait for a correction.

How do you speed up the existing application?

Ask for a speed-up with your application details. A speed-up moves the same file to a faster track and keeps the government fee you already paid. Send:

1. Your application code, which starts with E.
2. The email address used on the application.
3. Your flight number, date and Vietnamese arrival airport.
4. A screenshot of the status page, if you can open it.

Read our guide on how to speed up an existing Vietnam e-visa for the options and cutoffs.

Which details delay Indian applications most often?

Small mismatches with the passport.

• Name format. Indian passports may show a single name or a surname field left empty. Copy the names exactly as in the machine-readable lines.
• Passport validity. Vietnam asks for at least 6 months from arrival. Airlines check this strictly.
• Entry port. Choose the Vietnamese airport where you land, not a transit airport such as Singapore or Bangkok.
• Photo. A white background, no glasses and a JPG file under 2 MB.

What about families and groups from India?

Each passport is a separate application. In a family of 4, one e-visa can be approved while another is still processing, often because of a photo or name detail. Check every application code on the Search page, not just one. Children with their own passport need their own e-visa, with their own photo.

If one member of the group is delayed, ask for a speed-up of that application only. The others do not need to apply again.

How do you avoid a long wait next time?

Apply early and check the file before you pay.

1. Apply at least 7–10 days before the flight, so 4–6 working days fit comfortably.
2. Avoid paying on a Friday evening if your trip is close; processing starts on Monday.
3. Use a fresh portrait photo and a sharp scan of the passport page.
4. Check the email address twice, because the result and any update request go there.
5. Look at the Search page every working day until the e-visa is approved.

What if your flight is today?

Act during Vietnamese office hours. Before 16:30 IST on a working day, the fastest speed can still deliver the same afternoon. After 17:00 IST, the next session starts at 06:30 IST the next working day. If you are already at the airport, follow our airport emergency guide.

Ask us to check your application