Emergency Vietnam e-visa assistance for Indian travelers stuck in New Delhi, Mumbai, or Bangalore airports
Indian tourist visiting Ha Long Bay, Vietnam (Photo: Gemini)
Many Indian travellers encounter the same issue, even when they are advised to apply for a Vietnam visa well in advance. The visa portal may indicate that your visa will be issued within 3 working days, provided there are no issues with your application or your previous entry history into Vietnam. However, if your application requires additional verification, the processing time may take longer than expected (up to 15 days, as warned by the Vietnam Immigration Department).
In this case, you have 2 options:
1. Change the flight to have more time for visa approval;
2. Expedite your pending visa application to get it done faster.
Changing your flight may result in the cancellation of services arranged in Vietnam, which can be especially costly if you are travelling with your family. In some cases, when a family member’s visa application is still pending by the time of departure, it could disrupt the entire trip. To avoid this, we recommend selecting the second option: request an expedited visa service so your visa can be processed within a few hours.
The issues you may encounter when applying for Vietnam
Your visa application may have some typical issues as follows:
- Your scanned copy of passport and portrait photos are incorrect (blurry, glare or non-compliant images);
- Your entered information is not sufficient or incorrect (missing your middle name, wrong date of birth, passport number or passport’s date of expiry);
- Wrong date of arrival and departure: In Vietnam, the correct date format is DD/MM/YYYY. However, many travellers mistakenly enter the dates in the MM/DD/YYYY format, which can lead to errors in their visa application. Moreover, if you enter the wrong exit date, your visa may be issued for a shorter duration (some people get only 1 day visa validity) than expected, which could affect your travel plans;
- You applied for visas for your whole family but combined the children’s visas with their parents’ visas. Please note that children who hold their own passports must have individual visas to enter Vietnam, just as adults do. Only children whose names are included in a parent’s passport may share that parent’s visa.
- The children’s portrait photos may not be recognized by the government website’s AI system, as the photos no longer match the passport photos taken several years ago;
- You applied for a Vietnam e-visa when you are still inside the country.
If your visa is about to expire, you must leave Vietnam and submit a new visa application from abroad. Applications filed while you are still inside Vietnam will not be accepted. - You may have heard of “visa on arrival” and assumed it could be obtained directly at a Vietnamese airport without any prior preparation. However, a visa on arrival still requires an official approval letter issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department before you are permitted to board your flight. Without this approval letter, you will be denied boarding and will be unable to enter Vietnam as planned.
Are there any other issues that may affect Indian citizens when applying for a Vietnam visa?
Yes, there are. Some Indian travellers have passports that show only a first name without a middle or last name, while others have a date of birth listed with only the year. In such cases, it is recommended to apply for a visa on arrival, as immigration officers can manually verify your details and approve the visa accordingly. Please note that the e-visa application system does not accept entries with only a first name or a date of birth showing only the year. With a visa on arrival, this issue can be resolved, as immigration officers will record your date of birth as 01/01/YYYY instead of only the year YYYY, and they will approve your single first name as long as it matches the ICAO lines in your passport.
Indian passport with last name only
During visa processing for Indian citizens, we sometimes encounter passports that list only a last name, with no first or middle name. This can create difficulties when completing the e-visa application form, as the system typically requires both a first name and a last name. If you are facing this situation, do not worry. We can still assist you in resolving this issue and help ensure that your visa is processed through the official government system in time for your upcoming flight departure.
Read more about the issues that may affect your visa application process:
How to get instant assistance with Vietnam visa issues at the Indian airport?
As soon as you discover an issue with your Vietnam visa while stuck at the airport, please contact the speed-up service team by phone or WhatsApp. You may also complete the speed up service form to request a rush processing. Depending on your request, your visa can be processed within 2 working days, 1 working day, or even just a few hours. Here are the detailed steps to speed up the visa approval process:
Provide us with the visa registration number issued by the government visa portal, the email address that goes with the e-visa application and the selected entry port;
Make payment for the speed-up service fee. It doesn’t include the visa application fee that you paid through the government visa portal;
After the period of time you have registered for the service with us (2 working days, 1 working day, 4 working hours or 2 working hours), you will receive your e-visa.
Frequently asked questions
- +When applying for a Vietnam e-visa, do I need to include my middle name?
Yes, you need to provide your full name, including your surname, middle name, and given name, exactly as it appears on the ICAO line in your passport, using uppercase letters.
- +Can I apply for an e-visa while I am in Vietnam?
Electronic visas are issued to foreigners who are staying outside of Vietnam, not applicable to foreigners currently residing in Vietnam. Therefore, you can apply for a Vietnam e-visa only after departing and exiting Vietnam.
- +I have had my e-visa application amended twice. Will it be ready in time for my flight in 2 days?
Once your visa application has been amended, it will be reprocessed from the beginning and is typically completed within 3 working days. However, if errors persist in the amended application, it will need to be corrected again, and the verification process will restart from the beginning.
- +What should I do if I entered the exit port incorrectly?
Currently, the exit port is not indicated on the Vietnam e-visa. It is required only as a reference when completing the application form and does not affect your travel in any way.
Therefore, you don’t need to worry if your exit port information is incorrect or if your travel itinerary changes. You can still depart Vietnam from any international border gate without issues.
