Vietnam visa for United States citizens: Why you need an expedited e-visa service?
A visa is required for United States citizens travelling to Vietnam. Some people don’t know this, so they don’t apply for a Vietnam e-visa until the flight is approaching. In this case, a standard service will not give them a visa in time, but they will need a rush Vietnam visa service or expedite their existing visa application
Do United States citizens need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes, United States citizens need a visa to enter Vietnam for most purposes, including tourism and business.
Brief summary
– United States citizens are required to obtain a visa to enter Vietnam;
– United States citizens are eligible for a Vietnam e-visa for tourism, visiting relatives, business, working or other purposes;
– Standard processing time: 3-5 working days (excluding Saturday and Sunday);
– Rush visa service: can be completed within 2 working days, 1 working day, 4 working hours or 2 working hours;
– Fix visa issues: expedite the pending e-visa application, update the visa information in the system.
| Requirements | Maximum stay | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa required? | Visa required | |
| Tourist e-visa | Eligible | 90 days |
| Rush e-visa | Available | 90 days |
| Fix e-visa issues | Possible |
Notice: During the processing of your visa application, you may receive a request from the Vietnam Immigration Department asking you to amend or update certain information. In such cases, the processing time will begin only after the required amendments have been completed and resubmitted.
Options for Vietnam visa for United States citizens
The United States passport isn’t included in the Vietnam visa exemption list; thus, United States citizens must apply for a visa to travel to Vietnam. There are 2 ways for U.S. citizens to obtain a visa for Vietnam: an e-visa or a visa on arrival.
Vietnam e-visa is submitted by travellers via the government visa portal and is processed within 3-5 working days. Sometimes, if the visa application requires further verification by the Vietnam Immigration Department or requires amendment, the processing time may be longer. The e-visa is currently the easiest and most secure option for obtaining a visa for Vietnam. Since August 15, 2023, the citizens of all countries have been eligible for a Vietnam e-visa.
A visa on arrival is accompanied by the pre-approved letter issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department, and it takes 3-5 working days for standard processing. Upon arrival at the airport, the travellers will present the original passport, printed visa approval letter, 25 USD stamping fee (for a single entry visa) or 50 USD stamping fee (for a multiple entry visa) to receive a visa stamped on the passport.
Common Vietnam visa issues for U.S. citizens
With many years of experience expediting Vietnam visas for the United States travellers, we have identified the most common visa-related issues that applicants frequently encounter, as outlined below:
- Incorrect visa information: Errors such as misspelled names, incorrect passport numbers, or wrong dates of birth are among the most common issues in Vietnam e-visa applications. Even minor discrepancies between your passport and e-visa can lead to denied boarding. If you have received an e-visa with any errors—such as a missing middle name, spelling mistakes in your full name, an incorrect date of birth, wrong passport number, incorrect passport expiry date, or an incorrect arrival date, we can assist you in correcting the issue quickly and properly. Our team can work directly with the authorities to correct the visa details in the system so you can board your flight and enter Vietnam without cancelling your trip or reapplying for a new visa.
An e-visa with a mistyped date of arrival
- Pending visa application: Some travellers report that, although they have applied for an e-visa via the official government visa portal for more than 3 working days and received a confirmation of successful visa application, their visa status still appeared as “processing” when they reached the airport. Without an official Vietnam visa, airlines cannot check passengers in for flights to Vietnam. Please note that the standard processing time will take 3-5 working days, and it may take longer if further verification from the Vietnam Immigration Department is required.
- Unpaid visa application: The applicants made an e-visa application in advance, but they didn’t notice that the application was unsuccessful due to failed payment. In this case, the visa application cannot be processed in time for the travellers’ flight. To avoid this issue, applicants are advised to check their visa application status immediately after completing the form. Please conduct the payment again if you find the status is “unpaid”.
- No visa ready in hand: Surprisingly, some U.S. tourists arrive at the airport unaware that they need a visa to enter Vietnam. Whether due to confusion with other countries that offer visa exemptions or misinformation from the unofficial resources on the internet, some travellers only realise their mistake at the check-in counter in the airports.
What US travellers should do if their Vietnam visa application is delayed?
We recently received an email from a United States applicant:
I applied for a Vietnam e-visa on August 27. I am flying from the U.S. to Taipei and then to Vietnam on Sunday, September 28. I learned a few days ago that my visa was delayed because my middle name was not included. I fixed the error, but the visa is still processing.
I understand it is now the weekend in Vietnam. What can I do?”
This case illustrates a common issue: If your application contains errors (such as missing a middle name), the Vietnam Immigration Department will require an amendment, which restarts the processing timeline. This often results in applicants not receiving their visa before their scheduled flight.
If you are in a similar situation, you should:
- Contact us immediately to request an urgent review or expedited processing;
- Prepare all correct documents, such as passport scan, portrait photo, corrected details;
- Have a backup plan, such as rescheduling flights or applying for an emergency visa service, if available.
If U.S. travellers forget to apply for a Vietnam visa, or if their visa is delayed due to errors in the application, they risk missing their flight and may even have to cancel their trip.
To avoid this situation, travellers can request a visa expedited service. This service enables applicants to have their visas processed and issued within a few hours, ensuring they can board their flights and enter Vietnam on time.
How to apply for a rush Vietnam visa?
A rush Vietnam visa is an official service that helps United States citizens obtain a Vietnam visa in 1-2 working hours, 1-2 working days, or on weekends, to satisfy their urgent Vietnam visa needs. To apply for a rush Vietnam visa, you just need to follow the simple steps below:
Go online the visa application form and select
Apply for e-visa → No, I haven’t applied for e-visa yet → Next
Fill in the visa application form with required information and upload the photo of your passport and portrait photo taken at present;
Pay the visa application and rush service fee and wait for visa approval after a few hours or 1-2 working days, as you selected;
A completed visa will be sent to your email or WhatsApp within the ordered processing time. You just need to print out the visa, bring it with your passport, and enter Vietnam via airports, land ports and seaports.
Notice: The visa application and rush service fee were paid so that you don’t have to pay any extra fee upon arrival airport. If you would like to skip long queues at the arrival airport, you may order the fast track service.
How to speed up an existing Vietnam visa application?
If you have already applied for a Vietnam visa and the application status remains “in processing” after 3-5 days, you may think your visa application requires further verification by the Vietnam Immigration Department. Sometimes, if your visa application contains incorrect data or photos, you may receive a request from the Vietnam Immigration Department to amend the application, which will also extend the processing time. In this case, we can expedite your current visa application to ensure you receive your visa on time. Here are the simple steps to speed up your visa application:
Go online the visa application form and select Apply for e-visa → Yes, I have applied for e-visa and I would like to speed up the process → Next
Fill in the speed up e-visa form with required information, visa registration code, email and upload the photo of your passport and portrait photo taken at present;
Pay the speed-up service fee and wait for visa approval after a few hours or 1-2 working days, as you selected;
A completed visa will be sent to your email or WhatsApp within the ordered processing time. You just need to print out the visa, bring it with your passport, and enter Vietnam via airports, land ports and seaports.
Notice: You must ensure your visa information is correct or has been amended correctly, as we can only speed up the process, but cannot edit the data. If you are unsure of the correctness, you should select a rush visa application to start a new one from the beginning.
Both the rush visa service (for a new e-visa application) and the speed-up visa service (for an existing e-visa application) will help you get your visa processed on time without changing your flight or cancelling your trip to Vietnam. The speed-up visa service saves 25 USD, but you must ensure every detail in your visa application is correct; otherwise, the rush visa service guarantees a perfect visa. Let’s consider the appropriate visa service options with us.
Any request for a rush Vietnam visa service or a speed-up visa service, please contact us via email vietnamvisabooking@gmail.com or telephone/WhatsApp at +84-912-685-141.
Frequently asked questions
- +Is a Vietnam e-visa always done within 3 working days?
- No, a Vietnam e-visa is not always done within 3 working days. The standard processing time given by the Vietnam Immigration Deaprtment is 3 working days, however, various factors – such as high demand, public holidays, or application errors – can cause delays.
- +How long should I apply for a Vietnam e-visa in advance?
- You should apply for a Vietnam e-visa at least 1-2 weeks in advance, but applying 2-3 weeks before is safer to account for potential delays. It is possible to apply up to one year in advance, which can reduce stress, especially during peak season or holidays.
