Vietnam Visa Costs: What You Need to Know

Vietnam visa costs are frequently updated, and where once there were only a handful of visa options, the list has now become extensive. From work permits to investment visas to tourist visas, there are now a myriad ways you can enter and stay in Vietnam. These do, however, come at a cost.

A new resolution, effective from August 15, 2025, expands Vietnam’s visa exemptions to citizens of nine countries and updates visa waiver policies for Polish, Czech, and Swiss nationals.

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Accordingly, citizens of Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland will be permitted to stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days from their date of entry for tourism purposes, regardless of passport type, as long as they meet the country’s entry requirements.

Starting August 15, 2025, the previous exemption for citizens of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland under the 2025 program will no longer apply. The measure will remain in effect until August 14, 2028.

Who determines Vietnam visa fees?

Vietnam visa fees are determined by the Ministry of Finance and are updated regularly through Circulars issued by the ministry.

The information herein is taken from Circular No. 25/2021/TT-BTC dated April 7, 2021, amended by Circular 62/2023/TT-BTC dated October 3, 2023. All amendments came into effect after November 18, 2023.

Which nationals can enter Vietnam without a visa?

Foreigners from one of these countries can stay in Vietnam without a visa:

Who pays Vietnam visa costs?

Vietnamese employers will usually cover the visa costs of their employees. Foreign visitors to Vietnam cover the visa costs for tourist visas either at the airport or through Vietnam's e-visa system.

Who collects Vietnam visa fees?

There are a number of institutions in Vietnam empowered to collect visa fees. They are:

• The Immigration Management Department (Ministry of Public Security);
• Police authorities, Commanders of Border Guards of provinces and central-affiliated cities;
• Departments of Consular Affairs, Departments of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs);
• Police authorities of districts, towns, cities of provinces, and centrally run cities; and
• Police authorities of communes, wards, and towns (capable of issuing immigration documents).

If applying for a Vietnam visa at the airport with a Pre-Visa Approval Letter, foreigners will need to pay an additional fee for the on-spot entry letter service. Afterward, the applicant must pay the visa fee directly at the airport when receiving the visa. This fee will also vary depending on the type of visa, including the purpose of entry and the number of entries.

Vietnam visa costs

What is a separate visa?

Regulation concerning separate visas is promulgated under the Law on Foreigners’ Entry in, Exit from, Transit through and Residence in Vietnam 2014, amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 dated November 25, 2019, and Law No. 23/2023/QH15 dated June 24, 2023.

Accordingly, a separate visa is a form of visa in addition to a passport-issued visa and an electronic visa issued in the following cases:

• The passport already running out of visa pages;
• The passport of a country that has not established diplomatic relations with Vietnam;
• Documents valid for international travel;
• Diplomatic, defense, and security reasons;
• Lists issued by immigration authorities with respect to foreigners visiting and traveling or transiting by sea, who wish to enter inland for visiting and tourism purposes according to programs organized by international tourism enterprises in Vietnam; and
• Members of foreign military ships travel under official programs when they travel outside the centrally affiliated cities and provinces where their ships anchor.

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How long does it take to apply for a Vietnam visa?

Applying for a Vietnam visa can take anywhere from a couple of hours to a few weeks, depending on the visa you are applying for. Having your documents prepared in advance can help make this process as smooth as possible.

How long does it take to get a visa after applying?

The time it takes to receive a visa for Vietnam after a successful application can vary. An e-visa can take a few days, while work and investor visas can take a few weeks up to months, depending on the complexity of the application.

In which cases does a refund occur?

Refunds occur when fee payers have submitted fees but are found ineligible for passports, laissez-passers, or AB stamps. In these instances, the fee collectors will issue a refund upon notifying the fee payers of the application outcome.

However, no refund will be provided under the following circumstances:

• Fee payers reject the application results after being deemed ineligible for passports, laissez-passers, or AB stamps.
• Fee payers have paid for visas or other documents permitting immigration or residence for foreigners, but are ineligible or reject the application results.

How much does a Vietnam visa cost?

Single-entry tourist visas start at US$25. This goes up to US$155 for a visa valid for two to five years. Ultimately, the cost will depend on which visa you need for what purpose and for how long.

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(This article was last updated August 27, 2025.)

This article first appeared on Vietnam Briefing, our sister platform.