After a lengthy period of quarantine and social isolation as a result of Covid-19, the need for international travel is rising. Vietnam is a popular tourism destination for Americans. Is a visa required for US citizens traveling to Vietnam? Is there a visa waiver policy for US passport holders visiting Vietnam? Let’s look at the information below.
Some nationalities need a visa in advance to visit Vietnam, while others do not. Citizens of 24 countries are now exempt from requiring a visa to enter Vietnam. Most of them provide a 15-day visa waiver program for tourists visiting Vietnam. However, the United States passport is not on this list. Before visiting Vietnam in 2025, US nationals must still apply for a visa.
Before flying to Vietnam, residents of the United States must get a Vietnam visa. Before allowing all passengers to board, the airline personnel will verify their visas. People from the United States who do not have a Vietnam visa will be denied entry into the country.
Although the US passport is not on the list of visa exemptions for Vietnam, US residents may simply apply for a Vietnam visa over the internet. For US citizens, there are two kinds of Vietnam visas accessible online: visa on arrival and E-visa.
Regardless matter whether option is used, the passport must be valid for at least six months in order to acquire a Vietnam visa.
With an internet-connected smartphone and a US passport, US citizens may quickly apply for a Vietnam visa. People from the United States may simply remain at home and apply for a visa online, and the results will be sent to them.
For US passport holders, there are two options for applying for a Vietnam visa online: Visa on Arrival (VOA) and Vietnam e-visa.
2.1/ How can I apply for Vietnam E-visa for US passport in 2025?
Citizens of 80 countries (including the United States) may apply for a Vietnam e-visa online until 2025. Before arriving in Vietnam, US citizens must apply for a Vietnam E-visa. As a result, holders of US passports must apply for and get a Vietnam E-visa before their flight.
USA citizens may apply for a Vietnam e-visa by visiting https://www.vietnamimmigration.com/application-vietnam-visa/ .
On February 1, 2017, Vietnam launched the e-visa system. Although E-visa was temporarily halted, the online application system is back accessible to all applicants.
Citizens of the United States must provide a scan/digital picture of their passport as well as a current digital personal photo on a white backdrop (no hats or glasses). The E-visa application for US citizens will be processed when all information is entered and photographs are uploaded. Three days later, holders of US passports will get an email with an e-visa attached. Print this and bring it to Vietnam with you!
2.2/ How to Apply for Vietnam Visa on Arrival with a US Passport in 2025?
Prior to the implementation of the e-visa system, the most prevalent method for US tourists to get a visa to Vietnam was visa on arrival. In truth, visa on arrival is the kind of visa that Americans will get when they arrive at Vietnamese airports. Before travelling to Vietnam, US citizens must provide a visa approval letter.
The visa approval letter should not be confused with the e-visa; this formal letter is issued by the Vietnam immigration department and may also be applied for online. This visa approval letter, on the other hand, is utilized to get a visa when you arrive at the Vietnamese airport. You cannot get a visa on arrival unless you have a visa approval letter.
Vietnam visa on arrival is only valid if you arrive in one of the following major international cities: Saigon (HCMC), Hanoi, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hai Phong, or Phu Quoc. If entering Vietnam by land from another nation, US citizens need apply for a Vietnam E-visa.
Procedure for obtaining a Vietnam visa upon arrival at a Vietnamese airport for US citizens in 2025
The following is the procedure for acquiring a Vietnam visa on arrival:
Step 1: Request a visa approval letter online.
The online application form for the Vietnam visa acceptance letter may be found at https://www.vietnamimmigration.com/apply-vietnam-visa/ .
Citizens of the United States merely need to click and fill out the essential information; no tangible papers are required. The processing time for a Vietnam visa acceptance letter for citizens of the United States is around three business days.
Step 2: Print the visa approval letter
Once granted, the visa acceptance letter will be delivered to the email address specified in the visa application form. People from the United States should print it out and carry it with them when they visit Vietnam.
Step 3: Reserve a flight.
If you are a US citizen and have not yet booked your ticket to Vietnam, you should do so after you get the visa acceptance letter. Flights may be booked without a visa, however passengers from the United States must provide an E-visa or visa approval letter before boarding.
Step 4: Travel to Vietnam
Passport holders from the United States should go to the visa-on-arrival counter to get a visa application form. To grant a visa, the immigration officer will need a passport, Visa Approval Letter, and pictures. Fill out the visa application form with important information such your passport number, issuance date, and expiry date.
Officially, two personal images are necessary, although the office may just request one; they should comply to the standard dimensions of 4 x 6 cm. If US residents do not have the required pictures, certain airports provide kiosks where they may be taken for a minimal price.
After a few minutes, Americans will get their passports returned with a Vietnam visa sticker inside, completing the visa process.
To summarize, US passport holders must get a visa before visiting Vietnam. Thanks to technological advances, Americans who wish to apply for a visa to Vietnam no longer have to contact Vietnamese embassies and consulates directly, which is usually more expensive and time-consuming. Vietnam E-visa and Vietnam visa on arrival are both now accessible for US passport holders, and US citizens may pick the most convenient option to apply for a Vietnam visa online. If you want to know exactly how to apply for a Vietnam visa online for a US passport in 2025, please contact us or send an email to info@vietnamimmigration.com .
