You’ve submitted your Vietnam e-visa application. The official website says it should only take three working days. But it’s been five days or more, and there’s still no response.
Now what?
You’re checking your email every hour. Your trip is approaching. You’re not sure if the problem is with your documents, the system, or just bad timing. The uncertainty is stressful—and it can quickly turn an exciting journey into a logistical nightmare.
If this sounds like your current situation, you’re in the right place.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down:
Let’s dig in.
The Vietnam e-visa system officially processes visas within 3 working days. This timeline is based on standard volume and ideal conditions.
However, it’s increasingly common for travelers to wait 5–7 working days, and in some cases, even longer.
Why? Because:
So yes, your Vietnam e-visa taking more than 5 days is frustrating—but not rare.
There are multiple reasons your visa might be stuck in limbo. Some are outside your control—but many can be prevented with the right preparation.
During peak travel seasons—Lunar New Year (Tết), summer holidays, Golden Week, and around major international events—immigration receives tens of thousands of applications daily.
These bottlenecks lead to longer queues, delayed processing, and batch approvals.
Vietnam immigration only processes e-visas on working days (Monday to Friday), and they follow the Vietnamese public holiday calendar. If you submitted on a Friday afternoon, your application likely won’t be reviewed until Monday or Tuesday of the following week.
Worse, if your submission coincides with a long holiday, such as Tết or Reunification Day (April 30), expect serious delays.
The system accepts applications, even with:
But once submitted, your file may be flagged for manual review, causing it to sit in the queue far longer than expected.
The Vietnam e-visa system is notoriously glitchy. Scheduled updates or outages can delay application status updates or submission processing without notifying users.
Travel forums frequently report delays due to system timeouts, payment verification failures, or back-end slowdowns.
Applicants from some countries may undergo additional vetting. While Vietnam welcomes tourists from over 80+ countries with e-visas, certain nationalities face longer waiting times based on:
If you’ve crossed the 5-day mark and still haven’t received your visa, don’t panic—but don’t wait passively either.
Here’s your action checklist:
You’d be surprised how many travelers find their visa approvals buried in spam, promotions, or junk folders. Search for your application code, or for emails from the Vietnam Immigration Department.
Use your application code and email address to check status on the official Vietnam Immigration e-visa website.
Even if no update is visible, the system may still be processing your file. But if your information was incorrect, the system won’t flag it—you’ll need to spot and fix the issue yourself.
Go back to your confirmation PDF or saved screenshots and double-check:
Even one mismatch could push your file into manual hold.
If time is tight and you haven’t heard anything, it’s time to get help.
👉 A reliable option:
Apply for or Expedite Your Vietnam E-Visa Here
They offer:
Thousands of travelers—especially those facing flight deadlines—have saved their trip using this kind of expert help.
If your flight is in 2–3 days or less, don’t risk it.
You may qualify for an urgent visa processing service, which can issue your visa in:
Urgent services do cost more—but can be the difference between catching your flight or not.
If this experience taught you a lesson, let’s turn it into prevention. Here’s how to make sure your next e-visa is smooth and fast:
Yes, they say “3 days”—but in reality, give yourself a 10-working-day buffer. This allows time for holidays, errors, and technical issues without stressing you out.
Make sure your:
Keep a copy of:
You’ll need these to check status or provide info if there’s a problem.
Especially if you’re traveling in a group, have tight deadlines, or are not tech-savvy, using a visa assistance service can prevent headaches before they start.
👉 Learn more here: Vietnam E-Visa Application & Urgent Services
If your Vietnam e-visa is taking more than 5 days, it doesn’t mean your trip is over. It means it’s time to act smart.
Vietnam is an incredible destination—and you deserve to enjoy it stress-free.
Need help now?
👉 Apply or expedite here: Get Your Vietnam E-Visa Fast