Vietnam Visa Requirements for US Citizens: eVisa, Phu Quoc & Pre-Arrival
Navigation: ← Blog · eVisa · Re-entry · eVisa vs VoA · Pre-arrival · Embassy visa · Visa problems · Start Vietnam visa help
For a US trip to Vietnam, match the stay first. Vietnam’s eVisa is available to citizens of all countries and territories. Phu Quoc has its own short stay rule for foreign passports. The six guides below cover the electronic visa, leaving and returning, the three visa paths, the air pre-arrival form, embassy filing, and which office handles a visa or document problem.
Stand: 29 September 2026.
Short answer
- Vietnam’s eVisa is available to citizens of all countries and territories, for up to 90 days with single or multiple entry. Request it on evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn. Use the eVisa guide for that path.
- US passport holders are not covered by Vietnam’s current 45-day unilateral/tourism visa-exemption schemes. Those schemes are a different rule from the 90-day electronic visa.
- Foreign passports may enter and leave Phu Quoc for up to 30 days without a visa, including after transit through another Vietnamese border gate before the island.
- A standard visa can be filed at the embassy in person or by mail. The comparison guide separates that embassy visa from the electronic visa and from an emergency visa on arrival.
- The Immigration Department launched a pre-arrival declaration as a Tan Son Nhat pilot on 15 April 2026. A 13 May 2026 notice still described that pilot as optional and gave a submission window of three days before entry. Check the current official system before you treat those dates as the rule for your flight. The pre-arrival declaration is separate from Vietnam’s visa process and does not replace any visa required for the trip.
Articles in this hub
Each row is one guide. Open the row that matches the trip.
| Topic | Article | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| eVisa | Vietnam eVisa for US Travelers: Official Channel, Timing & How to Apply | A US trip that uses the electronic visa |
| Re-entry | Leaving Vietnam and Coming Back? When a Single-Entry eVisa Is Not Enough | Leaving Vietnam and returning on the same trip; checking entries and issued dates |
| eVisa vs VoA | Vietnam eVisa vs Visa on Arrival for US Travelers: How the Embassy Visa Differs | Comparing the electronic visa, an emergency visa on arrival, and the embassy standard visa |
| Pre-arrival | Vietnam Pre-Arrival Declaration for US Travelers: Timing & How It Differs from a Visa | The air arrival form, which is separate from a visa |
| Embassy visa | Vietnam Embassy Visa for US Travelers: When eVisa Is Still the Path | Filing a standard visa at the embassy |
| Visa problems | Vietnam Visa Problems for US Travelers: Embassy vs eVisa Contacts | A visa or document problem that belongs to the embassy or the Immigration Department |
Decision help — which Vietnam entry path?
| Situation | Typical path | More |
|---|---|---|
| Island stay on Phu Quoc only, up to 30 days | Separate up-to-30-day Phu Quoc exemption for foreign passports | A mainland tour is a different path |
| Mainland trip that needs a visa | Electronic visa on evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn | eVisa guide |
| Leaving Vietnam and returning on the same trip | Check the approved eVisa’s entry count and validity dates against the itinerary | Re-entry guide |
| Comparing the electronic visa, an emergency visa on arrival, and the embassy visa | Three different paths | Comparison guide |
| Embassy standard visa | Apply in person or by mail | Embassy visa guide |
| Pre-arrival information | 15 April 2026 Tan Son Nhat pilot; 13 May 2026 notice. Confirm the current official system | Pre-arrival guide |
| Visa or document problem | Identify whether it belongs to the embassy or the Immigration Department | Embassy vs eVisa contacts |
A Phu Quoc-only stay of 30 days or less can use the foreign-passport exemption for entry into and exit from the island, including when you transit another Vietnamese border gate before reaching Phu Quoc. That exemption stops at the island.
A US city stay on the mainland usually means the electronic visa when the trip needs a visa. It is available to citizens of all countries and territories, for up to 90 days with single or multiple entry, on the two official portals above. Another exemption can still fit a particular itinerary, so match the stay before you file.
The comparison is three paths, not a choice between the electronic visa and the embassy visa alone. The embassy notice limits a visa upon arrival to listed emergencies, and even then visitors must obtain an approval letter signed and sealed by the embassy before the trip. Open the comparison guide for that choice. If you already plan to file a standard visa, use the embassy guide for in-person or mail filing.
A visa application or a printed document goes to the office that issued the problem. An embassy application that is not granted, or a request for more documents, stays with the embassy. Wrong details on a printed embassy visa are reported to the embassy for correction. A difficulty while applying for the electronic visa goes to the Immigration Department. Open the contacts guide once you know which of those it is.
FAQ
Do US citizens need a Vietnam visa?
US passport holders are not covered by Vietnam’s current 45-day unilateral/tourism visa-exemption schemes. Those schemes are not the 90-day electronic visa. For a mainland trip that needs a visa, US travelers usually use the electronic visa, which is available to citizens of all countries and territories and can run up to 90 days with single or multiple entry. Phu Quoc keeps a separate rule: foreign passports may enter and leave the island for up to 30 days.
Is Phu Quoc visa free?
Foreign passports are exempt from the visa requirement for entry into and exit from Phu Quoc for a stay no longer than 30 days. Holders who transit through another international border gate of Vietnam before entering Phu Quoc also enjoy that exemption. Plan the island stay against that 30-day window. A mainland itinerary is a different question.
Is the pre-arrival form a visa?
The pre-arrival declaration is separate from Vietnam’s visa process and does not replace any visa required for the trip. The Immigration Department launched it as a Tan Son Nhat pilot on 15 April 2026. On 13 May 2026 the department still described that pilot as optional rather than mandatory, said a declaration could be submitted within three days before entry, and said nationwide expansion would follow the pilot. Check the current official system, then use the pre-arrival guide, before you treat the May wording as the rule for your arrival. Use the eVisa guide for the visa itself.
How my-evisas.com can help
You can request an electronic visa on evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, or file a standard visa at the embassy in person or by mail. my-evisas.com can help with an eligible Vietnam eVisa request. Vietnamese authorities decide the visa and whether you enter.
Sources
- New Policy On Electronic Visa And Visa Exemption — Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States
- Viet Nam's visa exemption list — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam
- Viet Nam exempts visas under the tourism development stimulus program — Embassy of Vietnam in Algeria
- e-Visa application — Embassy of Vietnam in India
- Visa application process — Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States
- Immigration Department launches Pre-arrival Information System — Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam
- Notice on visa upon arrival — Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States
Important Notice
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. my-evisas.com is a private service provider and not a government authority, embassy, or consulate.
Visa requirements and entry regulations can change at short notice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided. Only the official regulations in force at the time of your application are authoritative.
As of: 29 September 2026
Binding and up-to-date information is provided exclusively by the relevant official authorities. Please verify the currently applicable requirements before your application or travel: https://evisa.gov.vn