Quick answer
- Legal basis
- Article 18, Law No. 47/2014/QH13
- Who applies
- The sponsoring organisation or person in Vietnam
- Entry approval letter
- Law: 3 working days (12 working hours if urgent); in practice 3–5 working days
- Where the visa is issued
- Immigration control at the international border gate
- Usually simpler
- E-visa, applied for online by you
On this page
Who can get a visa at the border gate
Article 18 of the Law allows a visa to be issued at an international border gate when the foreigner:
- travels from a country where Vietnam has no visa-issuing office;
- has to pass through several countries before reaching Vietnam;
- visits Vietnam on a tour organised by an international travel business in Vietnam;
- is a foreign seafarer on a ship anchored in a Vietnamese port who needs to leave through another border gate;
- comes to attend the funeral of a relative or to visit a seriously ill relative;
- comes to deal with an emergency, rescue, natural disaster or epidemic, or for another special reason requested by a competent Vietnamese authority.
How the procedure works, step by step
Step 1 — Your sponsor obtains an entry approval letter (before you travel)
Before you leave for Vietnam, the person, organisation or company sponsoring you in Vietnam files a request with the Immigration Department for an entry approval letter (approval to issue a visa at the border gate). The request names the border gate, the entry date and the reason for issuing the visa there (Article 16). The law gives 3 working days from a complete file, or 12 working hours for funerals, seriously ill relatives and emergencies. Once approved, your sponsor sends you a copy or scan of the letter to show when you board and at the border gate.
Step 2 — Prepare your documents for the border gate
- Your original passport — we recommend at least 6 months' validity and at least 2 blank pages (the law requires the visa to end at least 30 days before the passport expires).
- A printed copy of the entry approval letter.
- The visa application form (form NA1), completed and signed.
- Two 4×6 cm portrait photos.
- The government visa fee in cash — US dollars or Vietnamese dong; having US dollars ready is easiest.
Step 3 — Submit at the visa counter and collect your visa
Submit your documents
Hand everything in at the visa-on-arrival (landing visa) counter at the international border gate, before the immigration queue.
Check and pay
Immigration officers check your details against the approval letter. Pay the visa fee for your visa type (table below).
Collect your passport
You receive your passport with the visa sticker, or a separate loose-leaf visa, then go through normal entry control at the immigration counter. Children under 14 on a parent's passport are included on the parent's form.
Visa fee
The visa issued at the border uses the normal government fee schedule. The fee depends on the type of visa:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single-entry visa | US$25 |
| Multiple-entry visa, up to 90 days | US$50 |
| Multiple-entry visa, over 90 to 180 days | US$95 |
| Multiple-entry visa, over 180 days to 1 year | US$135 |
| Visa for a person under 14 | US$25 |
The full schedule is on Vietnam visa fees. We never collect government fees on your behalf.
Why most visitors use the e-visa instead
Anyone outside Vietnam can apply for an e-visa online, without a sponsor, for up to 90 days. It is accepted at 15 airports and dozens of land and sea gates. Check first whether you qualify for visa exemption.
A visa at the border gate still makes sense for tour groups organised by a Vietnamese international travel company, seafarers and urgent family or emergency cases. If you think your case fits, tell us about it through a case check.