El papeleo explicado
Vietnam visa: what it is, why it matters, how to obtain it
What is a Vietnam visa and why does it matter for a Hanoi property purchase?
Vietnam visa at a glance
Document- Vietnamese name
- Thị thực; most buyers use the e-visa — thị thực điện tử
- Distinct from a residence card (thẻ tạm trú), which governs longer-term stays, not entry
- Issued by
- Vietnam Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security — via the official e-visa portal, or a Vietnamese embassy/consulate for a sticker visa
- Only one official e-visa portal exists; third-party sites that resemble it are not government-run
- Who needs one
- Most nationalities, including US, Canadian, Australian and Japanese citizens
- Several EU countries and the UK currently hold unilateral visa exemption for short stays — always confirm the current list on the official portal before booking, as it changes
- Typical cost
- US$25 for a single-entry e-visa; US$50 for a multiple-entry e-visa (≈ €23 / ≈ 630,000 VND and ≈ €46 / ≈ 1,265,000 VND)
- Government fee, paid online by card at application; sticker and airport-stamped visas follow a separate fee schedule
- Validity
- Up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, under current e-visa policy
- Does not itself create any right to remain beyond that period
- Processing time
- Official guidance quotes up to 3 working days
- Most applicants allow 5–7 days for safety, especially before a scheduled signing trip
- Language
- Application form available in English and Vietnamese; the approval letter is issued in English
- No certified translation is needed to use it in Vietnam
- Required for property purchase?
- Not directly, but legal entry on a valid visa or exemption is the precondition for signing any purchase document in person
- Owning property in Vietnam creates no residence right of its own — the two are entirely separate
Specimen: a Vietnam e-visa approval letter
What is a Vietnam visa (thị thực) and how does it fit into your purchase?
A Vietnam visa — thị thực — is the entry authorisation issued by Vietnamese immigration under Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam, as amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14. For most European and North American buyers this now means the e-visa (thị thực điện tử): a fully online application, valid up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, since a 2023 policy reform (Resolution 127/NQ-CP) widened both e-visa validity and the list of nationalities granted short-stay unilateral exemption.
Two older routes still exist but are used far less often today: an embassy-issued sticker visa in your passport, and visa-on-arrival, which historically required a pre-approval letter from a licensed agent plus a stamping fee paid in cash at the airport. The e-visa's 90-day, multi-entry expansion has made visa-on-arrival largely redundant for tourism and property visits, though a few diplomatic or airline-arranged cases still use it. Vietnam also issues longer-term visas — up to several years for people of Vietnamese origin and their families, or for larger foreign investors holding an Investment Registration Certificate — but these follow separate eligibility rules unrelated to buying an apartment; almost every foreign buyer travels to Hanoi on the standard e-visa described here.
None of this changes who may own property. A visa governs entry and length of stay only; it is not a step in, or a shortcut through, the ownership rules set out in the Housing Law 2023 and Land Law 2024.
How to obtain your Vietnam e-visa before a Hanoi purchase trip
⏱ Typically 3–7 days online, completed before you travel
Applying for an e-visa is the first practical step in any Hanoi buying trip, and it runs well before you reserve a unit — build it into your travel planning, not your purchase timeline. The sequence below covers the standard e-visa route used by most foreign buyers.
- 1
Check whether you need a visa at all
⏱ 5 minutes◈ Free
Look up your nationality against Vietnam's current unilateral exemption list. Several EU countries and the UK currently benefit from short-stay exemption, but the list is periodically reviewed and dates change — confirm it on the official portal rather than relying on a previous trip or a friend's experience.
⚠Assuming exemption because a compatriot travelled visa-free last year — eligibility periods and country lists are reviewed and can change without much notice.
→ expat services - 2
Apply on the official e-visa portal
⏱ 20–30 minutes to complete◈ US$25 (single entry) or US$50 (multiple entry)
Submit your application directly through the Vietnam Immigration Department's official e-visa portal (evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn): a scan of your passport photo page, a portrait photo, and your intended entry/exit dates and border checkpoint.
DocumentsPassport photo page scan · Portrait photo · Travel dates
⚠Applying through a third-party website that mimics the official portal — these routinely charge a marked-up service fee, and a handful have been reported as unreliable or outright fraudulent.
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Wait for approval, then print your letter
⏱ Up to 3 working days officially; allow 5–7◈ Included in the application fee
The government's official processing target is up to 3 working days, though allowing 5–7 days is safer before a fixed signing date. Once approved, print the approval letter in colour — some border officers still expect a physical, colour copy, and a black-and-white printout or a phone screenshot occasionally causes friction.
DocumentsE-visa approval letter (printed, colour) · Passport
⚠Arriving with only a phone screenshot of the approval letter instead of a printed colour copy.
- 4
Enter Vietnam through an approved e-visa checkpoint
⏱ On arrival
Present your passport and printed approval letter at immigration. E-visas are accepted only at designated international checkpoints — confirm your arrival airport or land border is on the approved list before booking flights, particularly for less common entry points.
DocumentsPassport · Printed e-visa approval letter
⚠Booking a flight or land crossing into a checkpoint not authorised for e-visa entry — a mistake that can mean being turned back.
- 5
Keep your visa validity aligned with your purchase timeline
⏱ Ongoing through your purchase
A Hanoi purchase can run 3–6 months from reservation to Pink Book registration. If your first visit is for viewings and your return trip is for signing or handover, check that a single 90-day e-visa covers both, or apply for a fresh multiple-entry e-visa rather than risk a lapsed visa mid-process.
⚠Scheduling a notary appointment or handover for a date after your current visa expires.
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What a Vietnam visa costs
Government e-visa fees are fixed and paid online at application. Embassy sticker visas and airport-stamped visa-on-arrival follow separate, alternative fee schedules — not additive with the e-visa, since a buyer only needs one route in.
| — | Min | Max | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-visa, single entryFixed fee; no separate rate by nationality | US$25 (≈ €23 / ≈ 630,000 VND) | US$25 (≈ €23 / ≈ 630,000 VND) | one-off, government feeApplicant, at online application |
| E-visa, multiple entryRecommended if you expect more than one entry within the 90-day validity | US$50 (≈ €46 / ≈ 1,265,000 VND) | US$50 (≈ €46 / ≈ 1,265,000 VND) | one-off, government feeApplicant, at online application |
| Embassy/consulate sticker visaAn alternative to the e-visa, not an additional cost on top of it | Set by the issuing embassy's consular fee schedule | Set by the issuing embassy's consular fee schedule | one-off, varies by embassy and nationalityApplicant, at the embassy or consulate |
| Visa-on-arrival stamping feeRequires a separate pre-approval letter from a licensed agent (typically US$10–20 / ≈ €9–18 / ≈ 230,000–460,000 VND, a market rate not government-set); largely superseded by the e-visa since 2023 | US$25 (≈ €23 / ≈ 630,000 VND) | US$50 (≈ €46 / ≈ 1,265,000 VND) | one-off, cash only, paid at the airportApplicant, on arrival — rare today |
| Total | US$25 (≈ €23 / ≈ 630,000 VND) | US$50 (≈ €46 / ≈ 1,265,000 VND) |
Illustrative example — a French buyer visiting Hanoi twice within 90 days, for viewings and signing
- Multiple-entry e-visa (government fee)
- €46 (≈ 1,265,000 VND)
- Passport photo and scanning service
- €5 (≈ 137,500 VND)
- Certified copy of approval letter for the notary file
- €10 (≈ 275,000 VND)
- Σ
- €61 (≈ 1,677,500 VND)
Law No. 47/2014/QH13 · Law No. 51/2019/QH14 · Resolution 127/NQ-CP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
Are US citizens allowed to travel to Vietnam right now?
Yes. Vietnam is open to leisure and business travel from the United States, with no COVID-era entry restrictions in force. US citizens still need an approved e-visa or another eligible visa before travelling, exactly as for any other purpose of entry.
Do US citizens need a visa to enter Vietnam?
Yes. The United States is not on Vietnam's unilateral visa-exemption list, so US passport holders need an e-visa, an embassy-issued sticker visa, or an eligible visa-on-arrival letter for any length of stay, including short property-viewing trips to Hanoi.
How much is the e-visa for Vietnam for US citizens?
The same government fee applies regardless of nationality: US$25 for a single-entry e-visa or US$50 for a multiple-entry e-visa (≈ €23–46 / ≈ 630,000–1,265,000 VND), paid online by card at application. There is no separate US-citizen surcharge under the current fee schedule.
How long does it take to get a Vietnam visa for a US citizen?
Official guidance quotes processing within 3 working days, and this applies equally to US applicants. Most travellers, US citizens included, allow 5–7 days as a safety margin — especially useful if you are booking flights around a fixed viewing or signing date in Hanoi.
Which Vietnam visa website is real?
The only official channel is the Vietnam Immigration Department's e-visa portal, run by the Ministry of Public Security. A number of look-alike commercial sites exist that process the same application at a marked-up service fee, and some have been flagged as unreliable — always confirm you are on the genuine government domain before entering passport details or paying.
What is required for a US citizen to enter Vietnam?
A passport valid well beyond your planned stay, an approved e-visa or eligible visa with a printed colour copy of the approval letter, and — as with most international travel — evidence of onward or return travel if asked. Requirements are set by immigration and airline check-in practice, so confirm specifics before you fly.
Does a Vietnam visa let me buy an apartment in Hanoi?
No — the two are unrelated. Foreign ownership eligibility comes from the Housing Law 2023, not from your visa type or length of stay. A visa (or exemption) only gets you legally into the country to view properties, sign documents and complete registration in person.
Sources
- Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam, as amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 — Vietnam Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security
- Resolution 127/NQ-CP (2023) — e-visa policy reform widening validity and unilateral exemption
- Housing Law 2023 (Law No. 27/2023/QH15) — foreign ownership eligibility, separate from visa status
- Land Law 2024 (Law No. 31/2024/QH15) — land-use rights framework
- Official Vietnam e-visa portal — Vietnam Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security
- Cục Quản lý xuất nhập cảnh (Vietnam Immigration Department)
Sorting your visa before a Hanoi signing trip?
Our Hanoi advisory desk can help you time your e-visa validity against your reservation, signing and handover dates, and refer you to licensed immigration counsel where needed — a separate process from your property transaction. Tell us your timeline and we will reply within 24 hours.