All the information about the Vietnam Visa for US Citizens

Any one who wants to get a taste of Southeast Asía, should travel to Vietnam. Vietnam is a culturally rich country in Southeast Asia and is one of the most populous nations in the whole region. There are multiple things to do in Vietnam, buzzing Vietnam cities to fall in love with like Saigon or Hanoi and sights to explore in the country such as Ho Chi Minh and Hôi An, the rice fields of Sa Pa, and the beaches of Phu Quoc or Nha Trang.

After you map out the things to do in Vietnam, you must get all your travel documents ready for Vietnam. Here is all the information on the Visa Vietnam for US citizens.

Do US citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes, US citizens need a visa to travel to Vietnam for tourist or business trips. You won’t be allowed to enter Vietnam without an e-visa.

In order to get your US visa tourist and permission to travel to Vietnam, you will need to fulfil these visa requirements for US citizens:

• Scanned copy of your passport. Make sure your passport is displayed correctly, and do not miss any important detail.
• Recent good quality photo in colour.
• Online form with your data and contact information.
• An email address to receive the visa.
• A bank card to pay for the visa.

You must carry your passport and it must have six months validity remaining and one visa page for an entry stamp. You can check out our guide Vietnam entry requirements to learn more about vaccines, travel insurance, best time to visit Vietnam, transiting through Vietnam, getting around the country and more useful information to be ready for your trip to Vietnam.

You can choose between two types of Vietnam e-visas. One is valid for a total period of 30 days and allows for a single entry to Vietnam. The other option allows for multiple entries to the country, with each stay lasting up to 90 days. You can read our guide How to get a visa for Vietnam to learn more about other types of visas for Vietnam.

How do I apply for the Vietnam Visa for US citizens?

You can get the Vietnam Visa as a US citizens from your house. The eVisa allows you to apply for the Vietnam visa from any electronic device, avoiding having to go to an embassy or consulate.

The electronic visa (e-Visa) is the easiest and most convenient method for citizens to apply for a visa to Vietnam from the US. The process is entirely supported online with Visagov:

1. Select the Vietnam eVisa form.
2. Fill in a simple form with your personal data and the information related to your trip. 
3. Submit the form.
4. In 48 hours you will have your Visa Vietnam directly sent to your email.
5. You are ready to fly to Vietnam. Once you arrive at the airport, you will only need to present the approved visa and your passport to enter Vietnam.

How long does it take to get the Vietnam Visa for US citizens?  

With Visagov, it will only take 72 working hours to receive the approved document directly in your email.

How much does a Vietnam Visa cost for US citizens?

For the online visa, you only need to make a single payment which includes the service charges and government fees. The price for an online Vietnamese visa, with all the costs included, is 58$.

What vaccines do I need to travel to Vietnam?

There are no required or mandatory vaccines to enter Vietnam from the US. 

It is always recommended that you be vaccinated against diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, polio, and TABT (tetanus, paratyphoid A and B, and typhoid). Malaria is prevalent in several areas in Vietnam, so your doctor may prescribe malarial prophylaxis.

Check with your doctor if you need any special medical care or vaccines due to your own personal situation.

Where is the Vietnam Embassy in the US? 

The contact details of the embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the US are:

1233 20th St NW, Ste 400, Washington, DC 20036

Telephone: 202-861-0737

Where is the US embassy in Vietnam? 

The contact details of the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi are: 

170 Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam

Telephone: 84-24-3850-5000

What is the time difference between Vietnam and the US?

Vietnam is 11 hours ahead of Washington D. C., US. For example, if it is 16:33 in Vietnam, it is 5:33 in Washington D. C., US. 

What is the Vietnam currency and the exchange rate to US Dollars?

The dong is the Vietnam currency and, although you find coins, the usual thing is to use the larger notes. There are 500,000; 200,000; 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200 and 100 dong notes. The coins are limited to 200; 500; 1,000; 2,000 and 5,000 dongs.

1 US dollar is=  23,659.33 Vietnamese dongs

When you go to Vietnam, you can exchange dongs in banks, currency exchange offices, jewellery stores or gold stores. 

Remember to exit or enter Vietnam, you must declare if you have Vietnamese Dong in excess of VND 150,000,000 or foreign currency in excess of 5,000 U.S. dollars or equivalent.

Is Vietnam safe for tourists?

Overall, Vietnam is safe. Nevertheless, as in any country you travel to, you should be aware of your surroundings in crowded spaces and public transport. Street robberies and pickpocketing are not common, but they do occur. On excursions, carry luggage with a padlock and do not take your eyes off it, especially on public transport.

You should also make your purchases in a safe place since fake fashion items are very realistic and are sold as if they were original. One last recommendation is that when you are in a taxi, make sure that the vehicle has a meter and that the driver is driving in the right direction using mobile GPS.