Photo: Freepik

EVisa is one of the methods for foreigners who wish to enter Vietnam, especially after August 15, 2023, all applicants are eligible to apply for e-visa regardless of their entry purposes and nationalities.

With Evisa, you will no longer have to visit Vietnam Embassies but your paperwork would be issued electronically by the Vietnam Immigration Department. The visa validity also changed to up to 90 days for single or multiple entries.

However, many foreigners are said to struggle with the Online Service Portal mostly due to the lack of understanding of Vietnam’s administrative requirements. That being said, let us walk you through some common mistakes leading to application rejection so that you can travel to Vietnam without hassle. 

1. Input typos or wrong information

After filling out an online form, applicants often get too tired to double-check their application, which in turn may unfortunately leave some typos or even wrong data, and eventually get rejected. 

Therefore, it is advised to keep your application information on another online document such as Microsoft Word or Notes (Macbook), and you only need to copy and paste the information to the official website when you are ready. You can also download the PDF file to review in only one document!

2. Unqualified passport and/or portrait photos

Another error that leads to an unsuccessful application is not being aware of the photos’ requirements, according to the report of the Vietnamese Government. Here’s a detailed guide on Vietnam passport and portrait photos that you can refer to:

Passport photo: Passport is valid for at least 06 months from the entry date and has 02 blank pages. Photos are clear, not blurry.

Portrait photo:

• Jpeg format, size ≤ 2MB, taken no more than 6 months ago.
• Color photo, printed on white background photo paper.
• The five senses are clearly visible, the face is clear, the background is a light color.
• Do not wear hats or anything else, unless for religious reasons it is necessary to show your face clearly.
• Do not smile and wear glasses unless they are nearsighted/ farsighted/ vision glasses and do not cover your face.

3. Inconsistent data details

It often occurs when applicants type different information from the details on their official passport. Despite the passport page being displayed above, individuals may still input inaccurate details such as missing full names, reversed name order, incorrect date of birth, and wrong passport numbers.

Since they also submit the passport photo, the authority in charge may issue an eVisa for them without a problem but foreigners are likely to get denial at Vietnam entry ports due to the unmatched information. Hence, it is crucial to ensure accurate data entry and thoroughly review the form before submission.

4. Wrong date format

The date format can be completely different from country to country. In British English, the correct order is dd/mm/yyyy and it is the other way around in American English, mm/dd/yyyy. 

Please make sure to pay attention to the note below each field in the Vietnam eVisa application form, the date format is explicitly indicated as dd/mm/yyyy. This mistake commonly occurs in fields such as date of birth, passport date, and expected date of entry. This is significant as airlines may not allow your boarding with an incorrect visa date unless a new visa is obtained.

5. No checking the status after submitting the application

A lot of foreigners are not proactive enough to check their application’s status on the website or they might assume that the result will be automatically delivered to the provided email. 

However, in order to be prepared for any mishaps, at least after three working days, it is essential to manually verify the approval status of your application. You can reapply or even proceed to buy an airline ticket for your trip to Vietnam.

6. Apply too close to the departure date

Applicants should request for a visa to enter Vietnam before their expected arrival date at the Vietnam ports; besides, submitting too late may cause panic and the longer processing time compared to their plan as the substantial volume of daily applications.

Therefore, our recommended time is 1 month before the departure date to Vietnam. You can even reach out to Vietnam visa agencies for the most detailed advice on your case.

We - Vietnam-immi.Org is one of the leading visa agencies in Vietnam and proud of having more than 15 years of experience. You can trust us on utilizing and making the most of your trip with our visa services. If you want to know more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at

• Phone: +84.28.6685.1315
• Hotline: +84.357.522.522
• Email: sales@vietnam-immi.org 

7. Skip applying for their children

When applying for an eVisa, you will encounter the option: "Under 14 years old accompanying child(ren) included in your passport (if any)." It's important to clarify that this option is applicable only if your children's names are included in your passport. If your children possess their own passports, they must obtain a separate visa, similar to adults. 

Some parents may be unaware of this and include their children's names on the same visa application, even when the children have their own passports. This implies that your children do not have a valid visa and will be unable to board the plane.With these tips in mind, it is now possible for travelers to easily obtain an eVisa and enjoy their trip to Vietnam!

(Photo: Luat ACC)

What is the Vietnam Visa overstay?

Visa overstay in Vietnam is the case in which a foreign nationality remains in Vietnam after the expiration date of their visa.

For the expiration date, this date is the last day of being allowed to stay in the country legally, and after the expiration date, if they remain in that country, they are considered to have overstayed their visa.

What is the penalty for Vietnam Visa overstay?

The penalty for overstaying the visa depends on the short or long overstay period. As follows:

 + Expiry, overstay visa from 1 to 10 days: 1,250,000 VND

 + Overdue visa 1 month: 4,000,000 VND

 + Overdue visa over 1-3 months: 10,000,000 VND

 + Overdue visa for 3 months or more: fine from 16,000,000 VND

 + Violations for 8 months or more will be fined from several tens of millions of dollars.

 + Foreigners residing in Vietnam without permission from competent authorities: A fine of from VND 30,000,000 to VND 40,000,000

How to Avoid Vietnam Visa Overstayed?

Some following tips can help you to avoid this case:

+ Always check the expiration date on the visa stamp right at Vietnam airports. There are cases in which the officials provide a wrong date on the stamp. That can be a huge issue and the travelers cannot explain all the details upon being caught violating Vietnam laws. So, please make sure that your visa shows correct details, especially the valid dates.

+ Take a note or set an alarm of the last date you must leave the country. Sometimes, you may not remember that date due to hospital treatment, an extended trip, lost documents or a wedding, which leads to overstaying your visa. Therefore, always remind yourself of this important date to avoid penalty.

Photo: Tuổi Trẻ

Though the government started granting e-visa for all countries starting Aug. 15, some people are struggling with the procedures.

Martin Koerner, head of the tourism working group at the Vietnam Business Forum, told VnExpress International he has received negative feedback from international partners on applying Vietnamese e-visas.

"On average it takes 30-45 minutes to complete an application, while applying for e-visas in other countries only takes 5-7 minutes. For travel agents, it's too long to spend so much time on it," Koerner said.

A representative of Germany-based DER Touristik Group, the second-largest tour operator in Europe, said the list of countries eligible for e-visa issuance has not yet been updated, with South Africa still missing, while there is no function to select single or multi-entry.

A foreigner identified as Jago Wu said he was stuck in the payment section while applying for the e-visa.

Kirsten wrote on a Facebook group called Vietnam Travelers, "Does anyone know what ID card number is accepted on the new e-visa form? It won't let me go any further. This new form requires lots more extra information than the old one."

Foreign tourists in Hoi An ancient town in central Vietnam, March 2022. (Source: Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong)

However, not everyone is having issues. Bill Dvorak said he successfully applied for his multiple-entry visa and is waiting for approval from competent authorities.

"The system worked well for me. The status is in progress," he said, adding that he paid a fee of $50 for his multiple-entry visa.

A single-entry visa costs $25, according to the visa application website.

Elsewhere, Terry Marshall applied for an e-visa via an agent and has not experienced any problems.

"We submitted my application on Tuesday morning and by the afternoon I had received my dossier code," Marhsall said.

Vietnam's new e-visa is valid for up to 90 days and for multiple entries, more relaxed the the 30-day single-entry visa on offer after the country reopened borders post-Covid in March last year.

Non-nationals can access the e-visa web portal of the Vietnam Immigration Department at https://www.immigration.gov.vn or the National Public Service Portal of the Ministry of Public Security at https://dichvucong.bocongan.gov.vn/ to apply.

Source: VnExpress

(Source: Collected)

About:
Overstaying a Vietnam visa is a violation of Vietnamese immigration law that can result in serious consequences. The length of the overstay determines the amount of the fine for each case. Besides, foreigners who overstay their Vietnam visa may also be deported or blacklisted, which means they will be prohibited from entering Vietnam for a period of time.

The fines for overstaying a Vietnam visa are as follows:

 + Less than 16 days: VND 500,000 to VND 2,000,000 (approximately US$22 to US$88)

 + 16 days to 30 days: VND 3,000,000 to VND 5,000,000 (approximately US$133 to US$221)

 + 30 days to 60 days: VND 5,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 (approximately US$221 to US$441)

 + 60 days to 90 days: VND 10,000,000 to VND 15,000,000 (approximately US$441 to US$661)

 + More than 90 days: VND 15,000,000 to VND 20,000,000 (approximately US$661 to US$885)

In addition to the fines, foreigners who overstay their Vietnam visa may also be deported and blacklisted. Deportation is the forced removal of a foreigner from a country. It is usually accompanied by a ban on future entry into the country. The length of the ban depends on the severity of the overstay.

What should I do when I overstay?
First, you need to directly go to the nearest Vietnam Immigration Department/Office to pay the fine as soon as possible. The fine varies depending on each circumstance and the days of overstay. After that, you should ask for the receipt of overstay payment and Exit Visa.
In this case, you can pay the fine at the Immigration or your Exit Port. However, paying fine at your exit port will cause a higher risk of being blacklisted. So you should try to visit the Immigration before boarding the plane.
For more information, you can contact the Vietnam Immigration Department as soon as you can to minimize the consequences.
Follow Vietnam laws and not overstay to make the trip in Vietnam more enjoyable and memorable!

Source: Vietnam-immigration.org.vn