Vietnam Updates Visa Rules for Indians in 2026: 30-Day Visa-Free Stay Ends

(VIETNAM) — Vietnam requires Indian citizens to obtain a visa for entry in 2026, except for a 30-day visa-free stay limited strictly to Phu Quoc Island for travelers who arrive directly and do not continue to the mainland.

For most Indian travelers, the main options are a 90-day e-visa or a visa on arrival, with the e-visa presented as the recommended route because it can be completed online and used at a wide range of entry points.

Indian passport holders do not qualify for the 15-day or 45-day exemptions available to select nationalities. Travelers who arrive for mainland Vietnam without a visa can face denial by airlines or at border checkpoints.

Anyone planning a trip must carry a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry and with at least 2 blank pages. Immigration officers also often require proof of onward or return travel.

That baseline matters because the country’s lone broad exception for Indians is tightly drawn. Phu Quoc offers a 30-day visa-free stay, but only for travelers entering directly through Phu Quoc Airport or Seaport and remaining on the island.

A trip beyond the island changes the legal position immediately. Indian travelers who want to visit mainland destinations such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City need a full visa, even if they first entered Phu Quoc under the island exemption.

The e-visa has become the most practical option for many visitors since Vietnam made it available to all nationalities, including Indians, from August 15, 2023. Authorities also expanded its validity to 90 days, with single-entry and multiple-entry choices.

That broader validity has made the e-visa better suited to travelers planning longer holidays, business visits or itineraries with repeated crossings. It also covers far more entry points than airport-based alternatives.

Costs are fixed at $25 USD (625,000 VND) for a single-entry e-visa and $50 USD (1,250,000 VND) for a multiple-entry e-visa. Those fees are non-refundable.

Processing usually takes 3–7 working days. Travelers in a rush can use agencies that offer expedited handling in 1–2 days for an extra $10–$30.

Vietnam accepts the e-visa at 83 ports of entry, including 13 international airports such as Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Phu Quoc. Land borders and seaports also accept it, making it the broadest entry document available to most Indian visitors.

The application process is digital. Applicants upload a passport photo measuring 4×6 cm with a white background and no glasses, add a scan of the passport bio page, enter travel details including exact entry and exit ports and dates, pay online, and then download the approved e-visa for print or digital use.

Accuracy matters. Passport-detail mismatches can lead to refusal, and unofficial websites also carry refusal risks.

Travelers are advised to check details through evisa.gov.vn before departure. Vietnam also lists thithucdientu.gov.vn as an official online channel for the application process.

The e-visa also has a firm limit: it is non-extendable. Anyone who needs to stay beyond the approved period must exit and re-enter or apply for a new visa.

That restriction can affect travelers who build open-ended plans or expect to extend a trip after arrival. A visitor who miscalculates timing may need to leave the country and start a new visa cycle rather than adjust status from within Vietnam.

Visa on arrival remains available, but in narrower circumstances. Indian travelers can use it only at airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and only after securing a pre-approved Visa Approval Letter from the Vietnam Immigration Department through agencies.

That route is often used for urgent or last-minute travel. Even then, it adds steps that the e-visa avoids.

Passengers using visa on arrival must pay a stamping fee at the airport, usually about $25–$50 USD in cash. They should also expect airport queues, which is one reason it is described as less convenient than the e-visa for most Indian citizens.

Its limits are strict. Visa on arrival does not apply to land or sea entry.

For travelers focused on beaches and island stays, Phu Quoc offers the one visa-free exception that applies to Indians. Under that policy, Indian citizens can stay for 30 days visa-free if they arrive directly at Phu Quoc Airport or Seaport in Kien Giang province and remain on the island.

The conditions do not stop at arrival. Visitors must hold a passport valid for more than six months, carry an onward ticket from Phu Quoc and show proof of funds of about $50/day.

The policy works best for a contained island holiday. Travelers who want to combine Phu Quoc with the rest of Vietnam need to arrange a full visa, usually the e-visa, for the mainland portion.

Crossing the line without one can be costly. Violations can trigger fines of about 1,250,000 VND/day, deportation or placement on a blacklist.

Those penalties closely track the wider overstay regime. Vietnam imposes overstay fines of about 1,250,000 VND or about $50 per day, while extensions may be available through agencies for $30–$100.

That makes advance planning more than a paperwork issue. A traveler who enters under the island-only exemption, then continues to the mainland without authorization, can face the same financial and immigration consequences as someone who remains in the country beyond a valid visa period.

Some Indian travelers have access to separate embassy-based arrangements. Indians of Vietnamese origin, along with spouses and children, may qualify for a 5-year multiple-entry exemption priced at about $10–$20.

Applications for that exemption can be made at the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi at 17 Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri. The listed contact details are +91-11-2301-8059 and [email protected].

Embassy visas remain another route for travelers seeking longer stays or facing application issues online. The embassy’s New Delhi contact number for visa matters is +91-11-2301-8058.

Those embassy options sit outside the standard tourist path, but they matter for family links, extended travel or cases that do not fit neatly into the online system. For most routine trips, though, the choice usually narrows to the 90-day e-visa, the airport-only visa on arrival, or the Phu Quoc exemption.

The practical differences are straightforward. The e-visa covers airports, land borders and seaports, runs up to 90 days, and comes in single-entry or multiple-entry form. Visa on arrival serves airport arrivals only and requires pre-approval before departure. The Phu Quoc exception allows a 30-day visa-free stay but only for direct island entry and island-only travel.

For Indian travelers heading to several Vietnamese cities, the e-visa offers the clearest route because mainland entry without a visa is not allowed. For travelers with sudden plans and an air ticket to one of the eligible airports, visa on arrival can still work. For beach-focused visitors with no mainland itinerary, Phu Quoc remains the rare visa-free opening.

Timing also matters. Applying early through official portals can help travelers avoid delays, especially when itineraries depend on exact dates and exact ports of entry.

Vietnam’s rules also place unusual weight on consistency. The entered arrival point, departure point and travel dates in an online application need to match the actual trip, and applicants who rely on unofficial sites risk refusal before they even board.

That leaves little room for casual booking. Indian travelers planning a 2026 Vietnam trip must treat visa selection as part of the itinerary itself, whether they choose a 90-day e-visa, arrange a pre-cleared visa on arrival, or stay within the narrow terms of Phu Quoc’s 30-day visa-free stay.