Part of Ava Travel's Vietnam visa guide. Last updated 9 November 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi.
The short answer, from Ava Travel in Hanoi: the official e-visa site evisa.gov.vn gives 3 working days after a complete application and payment. In practice, plan on 3 to 7 working days, apply 2 to 3 weeks before you fly, and earlier before Tet. Working days are Monday to Friday, Vietnam time, without public holidays. If you are short on time, agencies offer 2 working day and 1 working day service; Ava Travel charges US$85 for 2 working days and US$140 for Express, usually 4 to 8 working hours when every passport and photo reaches us before 10am Hanoi time on a working day, government fee included. Immigration decides every application.
How long a Vietnam e-visa takes, by option
| Option | Time, in working days | Cost, single entry |
|---|---|---|
| Apply yourself on the government site | 3 published, often 3 to 5 | US$25 |
| Ava Travel standard | 3 to 7 | US$55 |
| Ava Travel fast | 2 | US$85 |
| Ava Travel express | Same day, usually 4 to 8 working hours (documents before 10am) | US$140 |
Ava Travel counts documents received after 3pm Hanoi time (10am for Express) from the next working day, and its booking form switches off any option that cannot finish before your arrival date.
Weekends and public holidays
The Immigration Department does not process e-visas at weekends or on public holidays, and urgent service does not change that. Holidays that delay visas in the next 12 months:
- 1 January 2027, New Year's Day.
- Lunar New Year (Tet), around 6 February 2027. Government offices close for about a week, and the days before and after are busy. Apply before late January if you travel in February.
- 16 April 2027, Hung Kings Commemoration Day.
- 30 April and 1 May 2027, Reunification Day and Labour Day.
- Around 2 September 2027, National Day, usually 2 days off.
A Friday afternoon application on a standard service usually finishes the following Wednesday or Thursday.
Your flight is soon and the e-visa is still processing
- Check the status on evisa.gov.vn with your registration code, email and date of birth. Download the PDF as soon as it is approved.
- Before you apply a second time for the same dates, remember it means paying the government fee again; ask first.
- If you already applied and it is still processing, message an agency with your registration code before paying for a new application. Ava Travel tells you honestly whether urgent help can work, and the price, before doing anything: WhatsApp +84 904 251 545.
- If the flight cannot wait, change the flight. Airlines refuse boarding without an approved e-visa or a visa-free passport.
Should you book flights before the e-visa?
Most travellers book flights first, because the e-visa form asks for your entry date and port. Choose an entry date you are sure of, and the airport you will really land at: the e-visa is only valid at the ports you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Vietnam e-visa take?
The official site gives 3 working days after a complete application and payment; plan on 3 to 7 working days and apply 2 to 3 weeks before you fly. Ava Travel can do it in 2 working days (US$85) or, with Express, usually 4 to 8 working hours (US$140).
Can I get an urgent Vietnam e-visa in 1 day?
Yes, through an agency, on a working day. Ava Travel's Express service costs US$140 with the government fee and usually takes 4 to 8 working hours when every passport and photo reaches us before 10am Hanoi time. The official site has no paid urgent option.
Is the Vietnam e-visa processed at weekends?
No. Working days are Monday to Friday, Vietnam time, without public holidays such as Tet, 30 April, 1 May and 2 September.
How do I check my Vietnam e-visa status?
On evisa.gov.vn, with the registration code from your application, your email and your date of birth.
My flight is in 2 days and my e-visa is still processing. What should I do?
Do not apply again for the same dates. Send your registration code to an agency and ask whether urgent help can work on the existing application, and at what price, before you pay. If it cannot, move the flight.
Ava Travel's Vietnam visa and arrival guides
Guides
- Vietnam visa rules by passport: who needs a visa, the official site, cruises, Cambodia and Laos side trips
- How much a Vietnam e-visa costs: the US$25 government fee next to what agencies charge
- How long a Vietnam e-visa takes (this page): working days, holidays and urgent options
- E-visa rejected: what to do next: the usual reasons and how to reapply
- Vietnam e-visa photo rules: size, background, glasses, a phone photo at home
- Can you extend a Vietnam visa?: why an e-visa cannot be extended and what works instead
- E-visa still processing: how long is normal: when to wait and when to act
- Still processing and you fly tomorrow: what you can still do, in order
- E-visas at weekends and on holidays: the latest safe time before a weekend flight
- Is an urgent visa service legit?: 5 checks before you pay anyone
- Immigration wait at Hanoi Noi Bai: how long from landing to the exit
- Whether Noi Bai fast track is worth it: when to pay for it and when to skip it
Services you can book
- Vietnam e-visa service: from US$55 with the government fee, book online
- E-visa result in 1 or 2 hours, already applied: US$200 or US$165, money back if it is not issued in time
- Urgent help with an e-visa still processing: 4 hours (US$90) or 8 to 12 hours (US$70)
- Arrival package: e-visa, fast track and car: 10% off when you book them together
- Hanoi Noi Bai fast track: arrival and departure, book online
- Noi Bai connecting flight assistance: international to domestic and back
- Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat fast track: Terminal 2 arrivals and departures
- Da Nang airport fast track: for Da Nang and Hoi An trips
