Before setting off, travellers holding a UAE passport must arrange a Vietnam e-visa. Two versions of the Vietnam visa for Emirati citizens are available: a single-entry option at 25 USD and a multiple-entry option at 50 USD. Both remain valid for as long as 90 days and are normally handled within 3 working days. Applications are submitted online through the Vietnam National e-Visa Portal, evisa.gov.vn.
If you hold a UAE passport and are planning a trip to Vietnam, this guide takes you through the fees, the paperwork and the whole application process. Note that we are an independent travel-information site rather than a government page: we neither collect fees nor file applications for you. Check the current rules on the official portal before booking.
Vietnam Visa for Emirati Citizens: Eligibility
There is no visa-free entry into Vietnam for holders of a UAE passport. Emirati nationals do qualify for the e-visa, since the government extended it to citizens of every country and territory on 15 August 2023 under Resolution 127/NQ-CP. Vietnam’s visa-exemption list does not include the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which means an e-visa has to be obtained before departure.
That leaves the e-visa as your way in, in either its single-entry or multiple-entry form, each good for up to 90 days. Bear one point in mind: only foreigners who are abroad receive e-visas from the portal, so an application filed from within Vietnam is not possible. For the broader context, take a look at our guides on e-visa eligibility and who needs a visa for Vietnam.
E-Visa Fees and Processing Time
Price and the number of entries are what set the two options apart, while validity and processing stay identical. Compare them below:
| Feature | Single-entry e-visa | Multiple-entry e-visa |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | 25 USD | 50 USD |
| Entries | One | Multiple during validity |
| Maximum validity | Up to 90 days | Up to 90 days |
| Typical processing | 3 working days | 3 working days |
| With police verification | 3 to 15 working days | 3 to 15 working days |
As the portal’s published notices explain, weekends and public holidays are not counted as working days. Whatever happens, the fee cannot be returned, including when a visa is refused, since it is charged for processing under Resolution No. 30/2016/QH14.
Payment goes through the VietCombank payment portal. If the payment has not shown up yet, allow the system up to 2 hours before worrying. While you wait, do not send a second, identical application: the first fee will not come back, and should both be approved, they carry equal validity. Incomplete answers trigger a request for further details, and once valid information is submitted the processing clock restarts. Our guides on e-visa costs, the single-entry and multiple-entry options are worth reading too.
Required Documents and Passport Validity
Applying takes just two images, along with a passport whose validity extends beyond that of the visa.
- Portrait photo: a recent shot measuring 4 x 6 cm, saved as JPG or JPEG and under 2 MB. Face the camera directly, wear formal clothes, remove any hat or glasses, and stand against a white background.
- Passport data page: a single legible image of the data page, with no corners cut off.
Per the portal’s FAQ, your passport must remain valid for a minimum of 30 days past the e-visa’s expiry, as the visa’s validity has to be at least 30 days shorter than the passport’s. Enter your name in capital letters, copied exactly from the ICAO line in your passport.
Questions about your journeys during the past year and about any previous violations also appear on the form. Concealing a violation may lead to refusal of the application. Give every answer in English, truthfully and precisely. Our passport validity guide covers this further.
Applying for Your Vietnam Visa for Emirati Citizens
Applications may be filed as much as 1 year ahead of the intended entry date, which leaves plenty of room to plan. Two addresses accept applications on the portal, and the steps run as follows:
Open the form
Access the application at evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn.
Upload your documents
Add your portrait photo together with the image of your passport data page.
Complete all fields
Fill in every field in English, honestly and accurately.
Declare travel history
Declare the trips you made over the past year and any history of violations.
Select border gates
Pick your entry and exit border gates from the approved list.
Pay the fee
Settle the 25 or 50 USD charge via the VietCombank payment portal.
Await the outcome
Wait for the result, which usually arrives within 3 working days.
A handful of details are worth remembering. On multiple-choice questions, mark each answer that applies; when you pick “Others”, spell out the specifics. Declarations and processing on the portal follow UTC+07:00. Applications containing dishonest information are rejected by the Immigration Authority, so reread your answers before sending them. More can be found in our full application guide.
Common Mistakes and Border Rules
Avoid These Pitfalls
- Duplicate applications: the first fee is not returned, as explained above, so send one application and wait.
- Overstaying or working illegally: fines, deportation and a ban on returning are all possible.
- Working on a tourist e-visa: the Labor Code requires either a work permit or an official confirmation that no permit is needed.
Border Gates and Arrival Procedures
Entry on an e-visa is allowed only at the designated international border gates: 15 airports (among them Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc), 27 land gates and 39 sea gates. Leaving through a different gate than the one you entered at is permitted, provided both appear on the approved list.
The Immigration Department advises travellers to complete the pre-arrival form at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn before their flight. Vietnam has also encouraged, since 15 April 2026, a digital arrival card for those landing at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City; it is not compulsory yet, though that could change at short notice. Use the same passport for entry and exit, and declare cash above 15 million VND or 5,000 USD, as well as prescription medication valued over 100 USD. Our guides on the arrival card, overstay penalties, and customs and currency have more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long is the Vietnam visa for Emirati citizens valid?
A maximum of 90 days, no matter whether you pick single or multiple entry. Every e-visa is capped at 90 days by the portal. Because your passport has to outlast the visa by at least 30 days, one nearing expiry may mean a shorter visa.
How far in advance of my trip can I submit a Vietnam visa application for Emirati citizens?
As much as 1 year ahead of your planned entry date, the portal’s FAQ states. Leave enough time to cover the whole processing window: normally 3 working days, or 3 to 15 working days when police verification is required.
What occurs in the event that my application for an e-visa is rejected? Is the fee refunded?
It is not. Under Resolution No. 30/2016/QH14, Article 5, the charge is a processing fee that does not depend on the outcome, so it cannot be refunded in any circumstances, including a denied visa.
Is it possible to submit a Vietnam e-visa application at evisa.gov.vn when I am already inside Vietnam?
You cannot. E-visas are granted by the portal only to foreigners who are abroad, never to people currently residing in Vietnam. Depart the country first; once you have left, an e-visa for a later re-entry can be requested.
Must I leave Vietnam via the very same border gate through which I entered?
Not at all. Exiting through a different designated gate than your entry point is fine. The sole condition is that both the entry and exit points are international border gates on the government-approved list.
To enter Vietnam holding an e-visa, is travel insurance mandatory?
There is no official source that indicates travel insurance is a requirement. Holding a passport and not falling within the entry-suspension cases listed in Article 21 of the entry law are the conditions the portal sets for an e-visa; insurance is not one of them.
For a Vietnam e-visa, what validity must my passport have?
Your passport’s validity has to exceed the e-visa’s by at least 30 days. Practically speaking, the passport must remain valid for a minimum of 30 days after the visa’s expiry date.
Is working in Vietnam permitted while holding an e-visa?
Not by itself. As the Labor Code stipulates, foreigners working in Vietnam require a work permit or an official confirmation that no permit is needed. An e-visa covers entry only, not employment.
Sources and Verification
- Vietnam National e-Visa Portal (Immigration Department): charges, validity, processing times and payment notices (verified 2026-10-13)
- Viet Nam Immigration Department: the e-visa application form and photo specifications (verified 2026-10-13)
- Vietnam National e-Visa Portal FAQs: passport validity, border gates and declaration rules (verified 2026-10-13)
- Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam: an overview of visa exemptions (verified 2026-10-13)
- UK FCDO: travel advice for Vietnam and entry requirements (verified 2026-10-13)
- Government of Viet Nam e-newspaper : Resolution 127/NQ-CP on e-visas for all nationalities (verified 2026-10-13)
