Travellers holding South Korean passports may visit Vietnam visa-free for as long as 45 days. Should they need more time, a Vietnam e-visa permits a stay of up to 90 days, either as a single-entry or a multiple-entry document. The fee comes to 25 USD for single entry or 50 USD for multiple entry, and processing takes 3 working days.
This article is an independent guide and has no connection to any government body. We neither take payments nor submit applications on your behalf. Applications can only be lodged at the Vietnam National e-Visa Portal, which is where you should verify your own details before setting off.
Vietnam Visa for South Korean Citizens: 45-Day Visa-Free Entry
For trips lasting no more than 45 days, counted from the day you enter, no visa is required. Citizens of South Korea are among those of 12 countries granted this exemption, and it applies whatever passport type or purpose of entry you have, provided the entry conditions are satisfied.
As the Government of Viet Nam online newspaper reports, the policy now in force began on 15 March 2025 and stays in place until 14 March 2028. An extension is expected to be considered. Two resolutions that preceded it ceased to apply on 15 March 2025, which means guidance published before that date no longer holds.
When You’ll Need an E-Visa Instead
When a trip extends beyond 45 days, the e-visa becomes the primary option. Vietnam has made e-visas available to nationals of every country since 15 August 2023. Our Visa-Free Entry to Vietnam page covers the exemption rules in more detail.
E-Visa Costs and Processing Time
The two versions share the same validity of up to 90 days, and price is essentially the only thing that sets them apart.
| E-visa type | Fee | Entries | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-entry | 25 USD | One | Up to 90 days |
| Multiple-entry | 50 USD | Multiple | Up to 90 days |
No refund is given, not even when the visa is refused. This is stated on the e-visa portal, and Resolution No. 30/2016/QH14 backs it up by treating the payment as a processing fee that is not tied to the result.
Provided your details are complete and valid, the majority of applications are handled within 3 working days of payment. Where the Police Department has to carry out verification, the wait stretches to between 3 and 15 working days. Weekends and public holidays are not counted as working days, and a payment status may need up to 2 hours before it updates.
Applications may be submitted as early as 1 year ahead of the entry date you plan. Should you send a second, identical application, the fee paid for the first is not returned, and if both are approved, each carries the same validity. Where information is incomplete or invalid, you will either be asked for further details or refused, and the processing clock begins again once valid information arrives. Our Vietnam E-Visa Cost and Processing Time page explains fees and timelines further.
Required Documents and Passport Validity
Two files have to be uploaded. One is a portrait photograph taken recently, measuring 4 × 6 cm, saved as JPG or JPEG and smaller than 2 MB, showing your face straight on against a white background, without hat or glasses, in formal clothing. The other is a single sharp image of the data page of your passport, with every corner visible.
The passport you use has to remain valid for at least 30 days beyond the e-visa’s expiry. Enter your name in uppercase letters, exactly as it is printed on the ICAO line.
Travel insurance, an onward ticket and proof of funds are not demanded by any Vietnamese official source, nor does the e-visa portal include them among its conditions. Where visa-free entry is concerned, no Vietnamese source lays down a passport-validity rule, though the UK FCDO recommends a passport that stays valid for at least 6 months after arrival. Take a look at our Passport Validity for Vietnam page as well as Travel Insurance, Onward Ticket and Proof of Funds.
How to Apply for a Vietnam Visa for South Korean Citizens
The whole process takes place online, and you have to be outside Vietnam at the time of applying.
Visit the e-visa portal
Go to evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn.
Upload your documents
Upload the portrait photo together with the image of your passport data page.
Complete the form
Write in uppercase letters just as on the ICAO line.
Settle the fee
Pay via the VietCombank payment portal.
Wait for processing
Allow 3 working days, or as many as 15 when verification is required.
Keep your approved e-visa
Immigration officers at the border require valid residence documents, the e-visa among them, to be presented.
Foreigners who are already inside Vietnam cannot be granted an e-visa. Entry and exit must be made through international border gates designated by the government, and the e-visa limits you to the points of entry and exit you selected on the form. Leaving through a different gate from the one you arrived at is allowed.
Designated Border Gates
These lists take in 15 air gates, among them Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc, along with 27 land gates and 39 sea gates. The Immigration Department suggests filling in a pre-arrival form at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn before your flight. A complete walkthrough is available in our Vietnam E-Visa Application Guide.
Common Mistakes and After-Arrival Essentials
A handful of habits can spare you problems down the line. Go through the following before leaving the airport.
- Overlooking your entry stamp. When you entered visa-free, make sure the exit date shown is 45 days from your arrival. Once you have passed the border, Immigration will not amend it.
- Travelling on two different passports. Vietnam requires you to enter and leave on one and the same passport.
- Staying past your permitted date. The consequences may include fines, deportation and a ban on future visits.
- Ignoring the temporary residence declaration. Every new address has to be declared through the manager of your accommodation.
- Concealing previous violations. If you do not declare them, your e-visa may be refused.
Each of these points is explored further on our pages Overstay Penalties in Vietnam, Extending Your Stay in Vietnam and the Vietnam Arrival Card.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long can South Korean citizens stay in Vietnam without a visa?
Under Government Resolution No. 44/NQ-CP, the maximum is 45 days counted from the day you enter. The exemption remains in force until 14 March 2028.
Is it possible for South Korean citizens to obtain a Vietnam visa once they are already inside the country?
No. According to the e-visa portal FAQs, e-visas are granted to foreigners intending to enter Vietnam. Submit your application either before arrival or after departure.
In the event that my application for a Vietnam e-visa is rejected, what occurs?
You will not get the fee back. The e-visa portal states that no refund is due when the visa is not granted, and Resolution No. 30/2016/QH14 backs this by describing the payment as a processing fee.
Is it necessary to leave Vietnam via the very same border gate through which I entered?
No. The e-visa portal FAQs explain that the same gate need not be used, though designated international border gates are compulsory.
For South Korean citizens arriving in Vietnam, is travel insurance mandatory?
None of the Vietnamese official sources we were able to consult demands it. It does not appear among the e-visa portal’s conditions, so the decision is yours.
How far in advance of my trip am I able to submit an application for a Vietnam visa?
The e-visa portal allows applications up to 1 year ahead of your planned entry. Filing early gives you room to respond to follow-up requests.
When entering Vietnam without a visa, what ought I to verify at the border?
Look at the exit date stamped into your passport. It ought to be 45 days from arrival, and Immigration will not alter it afterwards. Also confirm that you will depart on the same passport.
If my wish is to remain in Vietnam for a period longer than 45 days, what steps should I take?
Get an e-visa before you travel. It remains valid for up to 90 days and the cost is 25 USD for single entry or 50 USD for multiple entry. The e-visa portal has the full details.
Sources and verification
- Vietnam National e-Visa Portal (Immigration Department) – fees, validity periods, processing times and the non-refundable rule (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Government of Viet Nam online newspaper – Resolution No. 44/NQ-CP concerning the 45-day visa exemption (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Government of Viet Nam online newspaper – Resolution No. 229/NQ-CP covering visa exemption under the Tourism Stimulus Program (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Vietnam National e-Visa Portal FAQs – passport validity, application rules, border gates and temporary residence (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Viet Nam Immigration Department – the e-visa application form and photo requirements (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Government of Viet Nam e-newspaper – Resolution 127/NQ-CP on e-visas available to all nationalities (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- UK FCDO – Vietnam entry requirements, covering passport advice and overstay consequences (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam – information on visa exemption (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Embassy of Chile in Viet Nam – practical travel notes aimed at visitors (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, Consular Department – a visa-free travel list that includes Vietnam (zweryfikowano 2026-10-13)
