Vietnam visa for UK citizens: 45 days visa-free, then the e-visa

No visa is needed for a stay of up to 45 days. A full British citizen passport gets visa-free entry to Vietnam for tourism or business, under a government resolution that runs until 14 March 2028. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after you arrive and have 2 blank pages.

This guide sets out what a British passport holder leaving from the UK needs to enter Vietnam: how long the visa-free stay lasts and when the scheme ends, the passport rules, what to do for a longer stay, how the e-visa works, how to tell the official e-visa website from a copy, and the checks at the border. The entry rules come from the entry requirements section of GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Vietnam, last updated on 21 September 2026 and read on 2 November 2026, and from official Vietnamese sources dated under each table.

It covers a full British citizen passport and a short visit. Work, study and other types of British passport follow other rules, and GOV.UK sends you to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK to confirm them. To compare Vietnam with other countries, the entry requirements for British passport holders hub gives the stay allowed and the passport rule for each.

Until 14 March 2028, for up to 45 days at a time. That is the end date the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism gives for the group of 13 countries that includes the United Kingdom, under Resolution 44/NQ-CP.

The Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism lists the United Kingdom, with Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Belarus, as granted a stay of up to 45 days from the date of entry, whatever the type of passport or the purpose of entry. The resolution was issued on 7 March 2025, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in Algeria, which publishes the Vietnamese Government's announcement. GOV.UK gives the 45 days but no end date, so a trip planned for 2028 or later should be checked again closer to the time.

The 45 days are counted from the day you enter. On arrival your passport is stamped with an entry stamp and an exit stamp, and the exit stamp is the date you have to leave by. GOV.UK says to check that this date is exactly 45 days after your arrival, because immigration will not change it once you have left the airport or the land border.

GOV.UK also warns that escalation in the Middle East has caused airspace closures and cancelled flights across the world, and tells travellers to be mindful of their permitted length of stay in Vietnam. Check the date on your exit stamp against your flight home, and leave a margin before day 45.

A British passport with an expiry date at least 6 months after the day you arrive, at least 2 blank pages and no damage. GOV.UK also says that visitors must enter and leave Vietnam on the same passport.

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  Six months of validity: Counted from the date you arrive, not from the date you book. Check the expiry date printed in the passport before you buy tickets.
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  Two blank pages: The entry and exit stamps need room, and a passport almost full of earlier stamps can be the problem.
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  The same passport in and out: GOV.UK describes this as a requirement of the Vietnamese authorities. Do not enter on one passport and leave on another.
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  A British passport for the way home: British citizens returning to the UK must carry a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement, which matters most for dual nationals.

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  A damaged passport: GOV.UK says British nationals have been denied entry and exit because of damage to their passport.
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  A passport reported lost or stolen: You will be denied entry if you try to use one, or if you have no valid travel document at all.
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  An exit stamp that is wrong: If the date in your passport is wrong and you leave border control without correcting it, you could be accused of overstaying.

Your passport also has to be kept safe once you are in the country: GOV.UK tells visitors never to give it to others as a guarantee, for example to a motorbike rental shop or a landlord, because they can hold it against claimed damage.

You need a visa obtained before you travel. GOV.UK gives three routes for a stay beyond 45 days, and the e-visa, valid for up to 90 days, is the one that can be applied for online.

• Ask an agent in Vietnam for a pre-approval letter
  GOV.UK says the agent applies for the letter and tells you when to collect your visa from the embassy.
• Apply for another type of visa
  These are applied for at the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK.
• Apply for an e-visa
  It allows a stay of 90 days and multiple entries, as GOV.UK describes it, and is covered in the next section.
• Stays of more than 90 days
  GOV.UK refers you to the Vietnamese Immigration Department, whose pages are in Vietnamese, for details and your nearest office.

The British Embassy will not help with visa extensions, GOV.UK says. If you want to work or study in Vietnam, check which visa or work permit applies with the Vietnam Immigration Department before you travel, because the visa-free entry does not cover either.

Do not let a visa run out. GOV.UK says that if you overstay or work illegally, the authorities can stop you leaving until you pay a fine, and you could be deported and banned from visiting Vietnam in the future.

It is an electronic visa issued by the Vietnamese Immigration Department, valid for up to 90 days with a single or multiple entries, and open to citizens of every country. The fees on the government's tables are $25 (about £19) for a single entry and $50 (about £37) for multiple entries, and the application is made on the official Vietnam e-visa portal.

The fee is paid through the portal's electronic payment gateway and, the Immigration Department says, it is not refunded if the application is refused. The tourism authority gives a processing time of 3 to 5 working days, so apply well before your flight and keep the approval letter you receive.

• Entry and exit points are fixed
  GOV.UK says an e-visa restricts you to the entry and exit points you select when you apply, so a change of route can be a problem.
• The e-visa starts when you enter
  If you obtain an e-visa while you are already in Vietnam, GOV.UK says you must leave the country and come back in to start it.
• Some applicants cannot use the portal
  People covered by clauses 1 to 4 of Article 8 of the Law on foreigners' entry into, exit from, transit through and residence in Vietnam apply through an inviting agency or organisation instead, says the Immigration Department.
• Holding a valid passport is a condition
  The Immigration Department also lists not falling under the cases of suspension from entry in Article 21 of the same law.

By its address. The Vietnam Immigration Department states that its e-visa portal runs on two domains, evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn, since 11 November 2024, and the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism tells applicants to look for the official evisa.gov.vn domain.

The tourism authority also warns against unofficial agents that charge inflated fees. A British visitor entitled to 45 days visa-free does not need an e-visa at all, so an advert that says you must buy one for a short holiday should be read with care.

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  A .gov.vn address: The government portal sits on gov.vn domains. A site on a .com or .org address is not the government portal.
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  The government fee: Compare any price with the $25 and $50 in the fee table above before you enter payment details.
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  The same site name as the notice: The Immigration Department notice names evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. Anything else is not the portal.

Only the official address is linked on this page: the official Vietnam e-visa portal. If you are unsure whether a link you were sent leads there, type the address into your browser instead of following it.

Your passport is checked and stamped, and the stamp sets the date you must leave by. Two newer requirements sit on top: a digital arrival card, which is encouraged, and a health declaration that GOV.UK says may be asked for.

• Digital arrival card
  From 15 April 2026 the Vietnamese Government encourages all foreign nationals entering through Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to complete one online before arrival. It is not mandatory today, and GOV.UK warns this may change, or be extended to other airports, at short notice.
• Health declaration
  GOV.UK says that from 1 July, anyone travelling to or through Vietnam may be asked to complete one, which may include proof of vaccinations. It points to the nearest Vietnamese Embassy for the instructions.
• Transfers through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City
  If you change from an international flight to a domestic one, you must go through immigration and enter Vietnam, even if your final destination is outside the country. Check with your airline before you leave.
• Photo ID at all times
  You must always carry photographic ID. The authorities accept a printed copy of the photo page of your passport and of your visa.

Border rules apply on the way out too. GOV.UK warns that you cannot leave Vietnam without a valid visa, and that the authorities can place an exit ban on certain individuals. The passport is then seized until the case is investigated, and the reasons include criminal or civil matters such as a business dispute or a motor vehicle accident, employment without a work visa and unpaid financial debts.

Cash above set limits and some medicines have to be declared, and vapes cannot be brought in at all. GOV.UK says there are strict rules about the goods you can take into or out of Vietnam and that you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

• Cash
  Declare amounts above 15 million Vietnamese dong or $5,000 (about £3,730), or the same value in other currencies. If you leave with more than these amounts, you must show confirmation from a credit institution or written approval from the State Bank of Vietnam.
• Medicines
  Carry prescription medicine in your hand luggage with a copy of the prescription. If its total import value is above $100 (about £75), declare it at customs.
• Medicines classed as addictive or psychotropic
  It is illegal to carry more than 7 days' supply prescribed by a doctor. GOV.UK says to carry a letter from your doctor giving your name and age, the medicine, volume and dosage, with the doctor's signature and address.
• Everything else
  Anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty is declared. Wildlife products and protected plants are illegal to buy, sell or collect.

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  Vapes and related products: GOV.UK says they are banned: you cannot buy vapes in Vietnam or bring them into the country.
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  Illegal drugs, cannabis included: Penalties are severe whatever the amount, with long jail sentences and heavy fines expected, including when transiting through the airport. Airport scanners also check the bags of transit passengers.
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  Your passport as a deposit: Never leave it with a rental shop or a landlord.

The Vietnamese authorities set and enforce all of these rules, and GOV.UK reflects the UK government's understanding of them. For a doubt about your own trip, GOV.UK points to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK.

• Do I need a visa for Vietnam with a UK passport?

  No, for a stay of up to 45 days for tourism or business. A full British citizen passport gets visa-free entry, and for a longer stay you need a visa obtained before you travel (GOV.UK, checked on 2 November 2026).

• How long can I stay in Vietnam without a visa?

  Up to 45 days from the date of entry. Your passport is stamped with the date you must leave by, so check that it is 45 days after you arrive, because immigration will not change it once you have left the airport.

• Until when is visa-free entry to Vietnam available for British citizens?

  Until 14 March 2028 under Resolution 44/NQ-CP, according to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism. GOV.UK gives the 45 days but no end date, so check again if you plan to travel later.

• How many months must my passport be valid for Vietnam?

  At least 6 months after the day you arrive, with at least 2 blank pages and no damage. A passport reported lost or stolen is refused at the border.

• Can I extend my stay in Vietnam?

  GOV.UK says the British Embassy will not assist with visa extensions. For a stay of more than 45 days, obtain a visa before you travel, and for more than 90 days contact the Vietnamese Immigration Department.

• How much does the Vietnam e-visa cost?

  $25 (about £19) for a single entry and $50 (about £37) for multiple entries, each valid for up to 90 days, on the government’s fee tables. The fee is not refunded if the application is refused.

• What is the official Vietnam e-visa website?

  evisa.gov.vn, run by the Vietnam Immigration Department, which also names thithucdientu.gov.vn. The tourism authority warns against unofficial agents charging inflated fees.

• Do I need the Vietnam digital arrival card?

  Not at the moment. Since 15 April 2026 the Vietnamese Government encourages it at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, but GOV.UK says it is not mandatory and may become so or be extended to other airports at short notice.

• Can I bring a vape to Vietnam?

  No. GOV.UK says vapes and related products are banned in Vietnam: you cannot buy them there or bring them into the country.

• How much cash can I take into Vietnam?

  You must declare amounts above 15 million Vietnamese dong or $5,000 (about £3,730), or the same value in other currencies, and show the required confirmation when leaving with more than these amounts.

• Do I have to go through immigration on a connecting flight in Vietnam?

  Yes, if you change from an international flight to a domestic one in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, GOV.UK says you must go through immigration and enter Vietnam, even if your final destination is outside the country.