Vietnam Transit Visa

Updated on Sep 26, 2023 | Vietnam e-Visa

Transit is simply passing through Vietnam or en route to a third location. For this purpose too, the travellers will require a Vietnam Visa.

A Vietnamese Visa is one of the most basic requirements for any foreign travellers to enter and stay in Vietnam. This is regardless of their purpose of visit to the country and the number of days or months that they are planning to stay in the country. 

Whether a visitor wishes to travel to Vietnam for sightseeing or for business purposes or for the purpose of transit which is passing through Vietnam to reach another location, they will require a valid Vietnamese Visa for all kinds of purposes. 

There are several Asian countries whose passport holders will not require a Vietnam Visa to enter and stay in the country if they are planning a short visit in Vietnam. Apart from that, no matter how long a traveller's stay is in Vietnam, they will need to hold a valid Vietnamese Visa. 

Getting a Vietnam Transit Visa is extremely important for all the foreign individuals who will be passing through Vietnam to travel to a third location or another nation. There are many factors that play a major role in getting a Vietnam Transit Visa that is: if the traveller decides to leave the transit area of the Vietnamese international airport or not. 

Keeping those factors in consideration, many nations will require their passport holders to apply for a Vietnam Transit Visa for transit purposes in advance. This means that the travellers will have to apply for a Vietnam Transit Visa via the Vietnamese Embassy or the consulate office. 

However, for the convenience of the travellers, the Vietnamese authorities made it possible for the applicants to apply for a Vietnam Transit Visa via online application modes. A Vietnamese electronic Visa or a. Vietnam E-Visa will allow the traveller to enter and reside in Vietnam for not only Transit purposes, but for travel and business purposes too. 

The Vietnamese Government encourages people to apply for a Vietnam E-Visa as it eliminates the need to travel to a Vietnamese Embassy or consulate office. And it is also one of the quickest and easiest modes of application as of now. 

Vietnam Visa Online is an electronic travel authorization or travel permit to visit Vietnam for a period of time upto 30 days for travel or business purposes. International visitors must have a Vietnam Visa Online to be able to visit Vietnam . Foreign citizens can apply for an Vietnam Visa Application in a matter of minutes. Vietnam Visa Application process is automated, simple, and completely online.

Who Will Need to Apply For A Vietnam Transit Visa For Transit Purposes In Vietnam? 

According to the rules and regulations set by the Vietnamese Government and authorities, the travellers, who are not eligible for a Vietnam Visa exemption program, need to apply for a Vietnam Transit Visa if they are passing through Vietnam to travel to another destination. 

A Vietnamese Transit Visa is a compulsory requirement if the applicant is going to stay at the Vietnamese airport for more than twenty-four hours. Or if they are planning to leave the premises of the airport's Transit area. 

To break this down, the Vietnam Transit Visa is essential for connecting flights in which the waiting period is more than twenty-four hours. This is dependent on the scheduled arrival and departure times. 

In many cases, the travellers who enter Vietnam through connecting flights have to leave the Vietnamese airport premises for different reasons. Or they will have to stay in Vietnam for more than 24 hours of their arrival. 

For example, a traveller will need to hold a Vietnam Transit Visa if they have to fulfil the following purposes: 

  • The traveller needs to clear certain immigration procedures. 
  • The traveller will have to check their baggage or luggage for a connecting flight. 
  • The traveller is going to reside in a Vietnamese hotel which is outside the Transit area of the airport according to the convenience of the visitor. 

For these cases, the traveller should ensure that they are obtaining a Vietnam Transit Visa by applying for it in advance via the online application modes. 

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Citizens of 80 countries are eligible for Vietnam Visa Online. The Vietnam Visa eligbility must be met to obtain the visa to travel to Vietnam. A valid passport is required for entry into Vietnam. Learn more at Tourist Eligible Countries for Vietnam Visa.

Can The Travellers Transit Through Vietnam Without a Vietnam Transit Visa? 

The travellers are recommended to apply for a Vietnam Tourist Visa which will last for thirty days to be on the safer side. Please note that the travellers who will be entering Vietnam by the seaport for transit purposes will not be required to apply for a Vietnam Transit Visa. This will only be considered accepted if they are not leaving their ship when it is docked at a port in Vietnam. 

On the other hand, if the travellers, who are holding an already valid Vietnamese Visa such as a: 1. Vietnam Business Visa. 2. Vietnam Medical Visa, etc, will be exempted to hold a Vietnam Transit Visa even if they will be residing in Vietnam for a period beyond twenty-four hours. 

The simple reason behind this is that the Vietnamese Visas are multiple entry Visas. These Visas will allow the travellers to enter the country multiple times according to their preferences and circumstances. Please bear in mind that the traveller will only be allowed to enter Vietnam multiple times, through the multiple entries benefit, in the validity period of the Visa or till the Vietnamese Visa is valid. 

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Vietnam e-Visa (Vietnam Visa Online) is a required travel authorization for travelers visiting Vietnam for business, tourism or transit purposes. This online process for electronic Visa for Vietnam was implemented from 2017 by the Government of Vietnam, with the goal of enabling any of the future eligible travelers to apply for an e-Visa to Vietnam. Learn more at Online Vietnam Visa.

How Much Time Will It Take for The Travellers To Obtain A Vietnam Transit Visa From Vietnam? 

The travellers belonging to different nations who wish to obtain a Vietnam Transit Visa from Vietnam should note that they will be enabled to obtain a Vietnam Transit Visa by filling a simple Vietnam Visa application that will not take more than a couple of minutes. 

The Vietnam Visa application form will basically ask the applicants to fill in their personal information, travel information, passport details and much more. The applicant needs to ensure that they are filling all the correct information in the form without committing any mistakes and errors. 

When the applicant is applying for a Vietnam Transit Visa by filling the Vietnam Visa application form, they need to make sure that they are clearly mentioning the type of Vietnamese Visa they need. In this case, the applicants will have to mention that they are applying for a Vietnam Transit Visa. 

In addition to that, for submitting the Vietnamese Visa application form, the travellers will have to mention the date in which they will be travelling to Vietnam. And the port through which they will be entering the country. The fees of the Vietnam Transit Visa needs to be paid through a valid credit card or debit card of the applicant. 

Once the applicant has completed filling the Vietnam Transit Visa application form and has attached the necessary documents as well, they are advised to re-check all the information and details they have filled. 

Plus they should also check whether they have attached the correct documents or not. This will help them to avoid any delays in the approval and processing of their Visa. And it will also enable them to avoid the circumstances of a cancelled Vietnamese Visa due to wrong information or incorrect documents attached. 

Once the applicant is sure that their Vietnam Visa application is correct and ready to be submitted, they will have to submit it to the concerned Vietnamese authorities. Once submitted, the applicant can expect their approved Visa to arrive in the next four working days. 

Even though the processing time of a Vietnam Transit Visa is only four days, the applicants are advised to apply for a Vietnam Visa well in advance so that they are keeping an adequate amount of time for processing and approving the Visa. 

They will also be enabled to solve any issues and problems that may occur in their way to get an approved Vietnam Transit Visa if they have kept sufficient time for processing. The ideal time for applying for a Vietnam Transit Visa is two weeks before the intended date of their travel to the country. 

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This article explores everything you need to know about the Vietnam Visa on Arrival (VOA). This includes what the Vietnam visa on arrival is, why you should consider getting it, is it safe to get one and much more. Learn more at Tourist Guide to Vietnam Visa on Arrival.

What Will Happen Once The Vietnam Transit Visa Had Been Approved For The Traveller? 

In the Vietnam Visa application form, there will be a question field that will require the applicant to mention their email address that they use frequently. So once the Vietnamese Transit Visa on the traveller has been approved by the Vietnamese authorities, an email will be sent to the applicant which will contain the approved Vietnam Transit Visa. 

The applicant needs to take a print out of the Vietnam Transit Visa that has arrived in their email inbox. This Visa needs to be paired with the original and valid passport of the applicant and other essential documents. 

These documents should be taken by the applicant in their trip to Vietnam. These documents especially need to be carried by the applicant to the airport in Vietnam where they have planned their arrival and entrance in the country.

READ MORE:
The Vietnam E-Visa is an electronic visa which can be gained online through different services. The E-Visa is valid for thirty days in total and can be used for a single entry only. The Vietnam Visa will be given to citizens of eighty countries upon successful completion of Vietnam visa application form and other necessary steps. Learn more at Vietnam e-Visa Application Overview.

For How Long Will The Vietnamese Transit Visa Be Valid? 

The validity of the Vietnam Transit Visa is five days. This means that the applicant will be allowed to stay in Vietnam for a period of five days once they enter the country with a valid and approved Transit Visa. 

The applicants who wish to stay in Vietnam for a period longer than five days will have to apply for a different Visa such as a Vietnamese Tourist Visa or the Vietnamese Business Visa for an extended validity period. 

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Entry to Vietnam can be gained through an e-Visa. Vietnam e-Visa is an electronic or digital visa which is granted online by the Vietnam Immigration Department/Portal. Learn more at Vietnam Visa Application.

How To Apply For A Vietnam Transit Visa? 

Similar to the other Vietnam Visa types, the applicants from various foreign nations can apply for a Vietnam Transit Visa via the three main ways that are mentioned below: 

  1. Apply For A Vietnamese Transit Visa At The Vietnam Embassy 

One of the most common and well-known ways of applying for a Vietnam Transit Visa is applying through the nearest Vietnamese Embassy in the country where the applicant is residing or the country from which their passport is. 

To apply for a Vietnam Transit Visa via the Vietnam Embassy, the applicant will first have to book an appointment with the Embassy. On the day of the appointment, the applicant will have to travel to the Vietnamese Embassy and start the Vietnam Visa application process. 

In this process, the applicant will have to basically submit all their essential documents like passport, photographs, etc to the Vietnamese Embassy. Once the Embassy processes the Visa, the applicant will be enabled to get the Visa on their passport. Through this medium of application, the applicants will be enabled to get a Vietnam Visa prior to their trip to Vietnam. 

The cost of the Vietnam Transit Visa will depend largely on the policy of each Vietnamese Embassy in different nations. 

  1. Apply For A Vietnamese Transit Visa Online (Vietnam E-Visa) 

Applying for a Vietnamese Transit Visa at Online Vietnam Visa is one of the most convenient and time-saving application options of all times. In this medium, the applicant will have to submit all the essential documents online. 

The time taken by the Vietnamese authorities to process a Vietnam E-Visa or the Vietnamese Transit Visa is three working days. This option is open to the citizens of eight one countries as of now. Once the Visa is processed, the applicant will receive the Visa in their email inbox. The cost of a Vietnamese Transit Visa is constant when applying for it via the Vietnamese Immigration Department website on the internet. 

  1. Apply For A Vietnamese Transit Visa On Arrival 

This is hands down the best and the most convenient medium of applying for a Vietnam Transit Visa. This Visa is obtained via a third party online travel agency. This option of application will only be made available for those travellers who are entering Vietnam via the airways. 

The applicant will have to fill an online Vietnam Visa application form which will help them obtain a pre-approval letter. This approval letter, along with other essential documents like passport, passport style photographs and Vietnam Visa fees, needs to be submitted to the Vietnamese authorities at the Visa on Arrival section. 

Once the authorities process and verify the identity of the applicant and their documents, a Visa will be stamped on their passport. To gain this stamp, the applicant will first have to pay a stamping fee. 

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Frequently Asked Questions about the Vietnam Visa. Get answers to the most common questions about the requirements, important information and documents required to travel to Vietnam. Learn more at Frequently Asked Questions for Vietnam E-Visa.


Check your eligibility for Online Vietnam Visa and apply for Online Vietnam Visa four (4) - seven (7) days in advance of your flight. US citizens, British citizens, Australian citizens, French citizens, Spanish Citizens, Dutch Citizens and Italian citizens can apply online for Online Vietnam Visa. Should you need any help or require any clarifications you should contact our Vietnam Visa Help Desk for support and guidance.