Australian passport holders always need a visa for Vietnam. Here is the whole process in one place: what it costs, how long it really takes, how to fill in each field, and what to do if your flight is close.
Australians need a Vietnam e-Visa for every trip, whatever the length or purpose. It is applied for online, valid for up to 90 days, and the government fee is $25 (single entry) or $50 (multiple entry). Standard processing takes 3–5 working days on the government timeline. If you are short on time, urgent processing runs from $90 (3 days) to $215 (30–60 minutes), with a fixed $230 service for weekends and public holidays.
Do Australian citizens need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes, every time. Australia has no visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, so every Australian passport holder needs a valid visa regardless of how long they stay. Since August 2023 the e-Visa has been open to citizens of every country, which means Australians can apply entirely online with no embassy visit and no posting of passports.
What the e-Visa gives you
- Up to 90 days in Vietnam, enough for a full north-to-south trip
- Single or multiple entry, which matters if you plan side trips to Cambodia, Laos or Thailand and then return
- 100% online application, with the approved visa delivered as a PDF with a QR code
What it costs
The government fee is the same for every nationality and is paid on evisa.gov.vn by card:
| Entry type | Government fee |
|---|---|
| Single entry | $25 |
| Multiple entry | $50 |
How long processing really takes
The government's own timeline is 3–5 working days, counting Monday to Friday in Vietnam only. The government system works Monday to Friday, 8:00–11:30 and 13:30–18:00 Vietnam time. An application that arrives outside those hours waits for the next working window, and Vietnamese public holidays pause processing entirely.
Vietnam's working hours in Australian time
| Vietnam time | Brisbane (AEST) | Sydney / Melbourne (AEDT) |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 – 11:30 | 11:00 – 14:30 | 12:00 – 15:30 |
| 13:30 – 18:00 | 16:30 – 21:00 | 17:30 – 22:00 |
Vietnam is 3 hours behind AEST and 4 hours behind AEDT (daylight saving, October to April). Applying at 11pm in Sydney means it is already 7pm in Vietnam, after the government's working day has ended.
Three things commonly stretch the timeline:
- Photo problems. A blurry photo, wrong framing or a non-white background is the most common cause of delay.
- Name mismatches. Your name, including middle names, must match your passport exactly. One wrong character can slow or stall the file.
- Peak seasons and holidays. Volume rises around Tet, National Day and school holidays.
Practical advice: submit at least 2–3 weeks before departure. There is no upside to leaving it to the final week.
Need it faster? Urgent processing and pricing
Urgent processing is the same official Vietnam Immigration review, moved to the front of the queue. Every price below already includes the government fee for a single entry. For multiple entry, add $25 to any tier.
| Processing speed | Single entry | Multiple entry |
|---|---|---|
| Normal (4–6 working days) | $50 | $75 |
| 4 days | $65 | $90 |
| 3 days | $90 | $115 |
| 2 days | $100 | $125 |
| 1 day | $110 | $135 |
| 5 hours | $125 | $150 |
| 2.5 hours | $155 | $180 |
| 1.5 hours | $185 | $210 |
| 30–60 minutes | $215 | $240 |
| Weekend / public holiday | $230 | $255 |
Timelines are working days in Vietnam and can run longer around public holidays.
What the fastest tiers can and cannot do. Urgent processing changes how soon your file is reviewed, not how it is reviewed. A complete, accurate application can be approved in 30–60 minutes. A blurry photo or mismatched name will cause delay however much you pay, and no provider can guarantee approval, because that decision belongs to Vietnam Immigration alone.
Weekend and holiday delivery covers Saturday, Sunday and Vietnamese public holidays, when the government system is closed. Submit and pay by 15:00 Vietnam time (6:00pm AEST, 7:00pm AEDT) to receive your visa by 18:00 Vietnam time the same day. Weekend orders must be placed with us, as the government portal has no weekend or urgent service.
How to apply, field by field
Your passport needs at least 6 months of validity from your arrival date in Vietnam, plus blank pages for stamps.
Which entry points accept the e-Visa?
The e-Visa is valid at 83 approved checkpoints across airports, land borders and seaports. The airports Australian travelers use most are:
- Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, where most direct flights from Australia land
- Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi
- Da Nang International Airport
- Cam Ranh International Airport, Nha Trang
- Phu Quoc and Can Tho International Airports
Overland from Cambodia or Laos, major crossings such as Moc Bai and Lao Bao are approved, but not every land border is. Check your specific crossing before committing to an overland route. If your flights change after you apply, the entry port on the visa may need correcting.
Single entry or multiple entry?
Choose single entry if you fly in, stay, and fly home. Choose multiple entry if you will leave Vietnam at any point and come back, for example a day trip to Angkor Wat or a weekend in Bangkok. The difference is $25, so if there is any realistic chance you will re-enter, take multiple entry. For a deeper comparison see single vs. multiple entry.
Five mistakes that derail Australian applications
Miscounting passport validitySix months is counted from your Vietnam arrival date, not from when you apply or leave Australia.
A poor photoUse good natural light, a plain background and a recent image that matches your passport.
Wrong entry portSelecting Hanoi while flying into Ho Chi Minh City can mean being refused entry.
Applying too close to departureTwo days before a flight is not enough buffer, even on standard processing.
Name differencesWrite your name as in the passport, not as you normally write it, and never a nickname.
Do it yourself or use a service?
Government portal
- Lowest cost: government fee only
- Suits confident users with 2+ weeks to spare
- No live support and no urgent option
- Fee is non-refundable for any reason
Agency service
- Document check before submission
- Urgent, same-day and weekend processing
- 24/7 support by WhatsApp and email
- Higher cost than the government fee alone
Both are legitimate. For a fuller comparison, read agency vs. government website.
If you want to stay longer than your visa allows
An e-Visa cannot be extended with a simple online request. You have two real options: visit a Vietnamese immigration office in the country to arrange an extension, or leave for a visa-free neighbour such as Thailand or Singapore and apply for a new e-Visa, sending us a photo of your exit stamp so we can process it quickly. You must exit Vietnam before submitting the new application. Our extension guide explains both routes.
What happens when you land
Join the immigration line with your e-Visa (digital or printed) and your Australian passport, plus an arrival card if one is currently required. The officer checks that the visa matches your passport and that you arrived at the port you listed. If everything lines up, you are stamped through.
Why travelers use our service
What we commit to
- Itemized pricing, with the government fee shown separately
- 24/7 WhatsApp and email support
- Free document check before you pay
- Results you can verify independently at evisa.gov.vn/e-visa/search
Our refund policy, plainly
- Refund if cancelled before processing begins (a small transaction fee may apply under our terms)
- Refund if we miss the delivery time we committed to
- No refund once submitted to Vietnam Immigration, because the government fee is already incurred
- Full details: cancellation and refund policy
Quick reference
| Visa required? | Yes, for all Australian passport holders |
| Maximum validity | Up to 90 days |
| Entry type | Single or multiple |
| Government fee | $25 single / $50 multiple, non-refundable |
| Government timeline | 3–5 working days, Monday to Friday Vietnam time |
| Passport validity | 6 months from your Vietnam arrival date |
| Children | Each child needs a separate e-Visa |
| Extension | Via a Vietnamese immigration office, or exit and apply for a new e-Visa |
| Accepted entry points | 83 approved checkpoints |
Frequently asked questions
Do Australians need a visa for Vietnam?
How long does a Vietnam e-Visa take for Australians?
How much does the Vietnam e-Visa cost?
Can I get a Vietnam e-Visa on a weekend?
What if I paid on evisa.gov.vn but got no confirmation email?
Do I need to print my e-Visa?
Can I extend my e-Visa while in Vietnam?
Support 24/7 (GMT+7): support@vietnamvisaeasy.net · WhatsApp +84 947 754 252
