FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions - Absolute Asia Travel

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Vietnam Visa Rules for Indian Travelers Visiting Phu Quoc

1. Do Indian travelers need a visa to visit Phu Quoc Island?

No, not if they stay on the island only. Indian nationals can stay on Phu Quoc Island for up to 30 days without a visa. This applies to all nationalities, including Indian passport holders.

2. What are the conditions for the visa-free entry?

There are three conditions, and all must be met:

  1. Arrive in Phu Quoc directly from an international destination, by air or sea. Direct flights or international transit only.
  2. Stay on Phu Quoc Island for the entire trip.
  3. Depart Vietnam from Phu Quoc as well.

Travelers should also carry a confirmed onward ticket showing departure within 30 days.

3. Once in Phu Quoc visa-free, can travelers continue to mainland Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, etc.)?

No. This is the most common misunderstanding, so let’s be clear: the visa-free entry is strictly limited to the island itself, and Indian nationals cannot travel to mainland Vietnam under this exemption. Phu Quoc is the start and end point. There is no “upgrade” on arrival.

4. What if the itinerary includes both Phu Quoc and mainland Vietnam?

Then a visa is needed for the whole trip. Anyone planning any travel to mainland Vietnam must hold a valid Vietnam visa, even if Phu Quoc Island is the main destination. The good news: the Vietnam e-Visa makes this simple.

5. What about flights connecting through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to reach Phu Quoc?

This route needs a visa. Travelers cannot rely on the visa-free arrangement if their route takes them through another international airport in Vietnam or through a domestic transfer that requires immigration checks. In practice, if your client lands in Ho Chi Minh City and takes a domestic flight to Phu Quoc, they pass through Vietnamese immigration on the mainland, so the exemption does not apply. Transiting through international hubs outside Vietnam, such as Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, without entering mainland Vietnam is fine.

6. How do Indian travelers get a Vietnam e-Visa?

Apply online at the official government portal (evisa.gov.vn). The e-Visa is available to all nationalities including Indians, is valid for up to 90 days, and comes in single-entry or multiple-entry options. It covers airports, land borders and seaports. We recommend applying at least 7 to 10 working days before departure.

Alternatively, we can help with regular evisa, urgent evisa service or push evisa service.

7. What happens if someone enters Phu Quoc visa-free and then tries to travel to the mainland anyway?

It is a serious problem. A traveler who enters under the island-only exemption and continues to the mainland without authorization faces the same immigration consequences as someone overstaying a visa. The Indian Embassy has warned this can trigger immigration issues, delays in medical access, and movement restrictions. Do not risk it.

8. Our recommendation as a local DMC

If there is any chance the itinerary touches the mainland, get the e-Visa from the start. It costs little, takes a few days, and removes all risk. Save the visa-free option for pure beach holidays where clients fly in and out of Phu Quoc directly.

Once your customers have landed in Phu Quoc without evisa and would like to apply for mainland visa, it costs a huge amount to get one, so get them to prepared in advance.

What is the new health declaration from 1 July 2026?

From 1 July 2026, all travelers entering, leaving, or transiting Vietnam must complete a health declaration within 7 days before travel, at all airports, land borders, and seaports. It is separate from the Digital Arrival Card, so clients arriving in Ho Chi Minh City will need both. The official online portal is not published yet; we will share the direct link and a simple guide with all partners as soon as it goes live.

Do our Indian clients need the Digital Arrival Card for Ho Chi Minh City?

Yes. Since 15 April 2026, all foreign travelers landing at Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) must complete a free online Digital Arrival Card before arrival and show the QR code at immigration. This is required even with a valid e-visa; it is an extra step, not a replacement. It currently applies only to Ho Chi Minh City, not Hanoi or Da Nang. AAT includes the official link and instructions in every pre-departure document, so your clients arrive prepared.

Rush/Urgent e-visa service to Vietnam – how fast can Indian travelers get an e-visa?

Yes, we offer a Rush/Urgent e-visa service for Indian travelers to Vietnam. Depending on how urgently you need it, we can obtain your e-visa in 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, or 2 days. The fee is quoted at the time of booking.

To process the urgent e-visa, we need a copy of your passport and 1 personal photo of the customer.

Please note: this service is non-refundable once you confirm to go ahead and payment is made.

Contact our sales team at sales@absoluteasiatravel.com for more information.

What if my passport has expired?

To apply for a visa to Vietnam, your passport must have at least 6 month’s validity. Therefore, if your passport is about to expire, please get a new one before applying for your visa in order to avoid unwanted problems at the airport.

What does the Visa approval letter look like?

A sample of what the Vietnam visa approval letter looks like can be found here.

file sample vietnam visa ap 2

Can we enter Chau Doc from Cambodia with e-visa?

Yes, you can enter or exit Vietnam with e-visa if you travel by waterway from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc or vice versa.

Vĩnh Xương (Tan Chau, An Giang Province) is the location of an international border crossing with Cambodia, with the official name Sông Tiền. Its counterpart across the border is Khaorm Sam Nor Kaoh Roka border gate, Kandal Province, Cambodia. Besides conventional Vietnamese visas, this border crossing is also listed as a Vietnamese Evisa entry/exit point for foreigners.

Please list Song Tien Landport as your port of entry/exit. Kindly note that Song Tien landport is only valid for entry by river (via one of following cruises/ speed boats: BlueCruiser, Victoria Speedboat, Hang Chau Tourist Express, Jahan ship, AquaExpeditions, Mekong River Cruise, Jayavarman, AmaCruises)

You can find list of ports that allowed foreigners entering and exiting Vietnam by Vietnamese E-visa at https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/documents/20181/163332/Danh+sách+cửa+khẩu/4ae61cd9-5bde-4df4-8be4-db36fc3f6704

What is visa on arrival?

This is one of, if not, the quickest and cheapest way to get your visa for Vietnam. You just need to fill in our “Online Application Form”, pay the service fee, get your “Visa approval letter” within 2 working days and pick up your visa at your arrival airport (Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Danang airport in Danang, Cam Ranh airport in Nha Trang, Phu Quoc airport on Phu Quoc Island)

After we obtain the approval letter for you, we will forward you a copy by email. Copies of the same document will be forwarded on your behalf to Vietnam Immigration checkpoints at International Airports only. When you arrive in Viet Nam, the Immigration officers will have those documents ready and will be able to issue your entry visa quickly.

Can I enter Vietnam later than my granted arrival date in visa approval letter?

Yes, you can enter later than the granted arrival date in visa approval letter providing that you exit by granted exit date.

When do I have to pay for the approval letter to Vietnam?

You can pay for the visa processing fee of the approval letter after you submit your application or pay with your tour cost. If you have problems with payment, email us at sales (at) absoluteasiatravel.com and we will send you a link to follow in order to pay. Keep in mind that no application can be processed until the full payment is made.

How can I pay Vietnam visa service fee and stamping fee?

For service fees, you can choose one of following options:

  • Using Credit/Debit card via Onepay.vn
  • Sending  money via Western Union
  • Sending money via Bank Transfer

We recommend you to pay by credit card securely online for the services. Please read our payment guidelines for further information.

For stamping fee, you need to pay in cash (USD) directly to Immigration officer at Immigration Control Desk at airports

What if I change my flight and arrive at another airport in Vietnam?

Visa on arrival works at any of following international airports in Vietnam: Tan Son Nhat (in Ho Chi Minh City); Noi Bai (in Hanoi) Da Nang (in Da Nang City), Cam Ranh (in Nha Trang), Phu Quoc in Phu Quoc Island. There is no problem with switching between these airports.

Can I enter Vietnam earlier or later than my granted arrival date in visa approval letter?

No, you can not. You need to enter Vietnam WITHIN approval dates as mentioned in your visa approval letter.

Vietnam Visa Exemption

Nationals of certain countries may visit Vietnam without visa for a period of time, hereunder is the list of countries and regions that have Visa Waiver arrangements with Vietnam.

As of January 2019, regular passport holders from 24 COUNTRIES below DO NOT need a tourist visa for Vietnam:

Countries Passport Required MAXIMUM STAY
Chile Yes less than 90 days
Cambodia Yes less than 30 days
Indonesia Yes less than 30 days
Kyrgyzstan Yes less than 30 days
Laos Yes less than 30 days
Malaysia Yes less than 30 days
Singapore Yes less than 30 days
Thailand Yes less than 30 days
Philippines Yes less than 21 days
Brunei Yes less than 14 days
Myanmar Yes less than 14 days
Belarus Yes less than 15 days
Denmark Yes less than 15 days
Finland Yes less than 15 days
France Yes less than 15 days
Germany Yes less than 15 days
Italy Yes less than 15 days
Japan Yes less than 15 days
Norway Yes less than 15 days
Russia Yes less than 15 days
South Korea Yes less than 15 days
Spain Yes less than 15 days
Sweden Yes less than 15 days
United Kingdom Yes less than 15 days

The above is provided for informational purposes only, please double check with the official authorities in your country before you go.

Last Updated: Dec 12, 2019

How long does it takes to get the approval letter?

Normally, the approval letter is processed within two (2) business days (excluding Saturday, Sunday and National Holidays). In urgent cases, your visa request can be processed within 4-8 working hours (excluding weekends and weekday evenings).

Notes: all applications must be submitted before 8:00 AM Vietnam time to have it finished by noon time at the earliest and 5:00 PM by the latest. All applications submitted after 2:00 PM will be held until the following business day.

What are the procedures upon arrival at Vietnam airport?

Upon arrival at the international airport, expect to fill in a simple form to fill in. Please remember to bring at least 2 passport-sized photos(04*06cm), 25 USD/person for stamp fee per person (1 month single) and 50 USD for the multiple entry. You can expect the process to take about 15 minutes-30 minutes in total.

Special Notes: Normally, it takes 15-30 minutes to get the visa stamp at Vietnam airport, however, sometimes it takes much longer (1.5-2hrs) due to the large number of arrivals.

Please keep in mind the following notes to save your time:
– Once you land, rush out as soon as possible to be the first come first serve
– Prepare all the required documents before you arrive (photos, on arrival forms) and exact amount that you need to pay for visa stamp fee in USD.

What is the difference between single entry visa and multiple entry visa in Vietnam?

Single entry visa: You are permitted to enter Vietnam ONCE during your visa validity. If you would like to re-enter you need to apply for multiple entry visa.

Multiple entry visa: You can enter and exit Vietnam many times as you want during your visa validity.

How do I receive my visa approval letter?

A colored scanned copy of the approval letter will be sent to you by email, so please make sure that you have provided us with the correct email address.

Notethe approval letter is in PDF format, so please make sure you have the latest version of AdobeAcrobat reader in order to open the file.

Do I need a photo for VOA and if so, what is its size?

Yes, you do. However, photos are required upon arrival Vietnam’s airports only, so please remember to bring at least 2 photos of standard passport size (04×06 cm). 

Note: If you do not have time to prepare those photos before your departure, you can also get them taken at a Vietnamese airport for USD 5 or less per photo.

How long in advance should I apply for a visa/evisa?

A Vietnamese visa application/evisa application can be applied for 1 day to 6 months in advance. Although it takes only 3 working days to get your evisa approved, it is strongly advised that you apply for a Vietnamese visa 2 weeks before your arrival date to avoid any payment or other administrative problems.

Visa on Arrival Assistance Service (Visa Fast Track)

Visa on Arrival Assistance Service (For picking up visa on arrival at airports)

To avoid wasting time and a long queue at immigration check-point at Vietnam Airports, we offer the Visa on Arrival Assistant Service. With this service, our representative will greet you right after your landing and will assist all procedures until you get your visa stamped.

Our service functions at three international airports in Vietnam for the passengers of all flights. Standard fee is US$25 per person. Please inquire us for the updated prices.

Note:
– Supplement for late arrival (after 22.00) and early arrival (before 06.00): US$10 per person
– Other online platforms, travel forums call this service is fast-track service. However, we view it is just part of the whole airport fast track services that we offer as below.

Who should use this service?

This service is highly recommended for the following groups:
–  Those who enters Vietnam the first time
–  Those who needs to speed stamping process up at Vietnam airport
–  Those who enters Vietnam and bring goes along with kids
–  Those who travels in a big group
–  Pregnant women
–  Disable people

How VOA Assistant Service Run?

Step 1: In the Vietnam Visa application form, please inform us of your exact flight number and arrival time (Vietnam Time: GMT+7). If your flight is changed, please notify us at least as soon as you could before your landing via email sales@absoluteasiatravel.com or call our hotline number +84 898 229 888.

Step 2: Right after landing, our representative will greet you just before you enter the Arrival Hall with our welcome-board. In case of early landing, you cannot find our representative, please call our Hotline number +84 898 229 888.

Step 3: Our representative will collect your visa approval letter, passport, 2 passport size photos (4x6cm) and Entry & Exit form and stamping fee (US$25/ person for single entry, and US$50/ person for multiple entry one month visa) for doing your entry procedure. She/ he will do all necessary procedures until your visa gets stamped (5-10 min. only).

Step 4: Get your passport back with the Vietnam Visa stamped from our representative.

Refund policy 48 working hours: Please confirm with us your flight details at least 48 working hours in advance so that we can arrange assistant service for you smoothly. In case we don’t have the correct flight number and arrival time, no refund will be done if you are not picked up at the airport.

Can I travel without the visa approval letter?

No, you cannot. In order to board the plane, you must show the approval letter to the airlines. This letter is also compulsory in order for you to get the visa at the Vietnam airport. Therefore, we recommend that you leave plenty of time to apply for the visa to avoid having to delay or change your flight.