Vietnam Visa Processing During Public Holidays: 2026 to 2027 Planner

Vietnam visa processing during public holidays stops: e-visas and visa on arrival letters are handled on working days only, so every holiday adds days to the wait. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog explains the working-day rule, lists the holidays from late 2026 to 2027, covers Tet in detail and shows what to do when your deadline is close.

The safest plan is to apply before the holiday starts, not during it. If your trip falls near Tet or a long weekend, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online at least two weeks ahead.

Holiday impact at a glance:

Is Vietnam visa processing paused during public holidays?

Yes. Vietnam immigration does not work on weekends or public holidays for visa processing, so applications filed on those days wait for the next working day. Border gates stay open; only the approval work pauses.

evisa.gov.vn states a processing time of 3 working days. A Friday-evening application therefore counts from Monday, and a holiday in the middle of the week pushes the result back by a day. The same applies to visa on arrival approval letters.

Vietnam public holidays from late 2026 to 2027

Vietnam public holidays in 2027 follow the Labor Code, plus a new holiday: Vietnam Culture Day on 24 November, added by Resolution 28/2026/QH16 from 1 July 2026, as the Ha Tinh provincial government reports.

The table lists dates as of October 2026. Dates marked "planned" may still change when the government confirms its schedule, so check again close to your trip.

Vietnam e-visa during Tet 2027

The Vietnam e-visa during Tet 2027 is not processed from Thursday 4 to Wednesday 10 February, the seven-day break the Ministry of Home Affairs has set out for public servants, as VietnamPlus reports. Wednesday 3 February is the last working day before it.

For a trip in early or mid-February, submit your application by about 20 January. That covers 3 working days of processing, time to fix a mistake, and the rush of applications in the last week before Tet. Anything filed during the break starts processing on Thursday 11 February, behind the backlog.

Tet is also the busiest travel week inside Vietnam: trains, buses and domestic flights sell out, and many shops and restaurants close for the first days of the new year. Our Vietnam travel tips cover what else to prepare.

Counting days for Vietnam visa processing during public holidays

Count only Monday to Friday and skip every holiday in the table. Start from the day after you submit, unless you submit early in the morning Vietnam time (GMT+7).

Example: you apply on Monday 23 November 2026. Tuesday 24 November is Culture Day, so 3 working days of processing run on Wednesday 25, Thursday 26 and Friday 27 November. Applied on Friday 20 November instead, the clock starts on Monday 23 November and skips Tuesday.

Three situations leave less room than this: when only a weekend or holiday is left, when an application is already waiting, and when you are using a visa on arrival letter.

When the deadline is too close

There are still options if a holiday stands between you and your flight. Which one fits depends on whether you have applied yet and which visa you use.

The weekend and holiday speed

Our weekend and holiday e-visa speed runs from Friday 18:00 to Sunday 15:59 and all day on Vietnamese public holidays. Order before 15:20 (GMT+7) and the e-visa arrives by 18:30 the same day; the form shows the estimated delivery time before you pay.

An application already pending

If you applied yourself on evisa.gov.vn and the result is still pending before a holiday, we can speed up a pending e-visa rather than you filing a second application. Tell us your flight date so we can tell you whether it can be done in time.

Visa on arrival letters

A visa on arrival approval letter is also issued on working days only and works only for air arrivals. Over Tet, plan the letter before Wednesday 3 February, or use the e-visa weekend and holiday speed instead.

VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website, and you can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25. If you would like the working days counted and your details checked for you, start your application with us.