How to Apply Vietnam Visa from Ireland: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to apply Vietnam visa from Ireland comes down to two practical routes: complete an e-visa application online before you fly, or arrange a pre-approved visa on arrival letter that gets stamped into your passport at a Vietnam airport. Irish passport holders are not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list and there is no APEC Business Travel Card shortcut, so one of these two steps is required before departure for almost every trip.

Most Irish travelers use the e-visa, since it is processed entirely online and does not require a visit to a consulate. If your plans changed suddenly, the visa on arrival route lets you secure an approval letter first and finish the process at the airport counter after you land. A smaller group applies in person at the Vietnamese Embassy in London, since Vietnam does not maintain an embassy or consulate in Ireland itself.

Ireland has no nonstop flights to Vietnam, so most itineraries connect through Doha, Istanbul, Dubai, or Abu Dhabi and run 15-18 hours door-to-door. Applying with real lead time, rather than the night before a flight, is what keeps this process simple. Below, you will find the exact steps for both routes, plus what to do at the airport on arrival.

Last updated: September 15, 2026

Applying for a Vietnam visa from Ireland, in brief:

What to Prepare Before You Apply for a Vietnam Visa from Ireland

Before you open any application form, gather four things: your passport, a photo, a payment method, and a Vietnam address to list on the form. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure from Vietnam and should have at least 1 blank visa page. Irish passports run on a 10-year cycle, so travelers renewing on that cycle are the ones most likely to cut this buffer close.

Prepare a digital photo (4x6cm, white background, no glasses) taken within the last 6 months, plus a clear scan of your passport bio page. Many Irish passport-photo booths default to a grey or blue backdrop rather than plain white, which is a common upload rejection, so check the background specifically. Have a valid credit or debit card ready, and note down a temporary address in Vietnam, such as a hotel booking confirmation.

Set aside about 20 minutes of uninterrupted time to complete the form, rather than filling it in across several short sessions on a phone. For the full document checklist and photo specification, see the visa requirements guide.

How to Apply Vietnam Visa from Ireland Online: E-Visa Steps

The e-visa is the most direct way to apply for a Vietnam visa from Ireland, since the entire process happens on one website and produces a document you print at home.

1. Go to the official e-visa portal at evisa.gov.vn, or use an assisted service such as vietnamvisa-easy.com if you would rather have someone check your form before it is submitted.
2. Select your entry type (single or multiple entry) and enter your travel dates and intended port of entry.
3. Fill in your personal details exactly as printed on your passport bio page.
4. Upload your passport bio page scan and your digital passport-style photo.
5. Review every field against your passport a second time, then pay the visa fee by credit or debit card.
6. Submit the form and save the registration code shown on the confirmation screen.

Note: A single typo in your passport number, or a spelling difference from your printed name, is the most common reason an Irish e-visa application is delayed for manual review.

Uploading Documents and Paying the Fee

Upload your passport scan as a full, uncropped image with the ICAO lines legible, and a recent forward-facing photo (4x6cm, white background, no glasses). If either file uploads with a warning icon, replace it before payment. If you apply directly on evisa.gov.vn, you pay only the government fee, USD 25 single entry or USD 50 multiple entry; an assisted service adds a service fee for review and support on top. For current fees by processing speed, see the visa fee guide. The government fee is non-refundable once submitted.

What Happens After You Submit Your Vietnam E-Visa Application

Your application enters a review queue at the Vietnam Immigration Department. Standard processing for most applications from Ireland takes 3-5 working days.

1. Use your registration code to check your application status on the official lookup page.
2. Watch for an email requesting a correction, and resubmit within the deadline given if one arrives.
3. Once approved, you will receive an email with a link to download your e-visa as a PDF.

If your travel date is only a few days away, an expedited tier can shorten this wait; the fastest, Super Urgent/Emergency, can be issued in as little as 1.5 working hours, including weekends and holidays. Exact tiers are covered in the processing time guide.

How to Receive, Download, and Print Your Vietnam E-Visa

Your approved e-visa arrives as a link in your confirmation email, not an attachment, so check your inbox, including spam. Download the PDF, save a copy to your phone as a backup, and print it on plain paper before you travel. Airlines and immigration officers both expect a printed copy, not only a phone screen, and you may be asked to present it again on departure.

How the Visa on Arrival Route Works from Ireland

Visa on arrival is applicable to air travel only, and it works in two stages. First, you apply online through a guaranteeing agency for an approval letter. Second, you collect the actual visa stamp at a landing visa counter inside the Vietnam airport, after you land.

1. Complete an online application listing your passport details, travel dates, and port of entry.
2. Pay the service fee online, starting from USD 28 per person and free for children under 2.
3. Receive your approval letter by email, typically within a few working days for standard processing.
4. Print the approval letter and bring it with you to the airport.
5. On arrival, present the letter, your passport, two passport photos, and the stamping fee in cash at the visa on arrival counter.

Note: Visa on arrival is not the same as a visa exemption. You still need the approval letter arranged before you fly.

What to Bring to the Airport Counter

Bring your printed approval letter, your passport with at least 6 months' validity, two passport photos (4x6cm, white background, no glasses), the completed entry form, and the stamping fee in cash (USD or VND). Missing the cash fee, or bringing only a photo of the letter rather than a printed copy, are the two most common reasons Irish travelers get delayed at this counter.

What to Do at the Airport When You Land in Vietnam

E-visa holders go directly to the immigration counter with their printed e-visa and passport. Visa on arrival holders first stop at the landing visa counter to complete the stamping process, then proceed to the same immigration line, have their photo and fingerprints taken as requested, and collect their stamped passport before baggage claim.

What Irish Travelers Should Double-Check Before Applying

Confirm your passport meets the 6-month validity buffer, double-check the spelling of your name against your passport rather than an older driving licence, and apply with enough lead time for standard processing rather than the fastest possible tier.

Applying Through the Vietnamese Embassy in London

If your visa purpose falls outside what the e-visa covers, you can apply in person or by mail through the Vietnamese Embassy in London, at 12-14 Victoria Road, London W8 5RD, since Vietnam does not have an embassy or consulate in Ireland. The consular section is open Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, and does not process standard e-visa applications in person. For a full look at who qualifies for each route, see the overview guide.

Common Mistakes That Delay Irish Applicants

• Submitting a name that does not match a recently, legally changed name on the passport.
• Entering a hyphenated or double surname inconsistently across the form.
• Uploading a photo with a grey, colored, or patterned background instead of white.
• Applying with fewer than 6 months of remaining passport validity.

What to Do If Your Application Is Rejected or Delayed

Check the reason given in the notification email, correct the specific field, and resubmit as a new application rather than assuming the fee carries over. If a decision has not arrived and your flight is close, contact support or consider visa on arrival as a backup, since its approval letter can often be issued faster once an expedited tier is selected.

How the Time Difference Affects Tracking and Support

Vietnam runs on Indochina Time (UTC+7) year-round. Ireland sits 7 hours behind in winter and 6 hours behind during Irish summer time, a smaller gap than many other source markets. A request submitted in the Irish morning or early afternoon has a good chance of reaching Vietnam's support team, at 8:00-21:00 GMT+7, while they are still working.

Applying with an Assisted Service from Ireland

You can complete either route yourself on the government portal, or apply through vietnamvisa-easy.com, which reviews your form before submission and tracks the application on your behalf. vietnamvisa-easy.com is a private travel service agency, operating since 2003 through parent company Discover Asia Travel, and is not the Vietnamese government; the official portal remains evisa.gov.vn.

To apply, visit https://www.vietnamvisa-easy.com and choose either the e-visa or visa on arrival flow. Support is available by WhatsApp or phone at +84 86 99 77 366, or by email at support@vietnamvisa-easy.com, between 8:00 and 21:00 GMT+7. For pricing and timing, see the visa fee guide and the processing time guide, and for more tips, see the application guide and tips for Irish travelers.