Vietnam Visa for UK Citizens: 45 Days Visa-Free and When You Need an E-Visa
Do you need a visa for Vietnam from the UK? Not for a trip of up to 45 days: British citizens can enter visa-free for tourism or business. A Vietnam visa for UK citizens is only needed for longer stays, for some re-entry plans or for work, and the usual choice is an e-visa you can apply for online from $47. This page explains when the exemption applies, when it does not, the cost in pounds, timing in UK time and the passport rules. For other passports, see visa requirements by nationality .
Do you need a visa for Vietnam from the UK? Not for a trip of up to 45 days: British citizens can enter visa-free for tourism or business. A Vietnam visa for UK citizens is only needed for longer stays, for some re-entry plans or for work, and the usual choice is an e-visa you can apply for online from $47. This page explains when the exemption applies, when it does not, the cost in pounds, timing in UK time and the passport rules. For other passports, see visa requirements by nationality.
The rules below are as of October 2026. Pound amounts use the xe.com mid-market rate on 2026-10-11 (1 USD = 0.756 GBP) and are approximate, because you pay in US dollars.
Your trip and what you need:
| Your trip on a British citizen passport | What you need |
|---|---|
| Tourism or business, up to 45 days | No visa; a passport valid 6 months with 2 blank pages |
| Longer than 45 days, up to 90 days | An e-visa, single or multiple entry |
| Leaving Vietnam and coming back on the same trip | Check whether your days still fit; often an e-visa with multiple entries |
| Work or a stay over 90 days | A visa through the Vietnamese embassy or a sponsor |
Do UK citizens need a visa for Vietnam?
No, not for short trips. Under Resolution 44/NQ-CP, British citizens can stay up to 45 days without a visa, from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in Denmark's announcement of the resolution.
The UK government's travel advice confirms the 45 days cover tourism or business. The full list of visa-free countries is on our visa-free entry list.
When British travelers need an e-visa
British travelers need an e-visa in three common cases: a trip longer than 45 days, a trip with exits and re-entries that will not fit inside the visa-free days, or a purpose the exemption does not cover. The e-visa allows up to 90 days, with single or multiple entries.
A 60-day backpacking trip is the classic example. So is a month in Vietnam with a week in Cambodia in the middle, when you want one document that covers both entries. For work or stays longer than 90 days, GOV.UK points to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK.
Vietnam visa for UK citizens: e-visa fees in pounds
A Vietnam e-visa costs $25 (about £19) single entry if you apply yourself at evisa.gov.vn. Through us, a 1-month e-visa costs from $47 (about £36), government fee included. Prices last checked: 2026-10-11.
| Speed | Single entry (USD) | Approx. £ | Multiple entry (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (5-7 working days) | $47 | £36 | $82 |
| 3 Working Days | $69 | £52 | $98 |
| 1 Working Day | $99 | £75 | $123 |
| Same day (4-8 working hours) | $118 | £89 | $150 |
| Super Urgent (2.5 working hours) | $169 | £128 | $212 |
| Last-Minute Emergency (1.5 working hours) | $260 | £197 | $285 |
You pay by card in US dollars, so your bank may add a foreign transaction fee; we add no card surcharge. If your e-visa arrives after the estimated delivery time shown at checkout, we refund 100%. Our full price table also lists 3-month e-visas for trips of up to 90 days.
Processing time in UK time
A standard e-visa through us takes 5-7 working days, Monday to Friday in Vietnam. Vietnam is 6 hours ahead of London in British Summer Time and 7 hours ahead in winter, so its working day ends around your lunchtime.
| Vietnam time (working day) | London, GMT | London, BST |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00, urgent speeds open | 1:00 | 2:00 |
| 14:14, last Same day order | 7:14 | 8:14 |
| 17:30, last Last-Minute Emergency order | 10:30 | 11:30 |
| 18:00, last 1 Working Day order | 11:00 | 12:00 |
BST runs from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October. An order at 15:00 in London has missed every same-day speed and counts from the next working day in Vietnam. For flights within a day or two, see our urgent e-visa options.
Vietnam entry requirements for UK passports
The Vietnam entry requirements for UK passports are the same whether you go visa-free or on an e-visa. GOV.UK lists:
- Passport validity: at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
- Blank pages: at least 2.
- Condition: no damage; British nationals have been refused entry and exit with damaged passports.
For an e-visa, the Vietnam visa requirements for UK citizens add a scan of the passport photo page and a 4x6 cm photo with a white background, uploaded after you pay. A UK passport photo (35x45 mm) is a different size, so crop or retake it.
How to apply from the UK
Getting a visa for Vietnam from the UK takes four online steps:
- Step 1: Fill in the e-visa form with your arrival date, entry point and speed.
- Step 2: Pay by credit or debit card.
- Step 3: Upload your passport photo page and portrait photo.
- Step 4: Receive the e-visa by email, check every detail and print a copy.
Our guide on how to apply covers each step and the visa on arrival route.
Vietnamese embassy in the UK
The Embassy of Vietnam is in London. British travelers need it mainly for work visas or stays longer than 90 days. Contacts are on our page about the Vietnam embassy in the UK.
Traveling with people on other passports? See the rules for Ireland, France, Germany, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Irish passports are not covered by the 45-day exemption.
Tips for British travelers
Three details trip up British travelers most often: counting the 45 days, the entry and exit points on an e-visa, and the new arrival card in Ho Chi Minh City.
Count your 45 days
The 45 days run from your date of entry, and GOV.UK advises checking the date stamped in your passport on arrival. If your flight home might slip past that date, apply for an e-visa before you travel.
Entry and exit points on an e-visa
GOV.UK notes that e-visas restrict you to the entry and exit points you select when you apply. Tell us the airport you land at and, if you plan to leave overland through Laos or Cambodia, the border gate you will use, so the e-visa matches your route. GOV.UK also notes that an e-visa obtained inside Vietnam only starts after you leave and re-enter.
Digital arrival card at Tan Son Nhat
From 15 April 2026, travelers arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City are encouraged to complete a digital arrival card online before landing. GOV.UK says it is not currently mandatory. Our guide to the pre-arrival form explains how it works.
If your trip is longer than 45 days, start your application for an e-visa. VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website. You can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I extend the 45-day visa-free stay?
Plan not to. GOV.UK says the British Embassy will not help with visa extensions, and any extension is a matter for Vietnam's immigration authorities. If your trip may run past 45 days, apply for an e-visa that covers the whole stay before you fly.
Does the visa exemption cover business trips?
Yes. GOV.UK describes the 45-day visa-free stay as covering tourism or business, such as meetings or a conference. Paid work in Vietnam needs a different visa, arranged through an employer and the Vietnamese embassy.
Can UK citizens use visa on arrival instead of an e-visa?
Yes, for a trip by air that is longer than 45 days. You order an approval letter online, from $28, and pay a stamping fee of $25 (single) or $50 (multiple) in cash at the airport. The e-visa is simpler for most travelers.
Do children on British passports need a visa?
No, not for up to 45 days: children with their own British citizen passport are covered by the same exemption. For a longer trip, every child needs their own e-visa, and children under 14 pay a government fee of $25.
Is VietnamVisa-Easy.com a government website?
No. VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service run by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012. We check and submit e-visa applications and arrange visa on arrival letters for travelers who need a visa.
