Short answers with the actual thresholds, and the legal instrument each one comes from. Where a number cannot be verified, we say so instead of guessing.
Visas and Entry
Governed by Law 47/2014/QH13, amended by Law 51/2019/QH14 and Law 23/2023/QH15.
Do I need a visa to enter Vietnam?
It depends on your nationality. 23 countries currently get 45 days visa-free under unilateral government resolutions, and a separate group of mostly ASEAN countries has bilateral agreements ranging from 14 to 90 days. Everyone else needs an e-visa or another visa type.
How much does a Vietnam e-visa cost, and how long does it take?
USD 25 for single entry, USD 50 for multiple entry. Normal processing runs 3β5 working days. The e-visa is valid for up to 90 days and is available to all nationalities.
Apply only at evisa.gov.vn β the official government site. Third-party sites charge a markup for the same result.
Can I extend an e-visa?
No. An e-visa cannot be extended. You either exit the country or convert to a different visa type before it expires. This catches people out because most other visa categories can be extended.
How much passport validity do I need?
Six months beyond your arrival date. Airlines enforce this at check-in, so five months means you are stopped before you ever reach Vietnam β it is not something you can talk your way past at the border.
Do I still need a visa if I am only transiting?
Two different situations, and the answer flips between them. If your next flight is international and you stay inside the restricted area, you do not enter Vietnam and no Vietnamese visa is needed. If your next flight is domestic, you must clear immigration β which means a visa or visa-free eligibility, exactly like any other arrival.
The question that decides it is “what is my next flight”, not “where am I transiting”.
Overstaying
Article 18, Decree 144/2021/ND-CP. Figures below are for individuals; organisations pay double.
| Overstay | Fine |
|---|---|
| Under 16 days | 500,000 β 2,000,000 VND |
| 16 to under 30 days | 3,000,000 β 5,000,000 VND |
| 30 to under 60 days | 5,000,000 β 10,000,000 VND |
| 60 to under 90 days | 10,000,000 β 15,000,000 VND |
| 90 days or more | 15,000,000 β 20,000,000 VND |
Customs
Declaration thresholds and duty-free allowances.
How much cash can I bring in without declaring?
Up to USD 5,000 or equivalent in foreign currency, and up to 15 million VND. Above either threshold you must declare in writing. Undeclared cash over the limit can be fined or confiscated.
Do I have to declare gold?
Yes, above 300 grams. Below that, nothing to do. Jewellery you are wearing counts towards the total β this is the part most people miss.
What are the duty-free allowances?
200 cigarettes, or 20 cigars, or 250g of loose tobacco. Spirits above 20% ABV: 1.5 litres. Wine and spirits at 20% or below: 2 litres. Beer: 3 litres. Perfume: 50ml. Goods and gifts under 10 million VND (roughly USD 400).
Can I bring a vape or heated tobacco device?
No. Resolution 173/2024/QH15 took effect on 1 January 2025 and bans production, trade, import, possession, transport and use outright. There is no personal-use exemption for tourists, and it makes no difference whether the device is in your carry-on or your checked bag.
At the border the outcome is confiscation on the spot. Separately, Decree 90/2026/ND-CP β in force since 15 May 2026 β sets a fine of 3β5 million VND for using one.
What is banned outright?
Weapons and ammunition, narcotics, publications opposing the state, firecrackers, and antiques without a permit. Narcotics and ivory carry criminal charges, not administrative fines.
Aviation Security
Applied at screening, before customs and immigration ever come into it.
What are the liquid rules?
Containers of 100ml maximum, all inside one transparent 1-litre zip bag, one bag per passenger. Prescription medicine and baby food or milk are exempt but must be declared at screening.
Can I bring a power bank?
Carry-on only β absolutely not in checked baggage, under rules in force since 31 March 2026. Maximum two per passenger. Under 100Wh is fine; 100β160Wh is allowed but must be declared; above 160Wh is banned entirely. Terminals must be protected with tape, a separate pouch or the original packaging.
How many lighters can I carry?
One per passenger β counted per person, not per bag β and it must be in your carry-on or on your person. Never in checked luggage. Travelling as a group of four? Give each person one to carry and all four are legal.
Is pepper spray allowed?
No. Vietnamese law classes it as a support tool β equipment authorised agencies are permitted to hold, not a consumer item. There is no civilian self-defence exemption of the kind that exists in many Western countries. It also fails at airport screening long before Vietnamese law becomes relevant.
While You Are Here
Do I need to register where I am staying?
Hotels do it for you automatically through a system linked to the police. If you stay in a private home, the host must register you within 24 hours. In border areas there is an additional registration with the Border Guard post.
How long does immigration take on arrival?
Anywhere from 20 minutes to three hours. What decides it is how many aircraft land at the same time, not the time of day and not the size of the airport. A quiet arrival at a large airport clears faster than a busy bank of flights at a small one.
Question not answered here?
Send it over. If it is something we can answer from the law, we will β and it will probably end up on this page.
Get in touch β
Current as of September 2026. Sources: Law 47/2014/QH13 as amended by Law 51/2019/QH14 and Law 23/2023/QH15; Decree 144/2021/ND-CP; Resolution 173/2024/QH15; Decree 90/2026/ND-CP; Vietnamese customs and aviation security regulations in force.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Visa-free lists run on time-limited resolutions and change β verify at evisa.gov.vn before booking if you are planning far ahead.