Tourist (DL) Visa in Vietnam
The DL visa lets you visit Vietnam for up to 90 days. Most travelers now enter on an e-visa or, if their nationality qualifies, with no visa at all. The traditional embassy and on-arrival sticker visa still exists for cases that need it.
What is the Vietnam tourist visa?
The DL visa, from Du Lịch (Vietnamese for tourism), is Vietnam’s tourist visa. It allows a stay of up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, for leisure and visiting. It carries no right to work, run a business, or settle.
What has changed is how you get it. Since 2023 the e-visa runs the same 90 days and is open to every nationality, so for most visitors it has become the practical tourist visa. The traditional DL sticker, collected at an embassy or on arrival, still exists for the cases an e-visa or exemption does not cover.
Three ways to enter Vietnam as a tourist
The route depends on your nationality and how long you are staying.
| Route | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| E-visa | Applied for online at the official portal, up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, open to all nationalities | Most tourists today |
| Visa exemption | No visa needed if your nationality qualifies, with a set visa-free stay of 14 to 90 days depending on country | Eligible nationalities on shorter trips |
| Traditional DL visa | Stamped at a Vietnamese embassy, or collected on arrival with a pre-approval letter from the Immigration Department | Cases an e-visa or exemption does not cover |
For the online route and entry points, see the e-visa page. To check whether you can skip the visa entirely, see visa exemption, which lists the countries and their visa-free stays.
What the Vietnam tourist visa allows
It is for visiting Vietnam, not for working or doing business there.
What to prepare and show at the border
Whichever route you take, the requirements are light, but the passport rule is now enforced strictly.
- A passport valid for at least six months. From 1 March 2026 this is enforced at all entry points, and travelers with less than six months are turned away regardless of nationality or visa type.
- For a visa on arrival, a pre-approval letter from the Immigration Department, arranged before you fly.
- You may be asked to show a return or onward ticket and proof of where you are staying.
- The e-visa fee is USD 25 for single entry or USD 50 for multiple entry, paid online and not refunded if the application is refused.
The e-visa stay is not extendable in the usual sense. To stay longer you exit and apply again, or move to a visa that suits the real purpose of the trip.
Vietnam tourist visa FAQs
The questions visitors ask most about the DL visa.
What is the DL visa?
It is Vietnam’s tourist visa, for visiting up to 90 days, single or multiple entry. It allows leisure and visiting but not work, business, or anything aimed at residency.
How do most tourists enter Vietnam now?
On an e-visa, which runs up to 90 days and is open to every nationality, or with no visa at all where a visa exemption applies. The traditional embassy or on-arrival sticker is for cases those two do not cover.
How long can I stay on a tourist visa?
Up to 90 days on a tourist visa or e-visa. A visa exemption gives a shorter set stay, from 14 to 90 days depending on your country. To stay longer you exit and apply again, or move to a visa that matches your purpose.
Can I do business on a tourist visa?
No. A brief meeting while traveling is usually handled on an e-visa for a business purpose. For real business activity you need the business visa, and for paid work a work visa. The tourist visa covers neither.
Do I really need six months on my passport?
Yes. Since 1 March 2026 the six-month rule is enforced at every entry point. A passport with less than six months of validity from your arrival date will be refused, whatever your nationality or visa.
Can a tourist visa lead to residency or a work permit?
No. The tourist visa does not convert to a work or residence status and does not qualify for a residence card. To live or work in Vietnam you start on an investor or work visa instead.
Does Emerhub handle tourist visas?
The e-visa and visa exemption are self-serve and need no agent, so we point you to those. Where we help is when a trip is really about hiring, setting up a company, or staying long term, on the business, work, or investor route.
Talk to our Ho Chi Minh City team
A tourist visa is the wrong tool for work, business, or relocation. If your trip is really about hiring, setting up, or staying long term, tell us the plan and we’ll arrange the right visa and handle the company side with it.
Sài Gòn, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam