Vietnam Visa for British Citizens

The 45-day allowance applies for any purpose and comes from Resolution 44/NQ-CP — so here is the honest version first: for a holiday of that length you do not need us. The exemption runs from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. Arrive with a valid passport (6 months of validity is the safe rule) and you can enter at the border, with nothing to apply for and nothing to pay.

The e-visa is for the trips that go further. A stay of 46 to 90 days — a long winter in Hoi An, or an extended visit to family in Hanoi — needs it, and so does a trip where you want a multiple-entry visa that runs beyond what the exemption gives you. It is issued online by Vietnam's Immigration Department, covers up to 90 days, and costs USD 75 for a single entry or USD 100 for multiple entries, all-in with us.

Some British travellers take the e-visa even inside the 45 days, simply for certainty — a long itinerary with land crossings into Cambodia or Laos and back, or an airline that wants to see a visa for dates close to the limit. That is a reasonable choice, but it is a choice: nothing in the rules forces it. Bear in mind that the exemption has a fixed end date: 14 March 2028.

If you do need the e-visa, the application is short: your passport's photo page and a recent portrait on a white background, no glasses. The 90 days run from the day it is issued, so apply two to three weeks before you go. Processing is officially three working days and we promise three to five, with extra days around Tet in late January or February. British dual nationals should follow the rule for the passport they will actually travel on.