Vietnam Visa for New Zealanders: Rules and How to Apply

Visa required · e-Visa
Apply about 14 days before arrival
Decision in 8–10 business days
Verified 24 October 2026

Plusvisa is a private visa application service, not a government agency or embassy. Official government source: National Portal on Immigration (Vietnam e-Visa System), evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn.

Table of contents

Do you need a visa?
Types and cost in NZD
How long you may stay
Documents
When to apply
Eligibility check
How to apply
FAQ
New Zealand vs. Vietnam essentials

Passport
Valid 6 months on arrival
Counted from your entry date.
Blank pages
At least 1 blank page
As the destination guide states.
E-visa stay
Up to 90 days per stay
Single stay, with multiple entries inside that period.

Two routes into Vietnam

Most trips
e-Visa
Apply online at the official Vietnam e-visa portal before you travel. Choose your entry gate, since it cannot be changed later.
Work, study or other purposes
Embassy visa
Purposes the e-visa does not cover need a visa applied for at a Vietnamese embassy or consulate before you travel.

Vietnam e-Visa types and cost for New-Zealand citizens, in New Zealand Dollars

e-Visa	Validity	Processing	Government fee	All-in with Plusvisa*
Tourist E-visa eVisa	90 days Single entry	8–10 business days	US$25	US$54
Tourist E-visa eVisa	90 days Multiple entry	8–10 business days	US$50	US$89
Business trip E-visa eVisa	90 days Single entry	8–10 business days	US$25	US$54
Business trip E-visa eVisa	90 days Multiple entry	8–10 business days	US$50	US$89

* The government fee is the government's own charge, never refundable. All-in adds Plusvisa's service fee, per traveller; it is refunded if we cause a refusal.

The 90-day rule, and what it does not mean

An e-visa allows a single stay of up to 90 days, with multiple entries during that period. Visa-free stays, where they apply, run from about two weeks to 45 days per visit depending on the passport.

Arrive

Leave

Tourist E-visa: 90 days per visit.

Arrive 1 March

63 of 90 days

1 Mar – 2 May: 63 of the 90 days this visa allows in one visit.

e-Visa stay: A single stay of up to 90 days. You may enter more than once within that period. Check the dates on your approved e-visa.
Visa-free stay: Visa-free stays run from about two weeks to 45 days per visit. New Zealand is not named in the destination guide's visa-free group, so do not assume this applies.
Extensions: Visa-free stays generally cannot be extended inside Vietnam. Other visa types can be extended with the Vietnam Immigration Department before the stay ends.
Overstaying: Overstaying is an immigration offence. It can bring fines and, in serious or repeated cases, deportation or an entry ban.

Your document checklist

Four things to have ready before you start your application, as a New-Zealand applicant.

Passport data page scan
Clear colour scan of the personal details page. Valid at least 6 months from your entry date, with at least 1 blank page.
Digital portrait photo
Recent, looking straight at the camera, no glasses, plain background. Upload as a separate file. Check the size on the official portal.

Only for some visa types

Pre-arrival declaration QR code
Only if Air arrivals. Complete online up to 3 days before, or on, arrival. Show the QR code to immigration.
Proof of onward travel and accommodation
Only if Only if an immigration officer asks. Return or onward flight ticket and hotel booking. Keep on paper or phone.

When should you apply?

Processing takes 8–10 business days. Enter your arrival date and we'll work backwards.

Arrival in Vietnam

Processing

Standard8–10 business days

Pick your arrival date

1
Apply online
—
Form and uploads, about 30 min
2
Pay the fee
—
By card, on the portal
3
Processing
8–10 business days
Official estimate
4
Approval emailed
—
Keep a copy on your phone
5
Arrive in Vietnam
—
Show the approval at the border

No earliest or latest date is set in the official e-visa guidance. Official processing is 3 working days. The 14 days leaves room to resubmit a rejected upload. Public holidays can add delay.

Three questions, 20 seconds

Do you hold an ordinary New Zealand passport, valid 6 months after your arrival date?
Is your trip for tourism, family or a short visit, not work or study?
Will you enter and leave through one of the official airports, land gates or seaports?

Result

Answer all three

Three quick checks of the rules that most often catch travellers out, and we'll tell you where you stand.

The application, step by step

Before you apply

1
Check your entry gate
Choose the airport, land gate or seaport you will use. The e-visa is only valid at the gate named on your application.
Check the current list on the official portal, since gates change.
2
Prepare your files
Scan your passport data page. Take a digital portrait photo that meets the portal's rules.

On the official portal

3
Complete the online application
Upload your passport scan and photo. Enter your travel details exactly as they appear in your passport.
The Immigration Department moved the portal to evisa.gov.vn in November 2024.
4
Pay by card
Pay the e-visa fee by card on the portal. You will get a registration code by email.

After you apply

5
Check your result
Use the registration code, your email and your date of birth on the portal's lookup page.
6
Complete the pre-arrival declaration
Air arrivals must complete the online declaration up to 3 days before arrival, or on arrival, and show the QR code.

Official website: evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn (opens in a new tab)

Questions New-Zealand travellers actually ask

For most trips, yes. The usual route is the online e-visa. New Zealand is not named in the visa-free group in the destination guide, so check the official portal before you travel.

An e-visa allows a single stay of up to 90 days. You may enter more than once during that period.

Only the airports, land gates and seaports named on your application. You cannot change the gate after you apply, so pick the one you will use.

Yes. Air arrivals must complete the online pre-arrival declaration up to 3 days before arrival, or on arrival. Show the QR code to immigration.

Visa-free stays generally cannot be extended inside Vietnam. For other visa types, contact the Vietnam Immigration Department before your permitted stay ends.

Visa sorted

The things that make the first
48 hours easy, compared with home

Your New-Zealand plug won't fit. Here's what will.

Type A
Two flat pins
Type C
Two round pins · 2.5 A
Type F
Two round pins · 16 A

Type A

Vietnam uses type A, C and F sockets and your plugs are type I. An I-to-A adapter works for the whole trip.

Voltage

220 V · 50 Hz

Against 230 V · 50 Hz at home. Check the label on chargers and appliances: anything marked 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz works in both.

Pack: one type A adapter and a small power strip — hotel rooms rarely have more than two sockets.

Vietnam drives on the right — the opposite of home

Compare traffic side:

Vietnam · right-hand traffic — the opposite of New Zealand

Getting around
Cities are dense with motorbike traffic. Cross roads slowly and predictably, use registered taxis or ride-hailing apps, and book trains or flights ahead for longer trips between regions.
Health precautions
Dengue is a year-round risk, so use insect repellent and cover up. Avoid tap water and swimming in untreated fresh water. Check routine vaccines and malaria advice for rural travel with a travel clinic before you go.
Customs and etiquette
Remove your shoes before entering homes and some temples, dress modestly at religious sites, and use both hands to offer or receive money, gifts or business cards.

Vietnamese Dongs, cash and cards

Vietnam uses the Vietnamese Dong (VND).

Carry small dong notes
Cash in Vietnamese dong is still standard for street food, markets and small shops. Watch out for the 20,000 and 500,000 notes, which are a similar blue shade.
Cards work in cities
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted at hotels, restaurants and shops in larger cities, and contactless payment is increasingly common.
Use bank ATMs and plan withdrawals
International cards work at ATMs nationwide, but local banks cap withdrawals lower than international ones. Withdraw extra cash before heading to rural areas with fewer ATMs.

Weather by month (Hanoi)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

10.6°13°16.2°19.9°23.3°25°25°24.8°23.2°19.8°15.8°11.2°

Daytime high
Grey row = night low
Best time to go

Daytime high
Grey row = night low
Best time to go

Month	High, °C	Low, °C	Rain, mm
January	20.3	10.6	31.9
February	23.4	13	21.8
March	26.6	16.2	49
April · best	30.4	19.9	77.7
May · best	31.8	23.3	178.9
June	31.9	25	201.3
July	31.7	25	299.8
August	31	24.8	321.8
September · best	30.2	23.2	222.9
October · best	27.7	19.8	124
November · best	24.7	15.8	52.2
December	20.8	11.2	25.1

Monthly averages. Source: NASA POWER climatology, 2001-2020.

April · ideal

The best window runs April, May, September, October and November.

High 30.4°CLow 19.9°CRain 77.7 mm

Sweet spot: Hanoi has a cool, misty winter from December to March, a hot and humid rainy season from June to August, and its most comfortable weather in spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November).

One time zone

Wellington

--:--:--

Hanoi

--:--:--

How much to tip, in NZD

Restaurant bill

₫2,000

Restaurants

Not part of Vietnamese custom, but appreciated, especially if service isn't already included.

0–10%

on a ₫2,000 bill: ₫0

Hotel porters and housekeeping

Per bag or per day, more common at higher-end hotels.

₫10,000–₫50,000

Taxis and ride-hailing

Rounding up the fare is common but not expected.

No tip expected

Private tour guides and drivers

Per day, more for multi-day tours.

₫50,000–₫150,000

Spas and salons

Increasingly expected in tourist areas.

5–10%

on a ₫2,000 bill: ₫100

SIM, eSIM or roaming?

Local SIM

Recommended

Local prepaid SIM

Airport arrival counters or shops of Viettel, Mobifone or Vinaphone in any city Usually the cheapest option, with wide 4G/5G coverage even outside major cities. Bring your passport to register the SIM.

eSIM

Travel eSIM

Online, before you travel, from an eSIM provider or your phone's own eSIM store Convenient if your phone supports eSIM, since you can activate it before landing without swapping a physical SIM.

Roaming

Roaming on your home plan

Activated through your home mobile provider before departure The simplest option but usually the most expensive; check your provider's Vietnam rates before you rely on it.

Get your Vietnam e-Visa in about ten business days, without the portal headaches

Upload a phone photo and your passport, we check them against every rule above, submit, and send your approval to your inbox. From US$54 all-in.

Compare visa types

Card payments by PayPal
Fee refunded if we cause a refusal
Support by email and WhatsApp

Do New-Zealand citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

Tourist E-visa

Business trip E-visa