Vietnam Visa for Norwegian Citizens: Rules & e-Visa

No visa needed
Apply about 21 days before arrival
Decision in 8–10 business days
Verified 19 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 NOK
How long you may stay
Documents
When to apply
Eligibility check
How to apply
FAQ
Norway vs. Vietnam essentials

Visa-free stay
Up to 45 days
Set by Resolution 44/NQ-CP, in force 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028.
Passport validity
Valid 6+ months on arrival
Applies whether you travel visa-free or with an e-visa.
Arrival paperwork
Pre-arrival declaration
Needed by air even if you enter visa-free.

Three routes into Vietnam

Most trips
Visa-free entry (45 days)
Norwegian passport holders can enter Vietnam without any visa for tourism, business or most other short purposes, for up to 45 days per visit, under the government's current visa exemption for Norway.
Longer or repeat stays
e-Visa
If your trip will run past 45 days, or you need more than one entry, apply online for an e-visa before you travel through the official immigration portal, instead of relying on visa-free entry.
Work or study
Embassy visa
Purposes the e-visa does not cover, such as long-term work or study, still need a visa from a Vietnamese embassy or consulate before travel.

Vietnam visa types and cost for Norwegian citizens, in Norwegian Krones

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

Norwegian citizens can stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa, counted from the date of entry. Anyone who needs longer, or more than one entry, should arrange an e-visa before travelling instead.

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.

45 days, visa-free: The 45-day period covers tourism and most other short visits, and applies regardless of purpose, as long as normal entry conditions are met.
It is not renewable from day one: The 45 days is not a minimum stay or a guarantee of re-entry. You must still meet entry conditions and leave, or have another valid visa, before it runs out.
No extension inside Vietnam: Visa-free stays generally cannot be extended once you are in the country. If you may need longer than 45 days, apply for an e-visa before you fly instead of hoping to extend locally.
Passport validity still applies: Your passport must still be valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date, even though no visa or stamp fee is needed for a visa-free stay.

Your document checklist

Three things to have ready before you start your application, as a Norwegian applicant.

No visa paperwork for stays up to 45 days
For a visa-free visit, Norwegian citizens need only a passport valid 6+ months and the pre-arrival declaration. No visa application or approval letter is needed.

Only for some visa types

Card for the e-visa fee
Only if e-Visa applicants only. If you apply for an e-visa, use a Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card set up for international online payment in US dollars. Most Norwegian bank cards work if foreign online payments are enabled.
Accommodation or host address in Vietnam
Only if e-Visa applicants only. The e-visa form asks for the address where you will stay. Have your hotel booking or host's address ready before you start the application.

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

Only matters if you need the e-visa for a stay beyond 45 days. No official minimum or maximum lead time is confirmed; apply once your dates are fixed, with time to fix errors.

Four questions, 20 seconds

Will your stay in Vietnam be 45 days or less?
Is your passport valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date?
Are you travelling for tourism, business visits or another purpose the e-visa and visa-free rules cover?
Will you enter and exit through one of Vietnam's official air, land or sea gates?

Result

Answer all four

Four 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
Work out if you even need to apply
If your trip is 45 days or less, you can skip the application entirely and travel on visa-free entry. Only apply for the e-visa if you will stay longer or need more than one entry.
2
Prepare your documents
Scan your passport data page and take a digital portrait photo that meets the official rules, and note your accommodation address in Vietnam.

On the official portal

3
Complete the online application
Go to the official National Portal on Immigration, upload your passport scan and photo, and fill in your travel details and entry point.
4
Pay the e-visa fee
Pay online by card in US dollars. You will get a registration code by email, needed to check your result and print your visa.

After you apply

5
Check your result and print it
Use the e-visa lookup page with your registration code, email and date of birth, then print the approved e-visa to carry with your passport.
6
Complete the pre-arrival declaration
Whether you travel visa-free or with an e-visa, fill in Vietnam's pre-arrival declaration before or on landing and show the QR code to immigration.

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

Questions Norwegian travellers actually ask

No, not for stays of up to 45 days. Norway is one of the countries covered by Vietnam's current visa exemption, which runs from March 2025 to March 2028. Longer trips need an e-visa instead.

Up to 45 days per visit, counted from your date of entry, under Vietnam's current unilateral visa exemption for Norway.

Apply for an e-visa online before you travel. The visa-free period cannot be extended once you are inside Vietnam, so arrange the e-visa in advance if your stay will run longer.

Yes. All non-Vietnamese passport holders arriving by air, including those entering visa-free, must complete Vietnam's pre-arrival declaration and show the QR code to immigration.

Visa on arrival approval letters exist for some nationalities, but as a Norwegian citizen you would normally use visa-free entry for short stays or the e-visa for longer ones instead.

Norway issues one standard passport type, and the exemption applies to Norwegian ordinary passports that meet the 6-month validity rule. There is no separate passport category to check.

The e-visa cannot be used to extend a visa-free stay from inside Vietnam. If you may need more than 45 days, apply for the e-visa before you fly rather than trying to switch over once you have arrived.

Visa sorted

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

Your Norwegian plug fits. Here's what to expect.

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

Type C

Type C and F sockets are used both at home and in Vietnam, so your own plugs fit — though you may meet the other types too.

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: nothing special — your type C and F plugs go straight in. A small power strip is still handy where hotel rooms have one socket.

Vietnam drives on the right — just like home

Compare traffic side:

Vietnam · right-hand traffic — same as Norway

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

Oslo

--:--:--

Hanoi

--:--:--

How much to tip, in NOK

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 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

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Fee refunded if we cause a refusal
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Do Norwegian citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

Tourist E-visa

Business trip E-visa