Vietnam Visa for Australian Citizens 2026: E-Visa & 5-Year Exemption

Australian citizens are not on Vietnam’s visa exemption lists, so you need a visa before you travel. Most Australians use the e-visa: valid for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, with a state fee of USD 25 or USD 50 under Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC. Australians of Vietnamese origin, and their spouses and children, can apply for a 5-year visa exemption certificate instead. If you are staying long term, you may qualify for a TT, LĐ or ĐT visa and a temporary residence card. Info Travel advises on and handles every step. Message us on WhatsApp +84327828822.

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Is there visa-free entry to Vietnam for Australians?

Generally, no. Australia does not appear in Vietnam’s unilateral exemption resolutions (Resolutions 44/NQ-CP and 229/NQ-CP), and it is not an ASEAN country with a bilateral exemption. To enter with an ordinary Australian passport, you need one of the following:

an e-visa, which suits tourism, family visits and short business trips;
a visa based on an approval letter, collected at a Vietnamese mission or at an international airport;
a 5-year visa exemption certificate, if you are of Vietnamese origin or the spouse or child of someone who is, or of a Vietnamese citizen;
a valid temporary or permanent residence card.

The one notable exception is Phu Quoc. Visitors flying directly to the island may stay visa-free for up to 30 days, but only on Phu Quoc. Travelling on to other provinces requires a visa. Our page on the 5-year visa exemption covers the certificate in detail.

The Vietnam e-visa for Australians

E-visa type	Maximum validity	State fee
Single entry	90 days	USD 25
Multiple entry	90 days	USD 50

Common mistakes we see in applications from Australia:

Names that don’t exactly match the passport data page, especially missing middle names.
Portraits with glasses or busy backgrounds, and passport scans where the machine-readable lines are cut off.
Choosing the wrong port of entry. Declare the port you actually plan to enter through.
Applying too late. Processing normally takes about 3 working days, and demand peaks over Christmas, the Australian summer holidays and Tet.

Read the step-by-step e-visa application guide, or let us check your file before you submit it.

Vietnamese-Australians: the 5-year exemption certificate

Former Vietnamese nationals living in Australia on an Australian passport, and their spouses and children, can apply for a visa exemption certificate valid for up to 5 years. Each entry allows a stay of up to 180 days. Under Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC the state fee is USD 20 for a first issue and USD 10 for a reissue. You must prove Vietnamese origin or the family relationship. Australian documents usually need consular legalisation and a notarised translation. The certificate does not allow you to work.

Married to a Vietnamese citizen, retired, or staying long term

Many Australians live in Vietnam with a Vietnamese spouse. The usual route is a TT visa sponsored by the spouse, followed by a family residence card, so there is no need to keep renewing visas. See the TT family visa and the family residence card. Residence card state fees are USD 145 (up to 2 years), USD 155 (over 2 up to 5 years) and USD 165 (over 5 up to 10 years), depending on the card type.

Vietnamese law currently has no dedicated retirement visa. Retirees with no family or company sponsor usually rely on 90-day e-visas and leave and re-enter between them. It is worth getting advice first so that your entries are not so frequent that they draw attention.

Extensions, urgent visas and visa on arrival

Extensions or a new visa in Vietnam: possible only with an eligible sponsor (a company, an organisation or a qualifying relative). See Vietnam visa extension.
Urgent cases: if your flight is close and the e-visa result has not arrived, ask us about expedited options.
Visa on arrival: only with a pre-approved approval letter, at international airports, with the fee paid at the counter.

Never overstay. Under Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, an overstay of under 16 days already carries a fine of VND 0.5–2 million, and longer overstays are fined much more heavily. See Vietnam visa overstay fines.

Australian missions in Vietnam and Vietnamese missions in Australia

For a replacement passport, an emergency travel document or consular help, contact the Australian Embassy in Hanoi or the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City. See our list of foreign embassies in Vietnam. In Australia, Vietnam has an Embassy in Canberra and Consulates-General in Sydney and Perth, where approval-letter visas can be collected and some consular files lodged. Check their opening hours before you go.

Info Travel services for Australians

Standard and urgent e-visas, checked before submission
5-year exemption certificates for Vietnamese-Australians and their families
TT visas and residence cards for spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens
DN, LĐ and ĐT approval letters and work permits
Extensions, overstay resolution and airport fast track

Fees depend on each case. Message us on WhatsApp/Zalo at +84327828822 for a quote. For a general overview, see how to get a Vietnam visa.

FAQ

I hold both Vietnamese and Australian citizenship. Which passport should I use?

If you still hold Vietnamese nationality and have a valid Vietnamese passport, you can enter on it without a visa. On your Australian passport you need an e-visa, a visa or a 5-year exemption certificate.

Can I extend my 90-day e-visa?

Only if an eligible company, organisation or relative sponsors a new visa inside Vietnam. Otherwise you must leave before it expires.

I am arriving on a cruise. Do I need a visa?

Check with your cruise line, because many lines arrange group entry formalities. If you are travelling independently, an e-visa works at the seaports approved for e-visa entry.