Vietnam visit visa for Pakistan passport holders

Vietnam is one of the easier long-haul destinations for Pakistani travellers, because there is no embassy appointment. The Immigration Department issues electronic visas to foreigners, and the official portal sets only three conditions. You must be outside Vietnam when you apply, hold a valid passport, and not fall into the cases barred from entry under Article 21 of Vietnam's law on the entry and residence of foreigners. The portal does not exclude any nationality, so Pakistani passport holders apply on the same terms as other visitors.

The e-visa is valid for up to 90 days and can be single or multiple entry. That suits a two-week trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, or a longer trip with side trips to Cambodia or Thailand, as long as you choose multiple entry if you plan to leave and come back. Since 11 November 2024, the e-visa portal has run on two official addresses, evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. The same service is also available through the Ministry of Public Security's public service portal. Use one of these government sites only, as private sites may charge extra on top of the official fee.

The Ministry of Public Security describes three steps. First, fill in the online form and upload a portrait photo and the bio-data page of your passport. You receive an electronic dossier code. Second, pay the fee online through the official payment gateway, and check the current amount on the portal before you pay. The portal says the fee is not refunded if the application is refused. Third, wait for the decision, which the ministry says is made within 3 working days of receiving the application and the fee. You then check the result with your dossier code, registration email and date of birth, and print the e-visa.

Plan your entry point before you apply. The application asks for your intended entry and exit ports, and the portal publishes the airports, land borders and seaports where e-visa holders can enter and exit. If you will cross by land from Cambodia or Laos, check that your crossing is on that list. Enter your intended entry and exit dates, your address in Vietnam and your passport details exactly as printed. A mistake may mean applying again, and the fee is not refundable, so applying at least a week before you fly leaves room to fix problems.

Some travellers cannot use the online route. People in the cases listed in Clauses 1 to 4 of Article 8 of the same law must apply through an inviting agency or organisation instead. While in Vietnam you must follow Vietnamese law, and an e-visa holder who wants to stay on may only get a new visa if a Vietnamese authority, organisation or individual sponsors them. For questions about an application, the Immigration Department's hotline is +84 24 3826 4026 and its email is foreigners@immigration.gov.vn.