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Most UAE residents need a visa for Vietnam, and the Vietnam e-visa is the usual way to get it from Dubai. It is valid for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry. The portal fee is 25 USD for one entry and 50 USD for multiple entry. We file it, check every field against your passport and tell you first if your passport is exempt.
Passport first, residence second
Vietnam does not care that you live in Dubai. It looks at the passport in your hand. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam publishes an exemption list (page dated ). For ordinary passports it includes, for example, the Philippines for 21 days, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore for 30 days, and the United Kingdom for 45 days under a unilateral policy that runs to .
India, Egypt, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nigeria appear on that list for diplomatic and official passports only. The UAE is listed for the same two categories, with 90 days. Kenya and the United States do not appear on it. If your ordinary passport is not exempt, you need a visa.
What the e-visa costs and allows
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Single entry, up to 90 days | 25 USD |
| Multiple entry, up to 90 days | 50 USD |
| How you pay | Portal e-payment gateway |
| If not granted | Fee not refunded |
Source: Vietnam e-visa portal, Immigration Department, checked . These are government fees in US dollars. We do not quote a dirham figure for them because the portal does not give one.
Rules from the portal
The portal's FAQ adds details that catch people out:
- The visa must run at least 30 days less than your passport validity.
- You can apply up to 1 year before entry, which helps if you plan around Tet.
- You cannot apply while you are inside Viet Nam.
- You do not have to leave through the same gate you entered.
- E-visa holders must use the international border gates set by the Government.
- The e-visa is a visit visa. To work you need a work permit or a written confirmation that none is needed.
The Immigration Department also recommends completing the pre-arrival form on its own site before you land.
Who cannot use the e-visa
The e-visa is for foreigners with a passport who are outside Viet Nam, and it excludes the categories in Article 8, clauses 1 to 4 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners. It is also refused to people under entry suspension under Article 21. Those travellers apply through an inviting organisation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Documents to have ready
- Passport with at least 6 months of validity and enough pages.
- A clear scan of the bio page.
- A passport-style photo.
- Your arrival and departure dates and first address in Viet Nam.
- A card for the fee.
- Answers about trips taken in the last year. The form asks for them, and incomplete answers can lead to refusal.
From Dubai, step by step
- Check your passport against the exemption list.
- Decide single or multiple entry. Multiple costs 25 USD more and makes sense if you will cross to Cambodia or Laos and come back.
- Complete the form exactly as the machine-readable line of the passport reads, in capitals.
- Upload the photo and the scan.
- Pay and save the application code.
- Check the status on the portal and print the approved e-visa.
Why people are refused or delayed
- Declaring an old past violation incorrectly. The portal says false answers can lead to refusal.
- Names typed with the wrong middle name.
- Visa end date less than 30 days before passport expiry.
- Applying with a passport that has been replaced since.
The embassy
The Embassy of Viet Nam in the United Arab Emirates is in Abu Dhabi. Its site has consular sections for visa exemption and fees. The portal asks you to apply online, so we file the e-visa there instead of sending you to the embassy.
How it works with us
Send a photo of your passport and your travel dates on WhatsApp or through the form here. A visa adviser looks at the exemption list for your passport and tells you whether to apply at all. If you need the e-visa, you get one total price before paying: the 25 USD or 50 USD government fee plus our service. The team fills the form, checks it against your documents, submits it and sends you the approved e-visa. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. Viet Nam decides every visa.
Viet Nam does not return its fee when a visa is not granted. Your adviser says in writing, before you pay, whether any part of our service charge comes back in that case.
Official sources
- Viet Nam e-visa portal: fees, 90-day validity, conditions.
- Portal FAQ: 30-day rule, early applications, work permit.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa exemption list: ordinary passport exemptions.
- Embassy of Viet Nam in the UAE: consular sections.
Planning a wider trip? See visas from Dubai, the Thailand visa for UAE residents and Cambodia visa for UAE residents pages.
