Vietnam Visa for Chinese Citizens 2026: E-Visa, Visa on Arrival and Requirements

Do Chinese Citizens Need a Visa for Vietnam?

Yes. Chinese passport holders need a visa to enter Vietnam. China is not on Vietnam's visa exemption list, which covers a fixed set of countries for stays of 24 or 45 days. There is no visa free agreement between Beijing and Hanoi, so every trip, whether it is a week in Da Nang or a business meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, starts with a visa application.

The good news is that the main route, the e-visa, has been fully open to Chinese travelers since August 2023. You apply online, pay the fee, and get your visa by email. No embassy visit, no courier, no passport handover. Most applications come back in about three working days.

This guide covers the e-visa step by step, the visa on arrival alternative for airport arrivals, the fees, the entry ports that matter for travelers coming from China, and the two mistakes that reject more Chinese applications than anything else: the order of your name and the photo.

The E-Visa: The Main Route for Chinese Travelers

The e-visa is the simplest way for Chinese citizens to get into Vietnam, and since 15 August 2023 it has been open to citizens of every country and territory, mainland China included. It is an official visa, issued by the Immigration Department through the national portal, and it is valid for a stay of up to 90 days.

You choose single entry or multiple entry when you apply. A single entry visa lets you enter Vietnam once. A multiple entry visa lets you come and go as many times as you like during the validity period, which matters if you plan to hop over to Laos or Cambodia mid trip and come back. The government fee is $25 for single entry and $50 for multiple entry, paid online by card.

The e-visa works at international airports, at most land border gates, and at seaports. You name your port of entry when you apply, and you enter through the one you listed. More on that below.

One thing to understand before you start: the e-visa is a visa, not a permission slip. Immigration officers scan it at the border, stamp your passport, and you are in. Carry a printed copy with you, because airlines ask to see it at check in.

How to Apply for the Vietnam E-Visa: Step by Step

The whole application happens on the official portal at evisa.gov.vn. The site is in English and Vietnamese, and the form takes about ten minutes if your documents are ready.

Step 1: Get your files ready. You need a scanned copy of your passport data page and a digital passport photo. The photo must be a proper passport style shot: white or very light background, face centered, no glasses, no hat. More on photos below, because this is where Chinese applicants get caught out.

Step 2: Fill in the form. The portal asks for your full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, passport number, passport expiry date, and contact details. It also asks for your intended entry date and your port of entry, so have your flight details open.

Step 3: Check your name fields twice. The form asks for Given name and Surname separately. This is the single biggest source of rejections for Chinese passport holders. Your passport prints your name in pinyin with the surname first, like WANG XIAOMING. On the form, Surname gets WANG and Given name gets XIAOMING. Swapping them, or typing the whole name into one field, gets the application refused. Section 4 of this guide goes deeper.

Step 4: Upload and pay. Attach the passport scan and the photo, review the previews, and pay the $25 or $50 fee by card. The fee is non refundable, even if the application is refused, so make sure everything is right before you click.

Step 5: Track and download. You get a registration code after submitting. Use it on the portal to check your status, and when it changes to approved, download the e-visa PDF, print it, and carry it with your passport.

Processing normally takes three working days. In peak season it can stretch to five or more. Apply at least a week before you fly, and if you are inside that window, the urgent options in this guide become relevant.

Why Chinese Name Applications Get Rejected, and How to Avoid It

Vietnamese immigration compares every character on your e-visa form against the machine readable zone of your passport, the two lines of letters and numbers at the bottom of the data page. Any difference, even a space, can bounce the application. For Chinese passports the friction points are specific and predictable.

Surname and given name order. Western forms assume given name first. Chinese passports print surname first. Your passport says WANG XIAOMING, so on the e-visa form Surname is WANG and Given name is XIAOMING. If your airline ticket shows your name the other way around, ignore it. The visa must match the passport, not the ticket.

Multi character given names. Many Chinese given names are two syllables, like XIAOMING or JINGYI. Some passports print them as one word, some with a space, some with a hyphen. Copy the exact format from your passport data page, character for character. If your passport says XIAO MING, the form gets XIAO MING. If it says XIAOMING, the form gets XIAOMING.

Names that look like three words. A name like LI WEI can confuse applicants into treating WEI as a middle name. It is not. LI is the surname, WEI is the whole given name. Keep it in the Given name field.

No Chinese characters. The portal does not accept Chinese characters. Everything is typed in the Latin pinyin version that is already printed in your passport. If your passport has no Latin script, which is rare for newer passports but happens on older ones, you may need a different route than the e-visa.

The photo. The e-visa photo rules are strict: white background, face centered and looking straight ahead, no smile, no glasses, no hat, no hair covering the face. Photos cropped from a selfie, taken in dim light, or showing a shadow on the face get refused. If the photo does not look like a passport photo, retake it. Chinese applicants who fix the name fields and the photo rarely have a problem on the second attempt.

Visa on Arrival: The Airport Alternative

Visa on arrival, VOA for short, works like this: a licensed agency in Vietnam obtains an approval letter in your name from the Immigration Department before you fly. You fly to Vietnam with that letter, and at the airport you present it at the visa on arrival counter, pay the stamping fee in cash, and the officer stamps the visa into your passport. You go through passport control with a real visa already in hand.

For Chinese travelers, VOA is useful in two situations. First, when the e-visa is taking too long and you need a letter fast. Urgent approval letters can be issued the same day, which is why VOA is the standard fallback for people flying within days. Second, when your e-visa was rejected and you do not want to risk another $25 on a reapplication.

The stamping fee at the airport is $25 for single entry and $50 for multiple entry, paid in cash in USD or VND. Budget 15 to 30 minutes at the counter in a normal line, more when several international flights land at once.

Two limits to remember. VOA only exists at international airports, not at land borders. If you plan to cross into Vietnam by road from China or Laos, VOA is not an option and the e-visa is your route. And approval letters are issued for most but not all nationalities, so if you are unsure about your passport, ask before paying for anything.

The full process, letter through landing, is covered in our guide to Vietnam visa on arrival 2026.

Vietnam Visa Fees and Processing Times for Chinese Citizens

Visa type	Government fee	Processing	Validity
E-visa, single entry	$25	3 working days	Up to 90 days
E-visa, multiple entry	$50	3 working days	Up to 90 days
VOA stamping, single entry	$25 cash at airport	15-30 min at counter	30 days standard
VOA stamping, multiple entry	$50 cash at airport	15-30 min at counter	Up to 90 days
Embassy visa	Varies	5-7 working days	Varies

The approval letter for VOA is a separate cost, paid to the agency that arranges it, usually $10 to $20 for standard service. Urgent letters cost more. The e-visa has no agency cost if you apply yourself on the official portal, which is why it is the default recommendation.

Processing times stretch in peak season, roughly November to April and around Chinese New Year, when applications pile up. Three working days is the official standard, five is common in busy weeks, and the clock starts when you submit, not when you pay.

Entry Ports: Airports and the China Land Borders

When you apply for the e-visa you name one port of entry, and you enter through that port. The port is printed on the visa, so make it match your actual arrival.

Airports. The main international airports are Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang in central Vietnam. Cam Ranh near Nha Trang, Cat Bi in Hai Phong, and Phu Quoc airport also accept e-visas. Flights from China land at all of them, with the busiest routes into Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Land borders from China. Three crossings matter for overland travel between China and Vietnam:

• Huu Nghi (Friendship) Gate, Lang Son. The main road and rail crossing, opposite Youyi Guan on the Chinese side. Most overland traffic between the two countries moves through here, and it connects to Hanoi by road in a few hours.
• Mong Cai, Quang Ninh. The coastal crossing near the Guangxi border, used by travelers moving between Nanning and the Halong Bay area.
• Lao Cai. The crossing on the Red River route from Yunnan, opposite Hekou. This is the gateway for overland trips between Kunming and Sapa.

All three accept e-visas. Remember that visa on arrival does not exist at land borders, so if you enter by road, your e-visa or an embassy visa is the only option. The e-visa is also valid at seaports for cruise passengers.

Phu Quoc, Special Passports, and Group Travel

Phu Quoc. The island of Phu Quoc runs its own visa arrangement. Foreigners arriving by air or sea, including Chinese citizens, can stay on the island for up to 30 days without a visa. The catch is the entry point. Fly or sail directly into Phu Quoc and the exemption applies. Travel there overland through the mainland and it does not, because you enter the country through a regular border gate first. If Phu Quoc is your whole trip, the direct flight route can save you the visa fee entirely.

Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passports. The e-visa is open to citizens of every country and territory, and that includes Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan passports. The same $25 and $50 fees and the same 90 day validity apply. The same name rules matter too: fill the form in the Latin script printed in the passport, surname in the surname field.

Group travel. The old group visa waiver for Chinese tour groups ended, so there is no shortcut for groups anymore. Each traveler, including children and infants, needs their own visa. A family of four means four e-visas, each tied to its own passport.

Chinese Biometric Passports: The Loose-Leaf Visa Rule

There is one quirk Chinese travelers should know about before they arrive. Newer Chinese passports are biometric, and Vietnam does not stamp them. Instead, when you present your e-visa at the port of entry with a biometric Chinese passport, the immigration officer exchanges the e-visa for a separate paper visa, called a loose-leaf visa, and staples it into your passport.

The exchange is free, routine, and takes about 10 to 20 minutes at the counter. It happens at airports, seaports, and land border gates. You do not need to apply for anything in advance; the e-visa you already hold is what triggers it. The paper visa carries your details, and the officer keeps your e-visa. Nothing about your fees or validity changes.

Two practical notes. First, budget the extra 15 minutes at the border so you are not surprised by the line. Second, keep the loose-leaf visa with your passport for the whole trip, because it is the document your exit stamp goes on when you leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Vietnam in 2026?

Yes. China is not on Vietnam's visa exemption list, so every Chinese passport holder needs a visa. The e-visa is the simplest option, valid for up to 90 days.

Can Chinese citizens get a Vietnam e-visa?

Yes. Since August 2023 the e-visa has been open to citizens of every country and territory, including mainland China. You apply online, pay $25 for single entry or $50 for multiple entry, and receive the visa by email in about three working days.

Why was my Chinese-name e-visa application rejected?

The most common causes are the name fields and the photo. The surname and given name must be split exactly as printed in your passport, in pinyin, and the photo must meet passport standards with a white background and no glasses. Compare your form field by field against your passport data page.

Can I enter Vietnam by land from China with an e-visa?

Yes. The e-visa is valid at land border gates including Huu Nghi, Mong Cai, and Lao Cai. Visa on arrival does not exist at land borders, so the e-visa is the overland route.

Is Phu Quoc visa free for Chinese tourists?

Chinese travelers arriving by air or sea directly into Phu Quoc can stay up to 30 days without a visa. Arriving through the mainland does not qualify, because the exemption applies only to direct entry to the island.

Does my child need a separate visa?

Yes. Every traveler needs their own visa, including infants and children. Each e-visa is tied to one passport.

Why do Chinese e-passport holders get a loose-leaf visa at the border?

Vietnam does not stamp biometric Chinese passports. When you arrive with an e-visa, the officer exchanges it for a free paper visa, called a loose-leaf visa, stapled into your passport. The exchange takes about 10 to 20 minutes and is routine at airports, seaports, and land borders.

How NamVisa Helps Chinese Travelers

Most of the Chinese travelers who contact us fall into one of three buckets: their e-visa was rejected and the flight is close, they need an urgent approval letter, or they want someone to check the form before they pay the fee.

If your application was rejected, send us the details and we will tell you what went wrong. Nine times out of ten it is the name fields or the photo, and a clean reapplication fixes it. If a record issue is the real problem, we find out before you spend a second fee on a doomed form.

If you are flying within days, we switch you to visa on arrival. Our team works directly with the Immigration Department in Vietnam. Standard approval letters take a couple of working days, urgent letters come back the same day, and for eligible nationalities we have handled cases with flights leaving the next morning. You get the letter by email, print it, fly, and pay the stamping fee in cash at the airport.

Since 2016 we have issued approval letters for travelers from dozens of countries. Send us your passport details and travel dates, and we will tell you exactly what is possible before your flight.

The Short Version

Chinese citizens need a visa for Vietnam, and the e-visa is the way to get one. Apply on the official portal, split your name into surname and given name exactly as printed in your passport in pinyin, use a clean passport photo, and pay $25 for single entry or $50 for multiple entry, for a stay of up to 90 days. Allow three working days, longer in peak season.

Flying soon or already rejected? Switch to visa on arrival: an approval letter before you fly, $25 or $50 cash at the airport, and urgent letters issued the same day for eligible nationalities. Entering by land through Huu Nghi, Mong Cai, or Lao Cai? The e-visa covers those crossings; VOA does not. Direct flight to Phu Quoc? Up to 30 days visa free by air or sea.

For the surrounding territory, read our step by step guide to the Vietnam e-visa 2026 application, the common mistakes that sink applications, and what to do if your e-visa is rejected. If your application is still processing rather than decided, the still processing guide is the one for you.

Travelers already inside Vietnam planning their next entry can compare border run routes at visarun.vn, and anyone staying long term should look at the temporary residence card guide instead of repeating short term visas.

One last thing: if your passport is a Chinese biometric e-passport, expect the loose-leaf visa exchange at the border. It is free, takes about 15 minutes, and the paper visa travels with your passport for the whole stay.