- Capital
- Hanoi (HAN)
- Dialing Code
- + 84
- Time Zone
- UTC/GMT +7 hours
- Language
- Vietnamese
- Best Time to Go
- March - April & October - December
- Currency
- Dông (VND)
Travel Tips
- Credit cards are increasingly accepted in the major cities, but it is recommended to carry cash when travelling outside of the cities. There are no ATM’s in rural areas
- English, French and Chinese may be spoken, especially in the tourist areas
- All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Milk is unpasteurised. Bottled water is available (ensure that the seal is unbroken)
Last updated 21 October 2026
Visa Guide
Foreign Representation in South Africa
Embassy of Vietnam
87 Brooks Street, Brooklyn, Pretoria
Tel: 012 362 8119
E-mail: embassy@vietnam.co.za
Visas: visa@vietnam.co.za
Web: www.vietnam.co.za
Monday - Friday, 08:00 - 12:00
Public Holidays
2026
January: 1
February: 16 - 21
April: 26, 30
May: 1
September: 2
Visa Application Centre
Applications may be done with the Embassy, or online at: evisa.gov.vn
Visa Requirements
EMBASSY APPLICATIONS:
- Approval Letter: travellers will need to work with an authorized travel agency in Vietnam, which will request an approval letter from the Immigration Department of Vietnam
- Application form with 1 colour photo
- Original passport
- A copy of passport
- Flight booking
- House/hotel reservation/booking
- Visa fee
Once all the necessary documents are ready, travellers can submit their application for a visa at the embassy. Applications may also be submitted via courier
EVISA APPLICATIONS:
- Photo of the person requesting an electronic visa (newly taken, photo size 4x6 cm, jpg, jpeg format, size <2MB, straight face, no hat, no glasses, formal clothes, white background)
- Passport data page image
- NB: Take note of your Evisa application code, as you will need this to search for your visa application status on the platform
- If approved, the visa must be downloaded and printed, to be presented at Immigration
Visa Processing Time
3 working days, excluding the posting time
Visa Validity
Tourist: 30 day, single entry
Visa Cost
Embassy Application: Contact the embassy for fees.
E-visa fee: 25 USD for a single-entry visa / 50 USD for a multiple-entry visa. Evisa payment may take up to 2 hours to reflect
Visa Forms
Health / Vaccinations
Compulsory:
Yellow Fever (Dependant on Country of Origin/Stopover)
Recommended Travel Vaccines:
Hepatitis A & B, Japanese Encephalitis (Not available in SA), Rabies, Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio
Malaria Risk
South African Representative Abroad
South African Embassy:
Central Building 3rd Floor, 31 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hanoi
Tel: + (84-24) 3936 2000
E-mail: consular.hanoi@dirco.gov.za
Web: dirco1.azurewebsites.net/hanoi