- 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 9 September 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