Vietnam Visa for UK Citizens 2026: Everything You Need to Know

For British travellers, Vietnam is one of the easiest long-haul destinations in Asia to enter. If you hold a full British citizen passport, you can arrive without a visa and stay for up to 45 days, which is enough for most holidays, from a fortnight in the north to a month travelling from Hanoi down to the Mekong Delta.

The rules still catch people out every year, though. Some travellers plan a seven-week trip and assume they can sort out the extra time once they are there. Others hold a British National (Overseas) passport and assume it is covered, or hop over to Cambodia mid-trip without thinking about re-entry.

This guide covers what the 45-day exemption actually allows, who it does not cover, when an E-Visa is the better choice, and the practical details of getting from the UK to Vietnam in late 2026 and 2027.

Do UK Citizens Need a Visa for Vietnam?

Not for stays of up to 45 days, if you hold a full British citizen passport. Under Vietnam's Government Resolution 44/NQ-CP (dated 7 March 2025), citizens of the United Kingdom are exempt from a visa for a stay of up to 45 days from the date of entry. The UK is one of 12 countries on this list, alongside Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

The exemption is valid from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. Vietnam's official tourism site notes that it will be considered for extension after that under Vietnamese law.

Here is the quick answer for common situations:

Conditions of the 45-Day Visa Exemption

The exemption is automatic. There is nothing to apply for in advance, but you must meet Vietnam's normal entry conditions.

Passport validity and condition

According to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), your passport must have:

• an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive in Vietnam
• at least 2 blank pages
• no damage. The FCDO reports that British nationals have been refused entry, and exit, because of damaged passports.

Vietnam also requires you to enter and leave on the same passport. If you are a dual national, choose which passport you are travelling on and use it for the whole trip, including airline check-in.

BN(O) passports are not covered

Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that holders of British National (Overseas) passports are not exempt from the visa requirement and must hold an appropriate visa to enter. The FCDO's Vietnam entry guidance is also written specifically for travellers on a full "British citizen" passport.

If you hold a BN(O) passport, arrange a visa before you travel. If you also hold another passport, check whether that nationality qualifies for an exemption or an E-Visa, and travel on it consistently. If you are unsure which route applies to your passport, contact the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK before booking.

How the 45 days are counted

• The 45 days are counted from your date of entry, not from when you booked or left the UK.
• Your passport is stamped on arrival with an entry date and the date by which you must leave. That date is the one that counts.
• The FCDO advises you to check that the exit date on the stamp is correct before you leave the airport or border post, because immigration will not change it afterwards. A wrong date could lead to you being accused of overstaying.

Plan your return flight with a margin of a day or two before the leave-by date rather than on the very last day, in case of delays or cancellations.

Leaving and re-entering Vietnam

Vietnam used to require a 30-day gap between two visa-exempt visits. That rule was removed by the 2019 amendment to Vietnam's immigration law (Law 51/2019/QH14), in force since July 2020. In practice, if you leave Vietnam, for example for a few days in Cambodia, Laos or Thailand, and come back, you normally receive a new exemption period from your new entry date.

That said, entry is always at the discretion of the border officer, and repeated back-to-back "border runs" to stay in Vietnam long-term may attract questions. If your plan depends on re-entering without any uncertainty, or you are effectively living in Vietnam, an E-Visa is the cleaner option.

What the exemption is for

Resolution 44/NQ-CP grants the exemption regardless of passport type or purpose of entry. The FCDO describes it as covering tourism or business visits. It does not let you take up employment. Working in Vietnam requires the appropriate visa and, normally, a work permit. The FCDO also warns that people who overstay or work illegally can be fined, prevented from leaving until they pay, deported, and banned from returning.

When British Travellers Need an E-Visa

The Vietnam E-Visa has been available to all nationalities since 15 August 2023. It allows stays of up to 90 days, with single or multiple entry. British travellers should get one in these situations.

1. Your trip is longer than 45 days

This is the big one. If you are planning a two-month backpacking trip, a long winter escape, or extended time with family, apply for an E-Visa that covers your whole stay before you travel.

Do not count on sorting it out once you are in the country. The FCDO notes that if you get an E-Visa while you are in Vietnam, you must leave the country and re-enter to start using it. Choose the right length and entry type up front.

2. Your itinerary includes side trips and you want certainty

Popular combinations such as Vietnam, Cambodia (Angkor Wat), then back to Vietnam, or Vietnam, Laos and back, involve re-entering Vietnam. In most cases the visa exemption simply restarts. If your total time in Vietnam will exceed 45 days across the trip, or you want a document that clearly covers every entry, a multiple-entry E-Visa is the safer choice. Our multiple-entry E-Visa guide explains how it works.

3. You hold a BN(O) passport

BN(O) passport holders are not covered by the exemption and need a visa for any length of stay. See the BN(O) section above.

4. You want a longer, documented stay for business

For repeat business visits or longer projects (not employment), a 90-day multiple-entry E-Visa can be simpler than relying on separate exemption entries.

For a side-by-side comparison of all the options, see our guide to the E-Visa vs embassy visa vs visa exemption.

How to Apply for a Vietnam E-Visa from the UK

The application is online and takes about 15 to 20 minutes with your documents ready.

What you need

• Your British passport, valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival date
• A clear colour scan or photo of your passport bio page, with all four corners and the two machine-readable lines at the bottom visible
• A recent portrait photo: 4 x 6 cm proportions, plain white background, facing the camera, no glasses, JPG/JPEG under 2 MB
• Your travel details: intended entry date, entry checkpoint (for example Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat or Da Nang airport), exit checkpoint and first address in Vietnam
• A payment card

Note that a UK passport photo is a different size and shape from the E-Visa portrait. Take a new photo in 4 x 6 cm (2:3) proportions.

Step by step

1. Start your application on our Vietnam E-Visa page and choose single or multiple entry. Current pricing is shown on the booking page.
2. Enter your details exactly as they appear in your passport, including all middle names. Vietnam uses the DD/MM/YYYY date format, the same as the UK.
3. Upload your photo and passport scan, then check both on screen for blur, glare or cropping.
4. Pay and submit, and save your reference details.
5. Receive your E-Visa as a PDF, check every detail against your passport, and print two copies.

Processing time

Standard government processing is around 3 working days, Monday to Friday, excluding Vietnamese public holidays. It takes longer around Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). Tet 2027 falls on 6 February, with the public-sector holiday running from 4 to 10 February 2027. Apply at least two weeks before you fly. If time is short, E-Visa Priority Handling offers 2-working-day, 1-working-day and 4-hour urgent options. Our processing time guide has more detail.

The entry port matters

An E-Visa names the checkpoint where you will enter, and the FCDO notes that E-Visas restrict you to the entry and exit points you select. Make sure your arrival airport or land border matches what you put on the application.

Flights from the UK to Vietnam

Direct flights

As of late 2026, Vietnam Airlines is the only airline flying nonstop between the UK and Vietnam. It operates from London Heathrow (LHR) to:

• Hanoi (HAN), about 12 to 12.5 hours
• Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), about 12.5 to 13.5 hours

Both routes run several times a week, but the number of weekly flights varies by season, so check the current timetable when you book. There are no nonstop flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh or other UK airports. From those cities you would connect, either through London or through a hub abroad.

Connecting options

Many British travellers connect through a Gulf, European or Asian hub. Common routings include Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok, with onward flights to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. A connection can also make it easier to fly directly into Da Nang for Hoi An and Hue, or to plan an open-jaw trip that flies into Hanoi and home from Ho Chi Minh City. For more on routings, see our flights to Vietnam guide.

Transfers inside Vietnam: The FCDO points out that if you transfer from an international flight to a domestic flight in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, you must clear immigration and enter Vietnam, even if your final destination is outside Vietnam. Under the exemption that is straightforward, but it does count as an entry.

Time difference: Vietnam is on UTC+7, so it is 7 hours ahead of the UK in winter (GMT) and 6 hours ahead during British Summer Time.

Entry Points

Under the visa exemption, you can enter at any international checkpoint. If you are travelling on an E-Visa, you must use the checkpoint named on it. Following Resolution 389/NQ-CP (December 2025), the E-Visa is accepted at 83 international checkpoints across airports, land borders and seaports.

For help choosing where to land, see our guide to the best airports to enter Vietnam.

On Arrival: Digital Arrival Card, Immigration and Customs

Complete the Digital Arrival Card

Vietnam has introduced a free online Pre-Arrival Information declaration, widely known as the Digital Arrival Card, at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. It launched at Tan Son Nhat on 15 April 2026. By late June 2026 it covered Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc, and it is being expanded to all airports.

• Submit it no more than 3 days before arrival, or on arrival
• You receive a QR code to show at immigration
• It is free and it is not a visa. If you are entering under the 45-day exemption, indicate that on the form rather than entering E-Visa details.

Our Digital Arrival Card guide walks through each field.

At immigration

Have your passport, your Digital Arrival Card QR code, and, if you have one, your printed E-Visa ready. Keep your return or onward booking handy, since airlines in the UK commonly check it at check-in and officers may ask. Once your passport is stamped, check the exit date before you walk away.

Skip the queue with Fast Track

After a 12-hour long-haul flight, an immigration queue is the last thing you want. Our Airport Fast Track service meets you on arrival and escorts you through a priority lane at Tan Son Nhat (SGN), Noi Bai (HAN) and Da Nang (DAD). See whether it suits you in is Vietnam airport fast track worth it?.

Customs: cash limits

According to the FCDO, you must declare cash when entering or leaving Vietnam if you are carrying more than 15 million Vietnamese dong or more than US$5,000 (or the equivalent in other currencies). If you are taking prescription medicine, carry it in your hand luggage with a copy of the prescription.

Check the FCDO Travel Advice Before You Go

The UK government's official travel advice for Vietnam is published by the FCDO at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam. It covers entry requirements, safety and security, health, and how to get help from the British Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City. You can sign up there for email alerts if the advice changes. Note that the FCDO says the British Embassy will not assist with visa extensions, which is another reason to choose the right visa before you fly.

Also see our own guides to staying safe while travelling in Vietnam and Vietnam travel insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I extend the 45-day visa exemption while in Vietnam?

Do not plan on it. If there is any chance your trip will run past 45 days, apply for an E-Visa of up to 90 days before you travel. The FCDO notes that an E-Visa obtained while you are already in Vietnam only takes effect after you exit and re-enter.

What happens if I overstay?

Overstaying is treated seriously. Fines were increased under Decree 282/2025, and the FCDO warns that overstayers can be prevented from leaving until they pay, and may be deported and barred from returning. See our overstay fines guide.

I have a British passport but live outside the UK. Does the exemption still apply?

The exemption is based on your citizenship and the passport you travel on, not where you live. A full British citizen passport qualifies wherever you fly from.

Do I need an E-Visa for Phu Quoc?

No. British citizen passport holders can visit Phu Quoc under the 45-day exemption like anywhere else in Vietnam. Phu Quoc also has its own 30-day visa-free rule for all foreign visitors who stay only on the island, but for British citizen passport holders the 45-day exemption is the more flexible option, since it also covers the mainland.

Is the 45-day exemption going to end in 2028?

Resolution 44/NQ-CP is valid until 14 March 2028 and may be extended. If your trip falls close to or after that date, check the latest position (and the FCDO advice) before you travel.

Can my children use the exemption too?

Yes. Children travelling on their own full British citizen passports are covered in the same way as adults, subject to the same passport validity rules. Our Vietnam family travel guide has more tips for travelling with kids.

The Bottom Line

Most British travellers on a full British citizen passport can simply book, fly and enjoy up to 45 days in Vietnam with no visa. Check that your passport has 6 months' validity, two blank pages and no damage, fill in the free Digital Arrival Card before landing, and check your exit stamp.

If your trip is longer than 45 days, you want the certainty of a multiple-entry document for side trips, or you hold a BN(O) passport, sort out an E-Visa before you leave the UK.

Apply for your Vietnam E-Visa here.