Vietnam Visas for Australian Residents – What You Need to Know

If you live in Australia and are looking for a culturally rich and exciting holiday location, consider traveling to Vietnam. The country offers attractions for every traveler, inexpensive hotels, delicious cuisine, and a welcoming culture. The high conversion rate of the Australian Dollar (1 AUD = ~18,300 VND) and the number of reasonably priced flights to Vietnam have led to an increase in Australians traveling to Vietnam in recent years. Some even say that Vietnam is now the new Thailand, as Vietnam offers a similar Southeast Asian experience as Thailand for a much lower cost.

Planning Travel from Australia to Vietnam

Australian travelers to Vietnam can choose their flights from a variety of airlines, including Air Asia, Malaysia Airlines, Scoot, Vietnam Airlines, Cathay Dragon, Singapore Airlines, and Jetstar Asia. Most visitors from Australia will fly into Ho Chi Minh City, as the city is the southernmost airport option and is usually less expensive to fly into than other Vietnam airports. However, travelers can sometimes get convenient and inexpensive flights into Hanoi and Da Nang, too.

Vietnam Visa Requirements

Before your trip, make sure that your passport is up-to-date and that you have applied for your visa to Vietnam. As a citizen of Australia, you must acquire a visa before entering Vietnam. Vietnam does grant visas for Australian citizens on arrival. However, the visa application process is much easier if the Australian passport holder applies for a Vietnam visa online. When you are ready to apply for a visa online, please have the following information available:

• Your name exactly as you find it on your passport: Note that the order of your first name and last time is not important.
• Your date of birth: The correct date format is DD/MM/YY.
• Your nationality: Use the nationality listed on your passport.
• Your passport number: Make sure that the number you provide matches the number in your passport exactly.
• Date of arrival: Travelers must indicate their intended date of arrival when they apply for their Vietnam visa. Note that you can choose to enter Vietnam on or later than the official visa approval letter’s entry date, but not earlier.

Also, please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months after your arrival date and that you have a blank page left for your Vietnam visa stamp.

How much does a Vietnam visa cost a traveler?

To get your Vietnam visa, you will need to pay both an approval letter service fee and a visa stamping fee. You can pay the approval letter service fee directly to a Vietnam visa service, but you will need to pay in cash for your stamping fee when you arrive in Vietnam. Altogether, most Vietnam visas cost under AUD 100, and we accept most major credit cards. To learn more about Vietnam visa fees for each type of visa, check out our dedicated page titled, “How Much Does a Vietnam Visa Cost?”

Getting a Vietnam Visa

To apply for a Vietnam visa, you can get your visa at the Vietnam Embassy in Canberra, Australia or online, through our website. To obtain Vietnam visa online, visit our online Vietnam visa application for Australian citizens, and follow the simple steps outlined below:

• Submit the application form online via our secure network to receive a visa approval letter.
• Get a visa stamp when you arrive at one of Vietnam’s international airports.

We process most Vietnam visa online applications for Australian citizens in two working days. For further assistance, please contact us at support@vietnamvisa.govt.vn or call our hotline at +84 12 32 320 320. Our working hours are from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM GMT +7.

Travel tips for Australians traveling to Vietnam

Once you take care of your Vietnam visa application, you should get back to planning your trip! Here are some useful travel tips below:

• When you pack for your trip to Vietnam, take a close look at the weather patterns for the places in your itinerary. Vietnam has several microclimates across the country, and these climates have significant seasonal variations. Pack clothing that is appropriate for the weather in Vietnam in each place that you will visit. You can find more packing tips in our article on how to pack for your trip to Vietnam.
• To keep costs low, plan a budget for each section of your trip. You can expect hotels in Vietnam to cost between $20 and $80 per night. For food, budget $3 to $5 per meal for quick bites at food stalls and between $5 to $10 for meals in air-conditioned restaurants. To learn more about budgeting for your trip, check out our article on Vietnam vacation costs.
• Exploring Vietnamese cuisine is an essential part of any trip to Vietnam. Research popular dishes of the regions you will visit, and make sure to ask for them when you go out to eat. Discover must-try foods in our post on eating in Vietnam.

For more tips and ideas on traveling to Vietnam, check out our article on preparing for your trip to Vietnam as an Australian citizen. You can also check out our Vietnam travel guides to popular tourist destinations, including Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Bien Hoa, Hai Phong, and Halong Bay. Remember, before any trip to Vietnam, Australian citizens need a Vietnam visa. To apply online, travelers can use our Vietnam visa application for Australians citizens.