Independent visa-handling service. Vietnam Visa by BDA is not affiliated with the Vietnamese government.

Yes, you need a visa. Ireland is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list, so Irish passport holders need a visa for any visit, of any length. The simplest and cheapest route is the eVisa: valid up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and accepted at all 83 entry points. Ireland is a modest European source market for Vietnam, with arrivals in the low tens of thousands per year; it rode Europe's roughly 39% year-on-year growth into Vietnam as the country reached a record 21+ million international arrivals in 2025.

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Do Irish Citizens Need a Visa for Vietnam?

Yes. Vietnam does not waive visas for Irish passport holders, so you need a visa for any purpose: tourism, family visits, conferences, or short-term business. There is no general visa-free window, and leaving the airport's international transit area counts as entering Vietnam. For almost every traveler, the eVisa is the route we recommend, and it is cheaper, safer, and accepted at more borders than legacy visa-on-arrival.

Why the eVisa Is the Right Choice

The Vietnam eVisa is an electronic visa issued by Vietnam's Immigration Department and emailed to you as a PDF. No embassy visit, no visa-on-arrival queue. For Irish citizens it offers:

  • Up to 90 days validity (1-month or 3-month options).
  • Single or multiple entry: pick multiple if you might take a side trip to a neighbouring country and re-enter.
  • Acceptance at all 83 designated entry points: 17 airports, 27 land borders, and 39 seaports.
  • One document for tourism and short business: there are no separate short-stay categories.

You can apply yourself at the official portal, evisa.gov.vn, or let us handle the whole application for a small service fee. Either way the government fee is the same; what we add is a review of every detail before submission, error correction, faster processing options, and English-language support if anything looks off.

Requirements for Irish Applicants

  • A Irish passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned exit, with at least two blank pages.
  • A clear scan of your passport bio page, all four corners visible, no glare.
  • A passport-style portrait photo: 4x6 cm, plain white background, taken in the last 6 months, no glasses, neutral expression.
  • Your travel dates and intended entry point (airport, land border, or seaport).
  • An email address and a Visa or Mastercard for the government and service fees.

Cost: What Irish Citizens Pay

OptionValidityOur fee (per applicant)
1 Month Single Entry30 days from arrival$54
1 Month Multiple Entry30 days from arrival$84
3 Month Single Entry90 days from arrival$94
3 Month Multiple Entry90 days from arrival$104

All prices include the Vietnam Immigration Department's stamp fee, with no hidden add-ons. The official government fee is USD 25 (single entry) or USD 50 (multiple entry) and is non-refundable even if an application is rejected, which is exactly why our pre-submission review matters. Your card is charged in USD, so your bank applies its own exchange rate to euros. See the full fee breakdown and currency estimator →

Processing Times

  • Normal: 5 to 10 business days.
  • Urgent: 2 business days (+$45 per applicant).
  • Super Urgent: 1 business day (+$85 per applicant).

Times start when our team submits your application to Immigration, usually within 2 business hours of payment during office hours (08:00 to 21:00 GMT+7). Apply at least 2 to 3 weeks ahead where you can, and add a buffer around Vietnamese public holidays such as Tet, when the Immigration Department is closed and even urgent processing pauses.

Single vs Multiple Entry

Single entry is enough for a one-way visit, even with domestic flights inside Vietnam (Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc all count as one entry). Multiple entry is the right choice if you plan to leave and re-enter, for example a regional itinerary through Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand, or a cruise that calls at several Vietnamese ports. Both options carry the same 90-day maximum, so if there is any chance you will leave and return, choose multiple entry.

⚠️ Do not overstay. Under the December 2025 fine schedule, overstays draw tiered penalties rising to as much as VND 40 million for the most serious cases, plus possible deportation and a future entry ban. On arrival, check that the exit date stamped in your passport matches your permitted stay, and leave on or before that date.

Photo & Passport Requirements

  • Portrait photo, 4x6 cm, color, JPG or JPEG, taken within the last 6 months.
  • Plain white background, no shadows, filters, glasses, or head coverings (unless religious).
  • Full face to camera, neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open.
  • A clear scan of your passport bio page with all four corners visible and no glare.
  • Passport valid at least 6 months beyond your planned exit, with two blank pages.

A non-compliant photo or bio-page scan is the single most common cause of a stuck or rejected application. Our team checks yours against the requirements before anything is filed.

How to Apply, Step by Step

  1. Open our application form.
  2. Pick your visa type, processing speed, and number of applicants (up to 10 in one order).
  3. Enter trip details: nationality (Ireland), entry point, arrival date, and contact email.
  4. Add each applicant's information exactly as printed on the passport.
  5. Review, pay, and submit. We review within 2 business hours and file with Immigration after any corrections.
  6. Receive your eVisa PDF by email. Print it in color and bring it with your passport.

See the full walkthrough on our How to Apply page.

Where Irish Citizens Typically Arrive

All of the following accept the eVisa:

  • Dublin (DUB) one-stop via Gulf hubs: Dubai (Emirates), Doha (Qatar Airways) or Abu Dhabi (Etihad) - into Hanoi (HAN) or Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)
  • One-stop via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) into HAN/SGN/DAD
  • Via London (LHR) or Paris (CDG) connecting onward to Vietnam Airlines or partner flights

Your entry point is fixed once the eVisa is approved. The port you name on the form is printed on the visa, and turning up somewhere else means a new application rather than a correction at the desk. Vietnam accepts the eVisa at 83 places: 17 airports, 27 land border gates and 39 seaports. Decide which one you will actually use before you pay.

Common Questions From Irish Applicants

Do Irish citizens need a visa for Vietnam in 2026?

Yes. Ireland is not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list, so Irish passport holders must obtain an eVisa (or other visa) before travelling. It is applied for online.

How long is the Vietnam eVisa valid for Irish travellers?

Up to 90 days, with a choice of single entry or multiple entry over that validity period.

Is Ireland covered by Vietnam's newer visa-free rules?

No. Vietnam's 2025 visa waiver added 12 other European countries but not Ireland, so an eVisa is still required for Irish nationals.

My eVisa was denied. What now?

Because we review every application before submitting, we catch most issues up front, such as a passport expiring within 6 months. If we spot a problem - or we anticipate that Vietnam Immigration would deny your application - we refund you in full before submitting and suggest alternatives. See our Terms and Conditions.

Practical Details for Irish Travelers

  • Time difference: Vietnam is 7 hours ahead of Ireland in winter (GMT) and 6 hours ahead during Irish Summer Time (late March to late October).
  • Getting there: There are no direct flights; Irish travelers typically connect in about 15-18 hours via London, Paris, or a Gulf hub such as Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi with airlines like Qatar Airways or Emirates.
  • When to go: Irish visitors most often go during the Irish winter (roughly November to April) to enjoy warmer, drier conditions in much of Vietnam.
  • Money: The local currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND); the eVisa fee is paid online in US dollars by card, but keep some dong on hand for everyday spending as cash is still king outside hotels and city-centre shops.
  • Good to know: Irish travelers usually route via London or a Gulf hub; carry a printed eVisa and keep your passport valid at least six months.

Vietnamese embassy and consulates: Vietnam opened a resident Embassy in Dublin in March 2025, its first in Ireland; before that, Irish affairs were handled from the Embassy in London. Refer to Vietnam's official MOFA mission directory for current contact details.

When You Need a Mission, Not an eVisa

Most Irish travellers never deal with a Vietnamese mission at all. The eVisa is issued online, your passport is never surrendered, and nothing is posted anywhere. Three things do still have to go through the mission listed above rather than through us:

  • Stays beyond 90 days, and any visa tied to work, study or investment. Those need a sponsoring organisation inside Vietnam and are issued by a mission, not online. The eVisa cannot be extended or converted once you are in the country.
  • The 5-year Visa Exemption Certificate, for people of Vietnamese origin and for the foreign spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens. It runs five years and allows stays of up to 180 days per entry, well beyond anything the eVisa offers.
  • Legalising documents for use in Vietnam, such as marriage, birth or academic certificates.

Missions open, close and change accreditation - Vietnam opened resident embassies in Dublin and Lisbon during 2025, and third-party directories were slow to catch up. Check Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs mission directory at mofa.gov.vn before relying on any listing, including ours.

Applying from Ireland

  • The clock: Vietnam is UTC+7 and never changes its clocks. Ireland is UTC+0, which puts Hanoi 7 hours ahead of you, or 6 hours during Irish summer time.
  • When you can reach us: Our Hanoi team answers from 08:00 to 21:00 GMT+7, which is 01:00 to 14:00 where you are.
  • How far ahead to apply: normal processing runs 5 to 10 business days from submission, so start 2 to 3 weeks before you fly. Add a buffer around Tet and other Vietnamese public holidays, when the Immigration Department closes and even urgent processing pauses.
  • Paying: the fee is charged in US dollars, so your bank converts from the euro at its own rate and may add a foreign-transaction fee on top. Payment guidelines →

Other Nationalities

Elsewhere in Europe: Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Also applying for the eVisa: Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco.

Not listed? The eVisa has been open to every country and territory in the world since Resolution 127/NQ-CP in August 2023 - check your nationality on the full list →

Ready to Apply?

Start your Vietnam eVisa application now. Under 10 minutes, no signup required, with a real team checking every detail.

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