Spanish citizens can enter Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム) visa-free for 90 days if you're just passing through, but if you're staying longer or need a visa on arrival for any reason, the e-visa is the simplest option. It's cheaper and faster than a traditional embassy visa, and you can do it entirely online from your couch in Barcelona or Madrid.
The basics: Do you actually need a visa?
If your Spanish passport is valid for at least six months, you get 90 days visa-free. Full stop. This covers tourism, business meetings, family visits — anything short-term. You only need a visa if you're staying past 90 days, coming back within 30 days of leaving (the system flags frequent short-turn renewals), or if your passport expires within six months of your planned departure.
One insider caveat: if you've applied for a visa previously and been rejected or had a visa revoked, even years ago, apply through the embassy instead of online. E-visa rejection leaves a digital trace that can cause headaches at the airport.
How to apply for the e-visa
The official channel: Visit the Immigration Department of Vietnam's official portal (evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn). This is the only genuinely government-run site; others claiming to be "official" are private agents charging markups.
What you'll need:
- Your Spanish passport (color scan of the biographical page, clear and legible)
- A recent passport photo (4×6 cm, white background, no glasses — the specs are strict)
- Your intended entry and exit dates
- Your email address
- If requested: proof of accommodation (hotel booking, Airbnb, invitation from a friend — doesn't matter)
The process takes about 10 minutes to complete:
- Upload your documents
- Fill in your personal details and passport number (triple-check these; typos cause delays and rejections)
- Select your entry point (Hanoi Noi Bai, Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Can Tho airports; some land borders like Mong Cai are also valid)
- Choose your visa validity (30-day or 90-day single-entry)
- Pay the fee
- Wait for approval
Photo by Nhựt Nguyên Trần on Pexels
Cost and processing time
Official rate: 25 USD for a 30-day single-entry visa, 50 USD for 90-day. Paid by credit or debit card at checkout.
Processing:
- Standard: 3 business days (so apply on a Monday or Tuesday; weekend doesn't count)
- Expedited: 2 business days for 5 USD extra
- Rush: 1 business day for 20 USD extra
Don't use private agents advertising "guaranteed approval" or "visa in 24 hours." You're paying 40–60 USD for the same thing and losing control of your documents.
Common pitfalls that cause rejection
Blurry or poorly lit passport scan: The system is automated at first pass. If the biographical page is dark, tilted, or cut off, it rejects automatically. Take it in good daylight, flat on a white surface, using your phone camera. Skip the phone's crop tool; send the full page.
Passport expiry: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your exit date. The form doesn't ask this directly, but immigration checks it when you land. If it's borderline, wait until you renew.
Photo fails: White or very light background only. No glasses, even if you wear them daily. The photo must be recent (within 6 months). Head-on, neutral expression. The system rejects 20% of first-submitted photos on technical grounds alone.
Name and passport number mismatches: If your passport says "María José García López" but you enter "Maria J. Garcia Lopez," it fails. Copy your name exactly as it appears in the passport, including accents, hyphens, and middle names.
Multiple entries in a short window: If you left Vietnam on a 30-day visa on June 1 and apply for another visa on June 15, the system flags it. Immigration reviews short-turn applications manually and often denies them (the assumption is overstay). Wait at least 30 days between exits and re-entries, or apply for a 90-day visa upfront.
Wrong entry/exit port: The visa is valid only for the specified airport or border crossing. If you select Hanoi but land in Saigon (사이공 / 西贡 / サイゴン), you're turned around at immigration. Double-check your flight booking.
Photo by Nhựt Nguyên Trần on Pexels
What to do if your application is rejected
You'll get an email with the reason (usually photo, name mismatch, or passport issue). You can reapply immediately, but fix the problem first. The fee is non-refundable, but you can submit a new application.
If you're close to your travel date and worried about delays, call the nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate from Spain (Madrid or Barcelona) and book a same-day or next-day appointment. They can issue a physical visa in 1–2 hours, and it costs around 100 EUR, but it's a failsafe.
Practical notes
Save a copy of your approval letter (you'll get a PDF via email) and show it on your phone or printed at check-in and immigration. The barcode on that letter is what immigration scans. Keep your passport and hotel booking confirmation handy once you land — spot checks are routine, though they rarely stop EU citizens with valid visas.
If you're staying longer than 90 days, look into a tourist visa (3 months, renewable in Vietnam) or a business e-visa (90 days, also renewable). Both use the same website but require different supporting docs.
Last updated · May 22, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
