Vietnam visa for Russian citizens

Planning a longer stay: settle the entry basis before flying

A Russian citizen who meets Vietnam’s entry conditions can generally visit without a visa for up to 45 days. A longer continuous holiday needs suitable permission arranged in advance. Vietnam’s e-visa system offers eligible visits of up to 90 days, with single- and multiple-entry options. The 45-day allowance and the e-visa period are alternative entry arrangements, not periods to add together.

Start with a complete calendar, especially if you are booking an extended apartment stay. Write down the date you reach Vietnamese passport control and the date you leave Vietnam. An accommodation reservation for two or three months does not itself grant immigration permission for that period.

Show the approved e-visa if that is the permission your trip needs

The Russian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City warns that a traveller who does not present an issued e-visa at passport control may be admitted under the shorter visa exemption instead. Holding an approval somewhere in your email is therefore not enough for a visit relying on it.

1. Keep a readable copy of the issued approval with the passport.
2. Present it when entering if your stay is based on that visa.
3. Check the entry stamp and recorded permitted-stay date before leaving the inspection area.

If the recorded permission does not match your understanding, raise the question immediately with the immigration officer. Neither a hotel booking nor a saved application reference replaces the admission recorded by Vietnamese authorities.

Use the international passport and its printed Latin spelling

Prepare the international passport you will carry, rather than a domestic identity document or an expired booklet. The Consulate-General advises at least six months’ remaining validity on arrival and free pages for entry and exit stamps. Check these before building the application around the passport number.

For the name fields, compare the requested entries with the Latin-character spelling printed on the passport. A spelling remembered from a previous passport, a translated document or a travel profile can differ. Read the surname and given-name fields individually rather than retyping the whole line from memory.

Separate repeat entries from the final expiry date

For a route that includes Cambodia or another country, list every Vietnamese border crossing. If you choose an e-visa to cover a departure and return, consider multiple entry and check that both entries fit its approved validity. Do not treat the second arrival as a new visa period.

Once the route and document are settled, use the Vietnam e-visa form for Russian passport holders. You can review the saved details before payment. Allow room for corrections using the processing-time guide; a booking deadline or intended flight does not guarantee an approval date.