Indian citizens require a visa for mainland Vietnam. The usual route is the Vietnam Immigration Department's e-visa for stays of up to 90 days. The form does not request a flight-ticket upload, but it records the entry and exit dates and ports. Airlines may also request proof of exit. A dummy ticket for a Vietnam visa mainly helps plan the journey around those details.
| Entry route for Indians | E-visa from the official portal; single or multiple entry, up to 90 days |
|---|---|
| Exception | Phu Quoc island: up to 30 days visa-free if you arrive directly from abroad and leave directly |
| Flight ticket in the application | Not an upload; you declare intended entry and exit dates and border gates |
| Who may ask for exit proof | Airline check-in staff in India; immigration for Phu Quoc visa-free arrivals |
| Main airports | Hanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), Da Nang (DAD), Phu Quoc (PQC) |
The e-visa is dated before you travel
Since August 2023 Vietnam has issued e-visas to citizens of all countries, India included, with a validity of up to 90 days and a choice of single or multiple entry. You apply on the Immigration Department's portal, upload a portrait photo and the passport data page, pay online and download the visa when it is granted. Processing is officially quoted in working days, so do not leave it to the last week, and avoid Vietnamese public holidays such as Tet.
The important part is that you select the validity dates. The visa starts on the 'intended date of entry' you type in and ends on the exit date you request. You cannot enter before the start date, and you must be out by the end date. So you need a firm idea of flights before you apply, even though no ticket is uploaded.
Use a reservation to lock dates before you pay the visa fee
This is the practical use of a held booking for Vietnam. Fares on India to Vietnam routes move a lot, and the visa fee is not refunded if you get the dates wrong. Holding an itinerary first allows you to:
- confirm that flights exist on the days you want from your city;
- copy the exact arrival date and airport into the e-visa form;
- set the exit date a few days after your planned return, as a buffer against cancellations;
- purchase the real ticket once the e-visa PDF arrives.
The form also requests the border gate of entry and exit. Select the airports on your itinerary. If plans may change, check the portal's current guidance on entering through a different gate before departure.
Will anyone ask for a return ticket?
With a valid e-visa, an onward ticket is not something the e-visa portal lists as an upload, and many travellers enter Vietnam on one-way fares. The check, when it comes, is at the departure airport in India. Airline staff retrieve Vietnam's entry rules for your passport and visa, and some ask to see a booking out of the country inside the visa validity. It is a quick question if you have the document and a stressful one if you do not.
For the visa-free Phu Quoc route, the return or onward ticket is not optional. It is part of the eligibility itself, as explained next. General background is in onward travel proof explained.
Phu Quoc visa-free: strict conditions
Indians can stay on Phu Quoc for up to 30 days without a visa, but only if all of these hold:
- you arrive at Phu Quoc International Airport directly from outside Vietnam, or transit airside without entering the mainland;
- you stay only on the island;
- you depart from Phu Quoc to another country within 30 days;
- your passport has six months' validity and you hold the return or onward ticket.
A domestic connection through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City breaks the exemption, because you enter Vietnam on the mainland. Any side trip to the mainland needs a visa. Published guidance for Indian travellers recommends taking an e-visa even for a Phu Quoc holiday, since a diverted or rebooked flight through the mainland would otherwise leave you stuck.
Non-stop routes from India
Connectivity has grown quickly. At the time of writing, VietJet links Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang on various days of the week; Vietnam Airlines flies from Delhi and Mumbai; IndiGo operates from Kolkata and Delhi; and Air India flies Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City and, since May 2026, Delhi to Hanoi. Schedules on these routes change by season, so confirm on the airline's site.
A popular plan is open-jaw: into Hanoi, out of Ho Chi Minh City, with Da Nang in between by domestic flight or train. That works well with an e-visa as long as the form names Hanoi as the entry gate and Ho Chi Minh City as the exit. If no non-stop suits you, connections through Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur are visa-free for Indians, while a self-transfer in Singapore needs a visa.
What an FDT reservation is
FDT furnishes a genuine airline reservation with a PNR that shows on the airline's Manage Booking page. The price is ₹799 / $10 per passenger for one-way, return or multi-city reservations itinerary; an open-jaw or multi-city plan has the same ₹799 / $10 charge per passenger. It is emailed and sent on WhatsApp approximately 10 minutes after payment and stays verifiable for up to 2 weeks. You can order at /booking.html or ask the assistant at /ai/ to build the routing.
It is a held booking, not a paid ticket, and it cannot be used to board. For the day of travel, carry your actual ticket. The e-visa decision is made by the Vietnam Immigration Department alone. New to the idea? See what is a dummy ticket.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to upload a flight ticket for the Vietnam e-visa?
No. The official portal requests a portrait photo and the passport data page, and you declare your intended entry date, exit date and border gates. Having an itinerary first helps you enter those dates correctly.
Can I enter Vietnam earlier than the start date on my e-visa?
No. The e-visa is valid only between the dates printed on it. If your flight moves earlier, you need a new e-visa. Arriving later than the start date is fine, as long as you leave by the end date.
Is there a visa on arrival for Indians at Hanoi airport?
Not in the walk-up sense. Visa collection on arrival requires a pre-approval letter arranged in advance through a sponsor in Vietnam. For tourists, the e-visa is the straightforward route.
I am flying Delhi to Phu Quoc via Ho Chi Minh City. Does the visa-free rule apply?
No, if you clear immigration in Ho Chi Minh City and take a domestic flight. The exemption needs direct international arrival at Phu Quoc and direct departure from it. Get an e-visa for that routing.
Should the e-visa exit date be the same as my return flight?
It can be later. Many travellers request a few extra days so a delayed or cancelled flight does not cause an overstay. You may leave any day up to the exit date.
Official sources
- Vietnam National Electronic Visa portal (Immigration Department)
- Embassy of India, Hanoi
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: visa information
Visa rules change. This guide was last reviewed on 3 October 2026; always confirm against the official checklist before you apply.
Need the reservation today?
The price is ₹799 / $10 per passenger for one-way, return and multi-city reservations. We include a PNR that you can validate on the airline's website and deliver the reservation by email and WhatsApp in about 10 minutes.
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