Vietnam Visa for France: 45-Day Rule & 2026 E-Visa Guide

Do French citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

No, not for stays up to 45 days. France is one of 12 countries on Vietnam's unilateral visa exemption list, alongside Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and others. The exemption applies regardless of passport type or trip purpose (tourism, business, family visits), as long as you meet basic entry conditions.

To use this 45-day exemption, your French passport needs:

• At least 6 months' validity remaining from your arrival date
• At least 2 blank visa pages
• An onward or return ticket if asked at check-in

Vietnam visa options for French citizens staying over 45 days

If your trip runs past 45 days, you have three realistic options: the e-visa, visa on arrival (air travel only), or a sticker visa from the Vietnamese embassy in Paris. The e-visa is what almost everyone uses now: it covers land, air, and sea entry, and skips the embassy trip entirely.

Skip the visa-on-arrival route unless you're flying and already have a strong reason to want a pre-approval letter (some group bookings still default to it). For everyone else, the e-visa is faster, cheaper, and works at more entry points.

How to apply for the Vietnam e-visa

Apply directly at evisa.gov.vn, the only official government portal. You'll need a passport scan, a digital photo, and your travel dates. Processing takes 3-7 business days; apply at least 2 weeks before departure to have a buffer for Vietnamese public holidays or system delays.

1. Go to evisa.gov.vn and select "e-Visa for foreigners"
2. Upload your passport bio page and a passport-style photo
3. Choose single or multiple entry, and your intended entry point
4. Pay the 25 or 50 USD fee by card
5. Download and print your approved e-visa once it arrives by email

New from July 2026: the mandatory health declaration

Starting July 1, 2026, every traveler entering, leaving, or transiting Vietnam must complete a health declaration under Decree 165/2026/ND-CP, regardless of nationality or visa status. This is separate from your visa or e-visa and separate from the Digital Arrival Card used at some airports. It must be filed within 7 days before you cross any Vietnamese border checkpoint, by air, land, or sea.

As of late June 2026, the official online portal for this declaration hadn't been published yet. Until it goes live, border posts accept a paper form (Appendix V of Decree 165), available from airlines and at the immigration hall. Bring proof of vaccination if you have it; officers can request it, though it's not mandatory for most travelers.

This adds one more checkpoint at immigration, on top of your e-visa or visa exemption stamp. If you're connecting onward at Tan Son Nhat or Noi Bai during peak hours, that extra step can stretch a routine queue. Sondax's airport fast-track service puts an English-speaking agent next to you at the priority lane, so a missing form or a flagged declaration doesn't push you to the back of the line.

Common mistakes that delay French travelers at immigration

Most rejections and delays come from a handful of avoidable errors, not policy itself.

• Passport validity cut too close. 6 months from your arrival date, not your departure date. Many travelers check the wrong end of the trip.
• Applying for a 30-day visa anyway. If you're staying 45 days or less, you don't need any visa at all. Paying for one is wasted money.
• Entering before your e-visa's granted arrival date. Your e-visa specifies an arrival window; arriving early gets you turned back even with a valid, approved e-visa.
• Using third-party sites that look official. Only evisa.gov.vn issues the real e-visa. Some lookalike sites charge inflated fees for the same free-to-process application.https://sondaxtravel.com/best-time-to-visit-vietnamviet
• Forgetting the new health declaration after July 1, 2026. It's separate from your visa and easy to overlook if you're used to the old entry process.

If you're staying beyond 45 days and want to extend without leaving the country, see our guide on extending a Vietnam visa.

FAQ

Do Vietnamese citizens need a visa for France?

Yes. Vietnam is not on France's visa-exemption list, so Vietnamese passport holders need a Schengen visa for any stay in France under 90 days, and a long-stay visa for longer trips. Applications go through TLS Contact centers in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City on behalf of the French consulate.

Do EU passport holders need a visa for Vietnam?

It depends on the country, not just on holding an EU passport. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, and several other EU members get 45 days visa-free. Others, like Ireland or Portugal, are not on the exemption list and need an e-visa for any stay. Check your specific nationality before assuming EU membership alone covers you.

Can I retire in Vietnam?

You can live in Vietnam long-term, but Vietnam has no dedicated retirement visa as of 2026. Most retirees stay through repeated 90-day e-visas with periodic visa runs, an investor visa (minimum capital required), or a spouse-based residence card if married to a Vietnamese citizen. None of these are visa-free options like the 45-day tourist exemption.

What happens if I overstay my 45-day exemption?

Overstay fines run roughly 10-50 USD per day, and longer overstays can mean detention or an entry ban on future trips. There's no grace period built into the exemption, so track your 45th day from your actual arrival stamp, not your booking date.