New Zealand Passport Holder: Vietnam E-Visa Still in Processing Before Your Flight?
New Zealanders need a visa for Vietnam, and most travel with the e-visa. If your Vietnam e-visa is still in processing and you fly soon from New Zealand, the biggest challenge is the time difference: New Zealand is 6 hours ahead of Vietnam in summer, so most of your evening is outside Vietnam’s working day. The status itself usually just means Vietnam Immigration has not decided yet. Here is how to plan from New Zealand, and when to speed up the application you already submitted.
We are a private visa service, not the Vietnamese or New Zealand government. Vietnam Immigration decides every application.
New Zealand is 6 hours ahead of Vietnam in summer
From late September to early April, New Zealand is on daylight time (NZDT), 6 hours ahead of Vietnam. In winter (NZST), however, the gap is 5 hours. Vietnam Immigration and our team count working days Monday to Friday, Vietnam time.
| Vietnam time (Monday) | Auckland / Wellington (NZDT) |
|---|---|
| 08:00, working day starts | 14:00 |
| 12:00, morning working session ends | 18:00 |
| 18:00, afternoon working session ends | Midnight |
What this means for you:
- A morning in New Zealand is still night in Vietnam. Nothing moves until 14:00 your time.
- An order you place on Friday evening in New Zealand lands after Vietnam’s working week has ended, so it counts from Monday.
- If you fly out on a Monday, aim for a result by Friday 18:00 Vietnam time, which is midnight in New Zealand.
Your flight probably connects. Count from the first one
Most trips from New Zealand to Vietnam connect in Australia or another Asian hub. You need the approved e-visa before you check in for the first flight in Auckland or Christchurch. Use your departure from New Zealand, not your arrival in Vietnam, to count the working days left.
What SafeTravel advises
New Zealand’s SafeTravel advice for Vietnam (updated 1 July 2026) tells travellers to read their visa conditions carefully and warns that overstaying has consequences. For a late e-visa, therefore, this means two checks: the entry date and the entry airport on your application should match your trip, and your stay should fit the dates the e-visa allows.
E-visa in processing on a New Zealand passport: wait or speed up?
| Your situation | What we suggest |
|---|---|
| First flight 4 or more Vietnam working days away | Wait, and check the official status page once a day |
| First flight 1 to 3 working days away | Speed up the application you already submitted |
| First flight within 24 hours | Choose the 2- or 4-working-hour option, if a slot is still open in Vietnam today |
| A wrong name, passport number or entry airport | Start a new reviewed application |
Our expedite service follows up your existing application. We need your registration code, email, date of birth, entry date and entry port, and there is no second government fee. Speed-ups run Monday to Friday, Vietnam time: 8 working hours for USD 145 (order before 08:00, result by 18:30), 4 working hours for USD 175 (order before 08:00 for a result by 12:30, or before 14:00 for 18:30) and 2 working hours for USD 200 (order before 08:00, 10:00, 14:00 or 15:00). If we miss it, we refund the amount we received. The main guide for e-visas in processing explains each option.
Before you land, read our Vietnam entry procedure guide (step by step from the aircraft to the arrivals hall) and our Vietnam customs rules guide (duty-free allowance, cash limits and banned items).
FAQ for New Zealand travellers
Do New Zealanders get visa-free entry to Vietnam?
No. New Zealand is not on Vietnam’s general visa-exemption list, so you need a visa. The exception is Phu Quoc island, which offers visa-free entry to foreigners who fly there directly, for the island only.
Can the New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi help with my e-visa?
The embassy helps New Zealanders in Vietnam. However, Vietnamese visas are decided by Vietnam Immigration.
Can I pay in New Zealand dollars?
Prices are in US dollars, so your card or PayPal converts the amount when you pay.
Facts checked on 7 November 2026 against evisa.gov.vn, SafeTravel’s Viet Nam page and our price list.
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