Vietnam Visa Requirements for African Citizens 2026: 11 Countries, Entry, Customs and Exit

This guide covers Tanzania, Djibouti, Lesotho, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, the Central African Republic, Mauritania, Eritrea, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and São Tomé and Príncipe. First come the visa options with documents, fees and processing times, second passports, the arrival steps at Vietnamese airports, customs rules and the exit rules. After that, each country has a short section with the Vietnamese embassy that covers it, the time difference, flights and lost-passport contacts. South Africa, Egypt and Mauritius have their own guides, listed near the end of this page under “Other guides in the region”.

We are a private visa service, not the Vietnamese government or an embassy. The Vietnam Immigration Department decides every visa. You can always apply for an e-visa yourself on the official portal evisa.gov.vn for the government fee only. Facts checked in November 2026.

Vietnam visa requirements for African citizens at a glance

Do African citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes. Ordinary passports of all 11 countries need a visa for every trip to mainland Vietnam, whether for a holiday, business or a family visit. Vietnam’s visa exemption list covers 39 countries in 2026, and no African country is on it for ordinary passports. See our Vietnam visa exemption list.

There are four exceptions:

• Phu Quoc island. All nationalities can stay on Phu Quoc for up to 30 days without a visa when arriving there directly from abroad. You need a visa as soon as you travel on to the mainland.
• Airside transit. If you change planes in Vietnam without leaving the international transit area, you do not need a visa. With two separate tickets, however, you collect your bags and pass immigration, so you need a visa.
• Tanzanian diplomatic and official passports. Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists a visa exemption of up to 90 days for Tanzanian diplomatic and official passports. It does not apply to ordinary passports. The other 10 countries have no entry on the list.
• 5-year visa exemption certificate. Citizens of Vietnamese origin, and spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens, can apply for a visa exemption certificate. It is valid for up to 5 years, with stays of up to 180 days each time. Issued in Vietnam, it costs USD 10 (Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC).

Travellers with a French, Portuguese or other second passport

Some travellers from these countries also hold French, Portuguese, Spanish or British citizenship. Vietnam’s visa exemption depends on the passport you travel on, not on where you live:

Keep two rules in mind: enter and leave Vietnam on the same passport, and book your flights with that passport’s details. An e-visa issued for one passport is not valid in the other. A residence permit in another country does not change the rules for your own passport.

Dual Vietnamese citizens. Vietnam does not generally recognise dual citizenship. If you also hold Vietnamese citizenship, Vietnam may treat you as a Vietnamese citizen, so enter and leave on the same passport.

Vietnam e-visa: the easiest option for all 11 countries

For almost every traveller, the e-visa is the easiest way to meet the Vietnam visa requirements for African citizens. You apply online from Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Maseru, Moroni, Bissau, Bangui, Nouakchott, Asmara, N’Djamena, Malabo, São Tomé or anywhere else, and the approval arrives as a PDF. Through our service, these passports can order the tourist e-visa: 30 or 90 days, single or multiple entry.

What you need:

• A clear scan of your passport photo page.
• A recent portrait photo, 4 × 6 cm, white background, looking straight at the camera, without glasses.
• Your entry and exit dates, and the airport, seaport or land border where you will enter.
• Your hotel or host address in Vietnam.
• A PayPal or Alipay account (PayPal also takes cards).

Cost and time. The government fee is USD 25 for single entry and USD 50 for multiple entry. The official target is 3 working days, but busy periods take longer. Through our service, a 30-day single-entry e-visa starts at 80 USD in 4 working days, government fee included, and you can pay by PayPal or Alipay.

Apply when? At least 2 to 3 weeks before you fly, and earlier for Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Christmas, the school holidays and the summer.

Check your e-visa status and print it

• Save your registration code when you submit. You need it, with your email and date of birth, to check the status on evisa.gov.vn.
• Check the status yourself. The portal does not always email you when it asks for a correction, so a status that stays “In processing” can hide a request for more information.
• Print two copies of the approved e-visa, and check every field against your passport before you fly.
• Your e-visa dates are the limit. You can enter and stay only between the “from” and “to” dates on the e-visa.

Common e-visa mistakes

• Names. Enter every name exactly as printed in the passport, in the same order. The passport’s machine-readable lines use A to Z only, so accents are dropped (for example “SÃO” appears as “SAO”), and names written in Arabic or Tigrinya script must be copied from the Latin spelling in the passport, not transliterated again. Enter your first name and family name as printed, without adding or leaving out parts such as “bin”, “ould” or the father’s name.
• Wrong passport. If you have two passports, apply with the one you will actually travel on.
• Entry port type. Choose the right type of entry point. In practice, an e-visa for an airport works at any international airport, but not at a land border or seaport.
• Single entry. If you also visit Cambodia, Laos or Thailand and come back, choose a multiple-entry e-visa.
• Look-alike websites. The official portal is evisa.gov.vn. Other sites, including ours, are private services that charge a service fee. Be careful with any site that promises guaranteed approval, shows countdown timers, or asks for your passport before it states its full price.

For more examples, see our guide to Vietnam e-visa mistakes.

Need a Vietnam visa urgently?

Vietnam is 4 to 7 hours ahead of these countries, so the morning cut-offs usually fall in your night. Each country section below gives the times in your own time zone. The 2-hour service has four order slots, and the last one closes at 15:15 Vietnam time. For weekends and Vietnamese public holidays, email our partner at info@vietnamimmigration.org. Read more in our urgent Vietnam visa guide. If you applied yourself and the status still shows “In processing”, we can also speed up the application you already submitted.

Vietnam visa on arrival

Our service does not offer the visa on arrival for passports of these 11 countries. Order the e-visa through us instead: it allows up to 90 days with single or multiple entry, and on arrival you go straight to passport control, with no stop at the visa on arrival counter and no stamping fee to pay in cash. See the e-visa section above, or apply for your e-visa.

Which Vietnam visa is best?

Pros and cons:

• E-visa. Pros: online from anywhere, up to 90 days, multiple entry possible. Cons: the details must match the passport exactly, and the government portal gives no personal support.
• Visa on arrival. Pros: quick approval letter. Cons: only 15 days and single entry, plus a counter stop and USD 25 in cash on arrival. Our service does not offer it for these passports.
• Embassy visa. Pros: the route for work visas and the 5-year exemption certificate. Cons: for 10 of the 11 countries the embassy is in another country, and your passport is held.

Embassy fees. Under Circular 163/2026/TT-BTC, an embassy single-entry visa costs USD 25 and a multiple-entry visa of up to 3 months costs USD 50. These are the same as the government e-visa fees, so the e-visa saves you the trip. For urgent processing, ask the embassy or consulate for its official fee. A tourist e-visa does not allow work: working in Vietnam needs a work permit and a work visa sponsored by your employer in Vietnam.

Vietnamese embassies that cover the region

Eight Vietnamese embassies cover 9 of the 11 countries. Each country section below says which one covers it.

These contacts come from each embassy’s own website. None of the eight websites shows its opening hours on its contact page, so call or email before you send your passport or travel there.

Our advice: For a trip of two or three weeks, a 30-day single-entry e-visa is enough. Choose a 90-day multiple-entry e-visa for a longer stay or a tour that also takes in Cambodia, Laos or Thailand.

Entry procedure: arriving at a Vietnamese airport

Flights and transit

There are no direct flights from these 11 countries to Vietnam. Most travellers connect through Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Casablanca, Cairo, Istanbul, Doha, Dubai, Paris or Lisbon, and then fly on to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, often with a second connection. Each country section names its main connections. Check the transit rules of every country on your route, because some transit countries ask these passports for a transit visa. Check your flight times and departure terminal with your airline before you travel. With two separate tickets on a connection, leave plenty of time between flights, because you may need to collect your bags and check in again.

Before you land: the pre-arrival declaration

The pre-arrival declaration is not a visa, but it is now part of the Vietnam visa requirements for African citizens at every international airport. Complete it free at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn within 3 days before you land, and save the QR code. It is mandatory for foreign travellers at every international airport in Vietnam. Unless you travel on a visa on arrival, complete it before you leave home, because Wi-Fi and mobile data at the arrival airport can be slow. If you have not done it before the flight, scan the QR codes in the immigration area and fill it in there.

Step by step from the aircraft

1. Leave the aircraft and follow the “Arrivals” and “Immigration” signs.
2. Passport control. Show your passport and printed e-visa. Then check the entry stamp before you leave the counter.
3. Baggage claim. Report a missing bag at the airline desk before customs.
4. Customs. Green lane for nothing to declare, red lane for cash or goods above the limits.
5. Arrivals hall. Buy a SIM card, withdraw dong, and find your transport.

Read our full Vietnam entry procedure guide (also in French).

Which airports have the longest queues?

From our airport team’s experience, queues are longest at these airports, from worst to lightest:

1. Tan Son Nhat (SGN), Ho Chi Minh City: late evening and early morning.
2. Noi Bai (HAN), Hanoi: evening peaks.
3. Da Nang (DAD): evening waves of flights from North Asia.
4. Cam Ranh (CXR), Nha Trang: when charter flights land together.
5. Phu Quoc (PQC): shorter, but growing fast.

After a long journey with connections, a long immigration queue is the last thing you want. With our Vietnam airport fast track, our staff meet you before immigration and take you through the priority lane, from USD 45 per person. Book at least 3 days before your flight: bookings for a flight 2 days ahead, the next day or the same day carry an urgent surcharge of USD 20, 30 or 50 per person.

Avoid scams at the airport

• Use official transport. Choose the taxi rank, a Grab ride booked in the app, or well-known taxi companies such as Vinasun, Mai Linh or Xanh SM.
• Agree the fare first, or check that the meter is on.
• Bring clean US dollars. The Tanzanian shilling, the CFA franc, the loti, the Comorian and Djiboutian francs, the ouguiya, the nakfa and the dobra are hard to exchange in Vietnam. US dollars are easy to change, but only clean, undamaged notes; torn or marked bills are often refused.
• Keep your passport with you. No one in the arrivals hall needs it to “help” with your visa.
• Count your change. The VND 20,000 and VND 500,000 notes are both blue and easy to mix up.

Vietnam customs rules

Customs checks are the last of the Vietnam visa requirements for African citizens on arrival. The rules are the same for every nationality.

Points for all travellers from the region

• Coffee, tea, spices and gifts. Coffee, tea, vanilla, cloves and other spices in sealed retail packs are fine for personal use and gifts, within the VND 10 million allowance. Fresh fruit, plants and seeds may need a plant quarantine check, so leave them at home.
• Gold jewellery. Gold, including jewellery you wear, must be declared from 300 g.
• Drugs. Vietnam’s drug laws are very strict: trafficking can carry the death penalty. Cannabis is an illegal drug in Vietnam. Never carry a bag, parcel or “gift” for someone else, and pack your bags yourself.
• Vapes. Banned in Vietnam from 1 January 2025, including possession. Customs can confiscate them, so leave them at home.
• Prescription medicine. Strong painkillers such as tramadol, ADHD medicines and some sleeping tablets are controlled. Bring them in the original packaging, with your prescription and a doctor’s letter in English, and only the amount you need.

For more details, read the complete Vietnam customs rules guide (also in French).

Vietnam visa for Tanzanian citizens

Tanzanian ordinary passports need a visa for mainland Vietnam. Diplomatic and official passports are exempt for up to 90 days, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Embassy. Vietnam has an embassy in Dar es Salaam (contacts in the embassy table above). Its main phone line changed on 22 June 2026 to +255 620 886 868, according to the Embassy’s own notice. For a tourist trip, you do not need the Embassy at all, because the e-visa is arranged online.

Urgent e-visa from Tanzania. Tanzania is on UTC+3 all year, so Vietnam is 4 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 10:00 for 2 working days, by 05:00 or 10:00 for 1 working day, by 04:00 or 10:00 for 4 working hours, and by 04:00, 05:15, 10:00 or 11:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam (DAR), there are year-round non-stop flights to Dubai, Doha, Istanbul, Muscat, Mumbai and Guangzhou, and to Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Johannesburg, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Doha or Dubai.

Lost passport. We found no Tanzanian embassy in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dodoma, which will tell you which mission can help:

Vietnam visa for citizens of Djibouti

Passports of Djibouti need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any Djiboutian passport type.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Djibouti. The Vietnamese Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, covers Djibouti, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (contacts in the embassy table above).

Urgent e-visa from Djibouti. Djibouti is on UTC+3 all year, so Vietnam is 4 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 10:00 for 2 working days, by 05:00 or 10:00 for 1 working day, by 04:00 or 10:00 for 4 working hours, and by 04:00, 05:15, 10:00 or 11:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Djibouti–Ambouli airport (JIB), there are non-stop flights to Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Cairo, Dubai, Istanbul and Paris, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Dubai, Istanbul or Addis Ababa.

Lost passport. We found no embassy of Djibouti in Vietnam. Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the Embassy of Djibouti in Japan covers Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Embassy of Djibouti in Tokyo, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Djibouti, which will tell you how to get a new travel document.

Vietnam visa for citizens of Lesotho

Passports of Lesotho need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any passport type of Lesotho.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Lesotho. The Vietnamese Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, covers Lesotho, according to the Embassy’s own website (contacts in the embassy table above).

Urgent e-visa from Lesotho. Lesotho is on UTC+2 all year, so Vietnam is 5 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 09:00 for 2 working days, by 04:00 or 09:00 for 1 working day, by 03:00 or 09:00 for 4 working hours, and by 03:00, 04:15, 09:00 or 10:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. Moshoeshoe I International Airport in Maseru (MSU) has non-stop flights only to Johannesburg, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). From Johannesburg, most travellers connect in the Middle East or in Asia.

Lost passport. We found no embassy of Lesotho in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations in Maseru, which will tell you which mission can help.

Vietnam visa for Comorian citizens

Comorian passports need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any Comorian passport type.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Comoros. The Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique is also accredited to Comoros, according to the Embassy in Maputo’s own website (contacts in the embassy table above).

Urgent e-visa from Comoros. Comoros is on UTC+3 all year, so Vietnam is 4 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 10:00 for 2 working days, by 05:00 or 10:00 for 1 working day, by 04:00 or 10:00 for 4 working hours, and by 04:00, 05:15, 10:00 or 11:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Prince Said Ibrahim airport in Moroni (HAH), there are non-stop flights to Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Addis Ababa or Nairobi, and then in the Middle East or Asia.

Lost passport. We found no Comorian embassy in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moroni, which will tell you which mission can help.

Vietnam visa for citizens of Guinea-Bissau

Passports of Guinea-Bissau need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any passport type of Guinea-Bissau.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Guinea-Bissau. The Vietnamese Embassy in Rabat, Morocco, covers Guinea-Bissau, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (contacts in the embassy table above).

Urgent e-visa from Guinea-Bissau. Guinea-Bissau is on UTC+0 all year, so Vietnam is 7 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 07:00 for 2 working days, by 02:00 or 07:00 for 1 working day, by 01:00 or 07:00 for 4 working hours, and by 01:00, 02:15, 07:00 or 08:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Osvaldo Vieira airport in Bissau (OXB), there are non-stop flights to Lisbon, Casablanca, Dakar, Praia and Lomé, according to FlightConnections (October 2026). Most travellers connect in Lisbon or Casablanca, and then in Europe or the Middle East.

Lost passport. We found no embassy of Guinea-Bissau in Vietnam. Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the Embassy of Guinea-Bissau in China covers Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Embassy of Guinea-Bissau in Beijing, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bissau.

Vietnam visa for citizens of the Central African Republic

Passports of the Central African Republic need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any passport type of the country.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in the Central African Republic. The Vietnamese Embassy in Paris, France, covers the Central African Republic, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (contacts in the embassy table above).

Urgent e-visa from the Central African Republic. The Central African Republic is on UTC+1 all year, so Vietnam is 6 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 08:00 for 2 working days, by 03:00 or 08:00 for 1 working day, by 02:00 or 08:00 for 4 working hours, and by 02:00, 03:15, 08:00 or 09:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Bangui M’Poko airport (BGF), there are non-stop flights to Douala, Addis Ababa, Casablanca, Kigali, Libreville, Yaoundé and Lomé, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Addis Ababa or Casablanca.

Lost passport. We found no embassy of the Central African Republic in Vietnam. Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the country’s Embassy in France covers Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Embassy of the Central African Republic in Paris, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangui.

Vietnam visa for Mauritanian citizens

Mauritanian passports need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any Mauritanian passport type.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Mauritania, and we found no current official page that names the Vietnamese embassy covering Mauritania. However, most travellers use the e-visa, which needs no embassy. For an embassy visa or the 5-year certificate, ask the Embassy in Rabat (contacts in the embassy table above) which mission handles your application.

Urgent e-visa from Mauritania. Mauritania is on UTC+0 all year, so Vietnam is 7 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 07:00 for 2 working days, by 02:00 or 07:00 for 1 working day, by 01:00 or 07:00 for 4 working hours, and by 01:00, 02:15, 07:00 or 08:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Nouakchott–Oumtounsy airport (NKC), there are non-stop flights to Casablanca, Tunis, Algiers, Istanbul, Paris and Dakar, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Istanbul, Casablanca or Paris.

Lost passport. We found no Mauritanian embassy in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nouakchott, which will tell you which mission can help.

Vietnam visa for Eritrean citizens

Eritrean passports need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any Eritrean passport type.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Eritrea, and we found no current official page that names the Vietnamese embassy covering Eritrea. However, most travellers use the e-visa, which needs no embassy. For an embassy visa or the 5-year certificate, ask the Embassy in Cairo (contacts in the embassy table above) which mission handles your application.

Urgent e-visa from Eritrea. Eritrea is on UTC+3 all year, so Vietnam is 4 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 10:00 for 2 working days, by 05:00 or 10:00 for 1 working day, by 04:00 or 10:00 for 4 working hours, and by 04:00, 05:15, 10:00 or 11:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Asmara International Airport (ASM), there are non-stop flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul and Cairo, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Istanbul.

Lost passport. We found no Eritrean embassy in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Asmara, which will tell you which mission can help.

Vietnam visa for Chadian citizens

Chadian passports need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any Chadian passport type.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Chad. The Vietnamese Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, lists Chad among its countries on its own website (contacts in the embassy table above).

Urgent e-visa from Chad. Chad is on UTC+1 all year, so Vietnam is 6 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 08:00 for 2 working days, by 03:00 or 08:00 for 1 working day, by 02:00 or 08:00 for 4 working hours, and by 02:00, 03:15, 08:00 or 09:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From N’Djamena International Airport (NDJ), there are year-round non-stop flights to Addis Ababa, Cairo, Casablanca, Istanbul, Yaoundé, Douala and Abuja; flights to Paris run only in certain months, according to FlightConnections (October 2026). Most travellers connect in Addis Ababa, Istanbul or Cairo.

Lost passport. We found no Chadian embassy in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in N’Djamena, which will tell you which mission can help.

Vietnam visa for citizens of Equatorial Guinea

Passports of Equatorial Guinea need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any passport type of the country.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Equatorial Guinea. The Vietnamese Ambassador to Angola is also accredited to Equatorial Guinea, according to VietnamPlus, the news site of the Vietnam News Agency (September 2026). Contacts of the Embassy in Luanda are in the embassy table above.

Urgent e-visa from Equatorial Guinea. Equatorial Guinea is on UTC+1 all year, so Vietnam is 6 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 08:00 for 2 working days, by 03:00 or 08:00 for 1 working day, by 02:00 or 08:00 for 4 working hours, and by 02:00, 03:15, 08:00 or 09:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From Malabo International Airport (SSG), there are non-stop flights to Addis Ababa, Casablanca, Paris, Douala, Libreville, Lomé and Lagos, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Addis Ababa, Casablanca or Paris.

Lost passport. We found no embassy of Equatorial Guinea in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Malabo, which will tell you which mission can help.

Vietnam visa for citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe

Passports of São Tomé and Príncipe need a visa for mainland Vietnam; Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists no visa exemption for any passport type of the country.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in São Tomé and Príncipe. The Vietnamese Ambassador to Angola is also accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe, according to VietnamPlus (September 2026). Contacts of the Embassy in Luanda are in the embassy table above.

Urgent e-visa from São Tomé and Príncipe. São Tomé and Príncipe is on UTC+0 all year, so Vietnam is 7 hours ahead. Therefore, order by 07:00 for 2 working days, by 02:00 or 07:00 for 1 working day, by 01:00 or 07:00 for 4 working hours, and by 01:00, 02:15, 07:00 or 08:15 for 2 working hours.

Flights. From São Tomé International Airport (TMS), there are non-stop flights to Lisbon, Luanda, Accra and Libreville, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Most travellers connect in Lisbon, and then in Europe or the Middle East.

Names. Portuguese names often have accents and several family names. Copy the spelling of the passport’s machine-readable lines into the e-visa form, as explained under “Common e-visa mistakes” above.

Lost passport. We found no embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in São Tomé, which will tell you which mission can help.

Leaving Vietnam: exit requirements

Departure step by step

1. Arrive 3 hours before an international flight, more if you claim a VAT refund.
2. VAT refund: show your goods and invoices at the customs refund desk before check-in.
3. Check in and drop your bags.
4. Exit passport control: officers check your visa and the dates of your stay.
5. Security, then duty-free shops and your gate.

Duty-free shopping and VAT refund

After passport control, airport duty-free shops sell goods without Vietnamese taxes. For shopping in the city, you can claim part of the VAT back:

• Buy at shops with a “Tax Refund” sign, and show your passport when you pay.
• Each invoice must be at least VND 2 million, and dated within 60 days before you leave.
• You receive 85% of the VAT paid; the refund bank keeps 15% as a fee.
• Refund desks can have long queues. Arrive early so you do not miss your flight.

What you cannot take out of Vietnam

• Antiques. Genuine antiques need an export permit. Keep the receipt for reproductions.
• Wildlife products. Ivory, rhino horn, turtle shell and many corals are banned.
• Cash and gold above the limits: more than USD 5,000 or VND 15 million in cash, or 300 g or more of gold, without your arrival declaration or a bank paper.
• Drugs and weapons, without exception.

Motorbikes and registration

• Riding a motorbike. A motorbike of 50 cc or more needs a valid licence for that class. Vietnam recognises international driving permits issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention, so check that your international permit is in that format and includes the motorbike class. Check your travel insurance too: an accident without the right licence can mean no cover and an exit ban until the case is settled.
• Registration. You must be registered with the local police where you stay. Hotels do it for you and may keep your passport for a short time; ask for it back once registration is done.

Do not overstay your Vietnam visa

Finally, the Vietnam visa requirements for African citizens also apply on the way out. Leave by the last day on your e-visa or entry stamp. From 15 December 2025, Decree 282/2025/ND-CP sets these fines:

For an overstay of 16 days or more, the authorities can also deport you, and deportation can lead to a ban on future entry. Under Decree 59/2026/ND-CP (in force since 1 April 2026), if a person ordered to be deported cannot pay the fine, the deportation goes ahead at once; you may contact your country’s embassy.

What to do if you have overstayed

1. Contact the Immigration Department or the immigration office of the provincial police before you go to the airport.
2. Pay the fine, and get the exit visa or paperwork you need to leave.
3. Then book your flight, so you are not stopped at passport control.

If you lose your passport, follow the steps in your country’s section above, then take the new travel document to the Vietnamese immigration office for an exit visa before you fly. None of the 11 countries has an embassy in Vietnam that we could find, so a replacement can take longer; keep copies of your passport and e-visa apart from the originals.

Other guides in the region

Several African countries have their own detailed guide: South Africa, Egypt and Mauritius.

For travel agencies, tour operators and companies

Do you send tour groups or incentive trips from these countries to Vietnam? We prepare tourist e-visas and airport fast track for groups, with one contact person and one invoice. Email us at info@visa-vietnam.hk with your expected number of travellers per month to receive our partner rates.

FAQ: Vietnam visa requirements for African citizens

Do citizens of these 11 African countries need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes, for mainland Vietnam, on an ordinary passport of any of the 11 countries. The only visa-free option is Phu Quoc island, for up to 30 days, when you fly there directly from abroad.

Can I get a visa on arrival in Vietnam?

Our service does not offer the visa on arrival for these passports. Order the e-visa instead: up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, with no stop at the visa on arrival counter.

Which Vietnamese embassy covers my country?

Dar es Salaam covers Tanzania, Cairo covers Djibouti, Pretoria covers Lesotho, Maputo covers Comoros, Rabat covers Guinea-Bissau, Paris covers the Central African Republic, Abuja covers Chad, and Luanda covers Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe. For Mauritania and Eritrea, see their sections. For tourist trips, apply for an e-visa online instead.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Vietnam?

Vietnam does not ask for one on entry, according to the UK’s TravelHealthPro. Your own country or a transit country may have its own rules for your return, so check them before you travel.

What time should I order an urgent e-visa?

The fastest service, 2 working hours, has order slots at 08:00, 09:15, 14:00 and 15:15 Vietnam time. That is 04:00, 05:15, 10:00 and 11:15 in Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Moroni and Asmara, and 01:00, 02:15, 07:00 and 08:15 in Bissau, Nouakchott and São Tomé. Each country section gives your local times.

How long can I stay in Vietnam?

Up to 90 days per entry with an e-visa, and up to 30 days without a visa on Phu Quoc island only.

Facts checked on 12 November 2026: Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa exemption list (Tanzania: diplomatic and official passports, 90 days; no row for the other 10 countries), the Ministry’s country pages on Djibouti (June 2026), Guinea-Bissau (February 2026) and the Central African Republic (February 2026) (in Vietnamese), the websites of the Vietnamese embassies in Dar es Salaam (including its notice of the new phone number), Pretoria, Maputo, Abuja, Cairo, Rabat, Paris and Luanda, VietnamPlus on the new Ambassador to Angola (September 2026, in Vietnamese), Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, TravelHealthPro on Vietnam, FlightConnections route maps (October and November 2026), our Vietnam visa exemption list, Circular 163/2026/TT-BTC, Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, Decree 59/2026/ND-CP (LuatVietnam, in Vietnamese), Decree 282/2025/ND-CP as summarised by Khanh Hoa provincial police, and the official pre-arrival portal. Rules can change, so check official sources before you travel.