Vietnam Visa Requirements for New Zealand Citizens 2026: Entry Procedure, Customs and Exit Rules

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 New Zealand citizens at a glance

Do New Zealand citizens need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes. New Zealand passport holders 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 New Zealand is not one of them. See our Vietnam visa exemption list.

There are three 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.
• 5-year visa exemption certificate. New Zealanders 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.

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

The Vietnamese Embassy in Wellington

Vietnam’s only office in New Zealand is the Embassy in Wellington. There is no Vietnamese consulate in Auckland or Christchurch.

The Embassy posts its closures on its website; for example, it closed for consular work on Labour Day, 26 October 2026. Check its working-hours page or call before you visit.

How to apply at the Embassy in Wellington

1. Email or call the Embassy to confirm the visa type, documents, fee, hours and whether you can apply by post.
2. Prepare your original passport (valid for at least 6 months, with blank pages), the visa application form, 2 recent colour photos (4 × 6 cm, white background), and supporting documents for business, work or family visas.
3. Submit in person or by post, pay, and check every detail of the visa when you get your passport back.

Fees. Under Circular 163/2026/TT-BTC, a single-entry visa costs USD 25 and a multiple-entry visa of up to 3 months costs USD 50. Urgent processing within 24 hours costs 50% more. The Embassy may collect the fee in New Zealand dollars, at its own rate.

Before you contact the Embassy

• One office for the whole country. From Auckland, Christchurch or Queenstown, applying in person means a flight to Wellington.
• Your passport is held. If you post it, use a tracked courier and a prepaid, tracked return envelope.
• Holidays. New Zealand and Vietnamese holidays both close the Embassy, including Tet (late January or February) and 2 September.
• Apply early. Allow 3 to 4 weeks before your trip.
• Choose the right visa type. A tourist visa does not allow work. Teaching English, for example, needs a work permit and a work visa sponsored by your employer.

Vietnam e-visa for New Zealand citizens: the easiest option

For almost every Kiwi traveller, the e-visa is the easiest way to meet the Vietnam visa requirements for New Zealand citizens. You apply online from anywhere in New Zealand, and the approval arrives as a PDF.

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 card for the payment.

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 60 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 the summer holidays from December to January.

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 by New Zealand applicants

• Middle names. Enter all your names exactly as on the passport, with your middle name among your given names, not in the surname field.
• Passport number. A single wrong character means the airline can refuse you at check-in in New Zealand.
• Entry port. You must enter through the airport or border listed on your e-visa.
• 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 5 hours behind New Zealand in winter and 6 hours behind during daylight saving. That works in your favour: you can order an urgent e-visa during your own working day. New e-visas can also be processed at weekends and on Vietnamese public holidays. See our guide to expediting a Vietnam visa from New Zealand. If you applied yourself and the status still shows “In processing”, a speed-up of your application costs less than a new one. Read what to do when a New Zealand e-visa is still in processing.

Vietnam visa on arrival for New Zealand citizens

With a visa on arrival, you first get an approval letter, arranged before you fly by an agency such as ours. Then you collect a 15-day, single-entry visa at the counter of the airport, seaport or land border on your letter.

On arrival, you also pay a USD 25 stamping fee in cash, in US dollars, so change some money before you leave New Zealand. You also need the NA1 form with 1 photo attached, plus 1 spare photo; see our NA1 form guide. Read every step in our Vietnam visa on arrival guide.

Which Vietnam visa is best for New Zealand citizens?

Pros and cons:

• E-visa. Pros: online from anywhere in New Zealand, 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.
• Embassy visa. Pros: the route for work visas and the 5-year exemption certificate. Cons: only one office, and your passport is held.

Our advice: Holidaymakers and backpackers should choose the e-visa, with multiple entry for a South-East Asia loop through Cambodia or Laos. Vietnamese-New Zealand families who visit often should consider the 5-year visa exemption certificate.

Entry procedure: Vietnam entry requirements for New Zealand citizens at the airport

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 New Zealand citizens at the main airports. Complete it free at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn within 3 days before you land at Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang, Cam Ranh (Nha Trang) or Phu Quoc, and save the QR code. If you travel on a visa on arrival, fill it in at the airport after the visa counter, because it asks for your visa details.

Step by step from the aircraft

1. Leave the aircraft and follow the “Arrivals” and “Immigration” signs.
2. Visa on arrival counter, only with an approval letter: hand in the NA1 form, photos and USD 25, then wait for your name.
3. Passport control. Show your passport and e-visa. Then check the entry stamp before you leave the counter.
4. Baggage claim. Report a missing bag at the airline desk before customs.
5. Customs. Green lane for nothing to declare, red lane for cash or goods above the limits.
6. Arrivals hall. Buy a SIM card, withdraw dong, and find your transport.

Read our full Vietnam entry procedure guide.

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 trip from New Zealand, usually with a connection, 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 24 hours before your flight. Bookings made later carry an urgent surcharge.

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.
• Change only a little money at the airport. New Zealand dollars are not widely exchanged, so ATMs or US dollars are easier.
• 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 for New Zealand citizens

Customs checks are the last of the Vietnam visa requirements for New Zealand citizens on arrival. In fact, the rules are the same for every nationality, but some items Kiwis often pack cause trouble.

Points for New Zealand travellers:

• Vapes. Vaping is common and legal in New Zealand, but Vietnam bans e-cigarettes and heated tobacco from 1 January 2025, including possession. Customs can confiscate them, so leave your vape at home.
• Medicinal cannabis. Available on prescription in New Zealand, but illegal in Vietnam. Do not bring any cannabis product. Vietnam’s drug penalties are among the toughest in the world.
• Prescription medicine. Strong painkillers, ADHD medicines and some sleeping tablets are controlled. Bring them in the original packaging, with your prescription and a doctor’s letter, and only the amount you need.
• Drones. You can usually bring a small camera drone, but flying it needs a permit.
• Photos. Do not take photos at border crossings or military sites.

For more details, read the complete Vietnam customs rules guide.

Leaving Vietnam: exit requirements for New Zealand citizens

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. New Zealand’s biosecurity officers also check wood, seeds, food and animal products when you land home, so declare them there.
• 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.

Do not overstay your Vietnam visa

Finally, the Vietnam visa requirements for New Zealand citizens also apply on the way out. Leave by the last day on your e-visa or entry stamp. New Zealand’s SafeTravel also warns that overstaying can stop you from booking accommodation. 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.

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.

Lost your passport? Report it to the local police first. Then contact the New Zealand Government for an emergency travel document:

Finally, take the new document to the Vietnamese immigration office for an exit visa before you fly.

For travel agencies, tour operators and companies

Do you send New Zealand tour groups, school trips or business teams to Vietnam? We prepare e-visas, visa on arrival approval letters 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 New Zealand citizens

Do New Zealanders need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes, for mainland Vietnam. The only visa-free option is Phu Quoc island, for up to 30 days, when you fly there directly from abroad.

Is there a Vietnamese consulate in Auckland?

No. The Embassy in Wellington is the only Vietnamese office in New Zealand. Most travellers apply for the e-visa online instead.

Can I get a Vietnam visa on arrival with a New Zealand passport?

Yes, with an approval letter arranged before you fly. You then pay USD 25 in cash at the counter for a 15-day, single-entry visa.

What time should I order an urgent e-visa from New Zealand?

The 4-working-hour service closes at 07:00 and 14:00 Vietnam time, which is 12:00 and 19:00 in New Zealand in winter, or 13:00 and 20:00 during daylight saving.

Can I bring my vape to Vietnam?

No. Vapes, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco are banned in Vietnam, including for personal use.

How long can New Zealanders stay in Vietnam?

Up to 90 days per entry with an e-visa, 15 days with a visa on arrival, and up to 30 days without a visa on Phu Quoc island only.

Facts checked on 9 November 2026: the Embassy of Vietnam in New Zealand, New Zealand’s SafeTravel advice for Viet Nam (updated 1 July 2026), the New Zealand Embassy to Viet Nam, Circular 163/2026/TT-BTC, 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.