Yes, Guatemalan citizens need a visa for Vietnam. Guatemala is not on Vietnam’s visa exemption list, so the easiest choice is the Vietnam visa for Guatemalan citizens issued online: a 90-day e-visa costing US$25 for single entry or US$50 for multiple entry, usually ready in about 3 working days.
Guatemalans who also hold a Spanish passport have a second option: Spanish citizens can visit Vietnam visa-free for up to 45 days. This page covers both routes, how to enter two surnames, which connecting flights avoid a US transit visa, timing, costs and who to contact.
Vietnam visa for Guatemalan citizens: quick facts (November 2026)
- Guatemalan passport: visa needed. Guatemala is not on Vietnam’s visa exemption list.
- Spanish passport: visa-free for up to 45 days. US passport: e-visa needed.
- Best option on a Guatemalan passport: e-visa, up to 90 days, US$25 or US$50.
- Processing: about 3 working days, longer around Tet.
- Time difference: Vietnam is 13 hours ahead of Guatemala City all year.
- Embassies: Vietnam covers Guatemala from Mexico City; Guatemala has no mission in Vietnam.
How many Guatemalan visitors go to Vietnam
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security counted 447 arrivals from Guatemala in 2019. The number fell to 22 in 2021, when Vietnam’s borders were closed, and rose to 132 in 2022. In January 2023 alone, 49 Guatemalans arrived, more than a third of the previous year’s total.
Vietnam visa for Guatemalan citizens: your options
| Passport or option | Entry rule | Maximum stay | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guatemalan, single-entry e-visa | E-visa | Up to 90 days | US$25 |
| Guatemalan, multiple-entry e-visa | E-visa | Up to 90 days | US$50 |
| Spanish passport | Visa-free | 45 days | Free |
| Any passport, Phu Quoc only | Visa-free on the island | 30 days | Free |
If you hold two passports, choose one and use it for the whole trip: for the airline check-in, Vietnamese immigration on arrival and departure, and the hotel registration. A US passport does not help, because the United States is not on the Vietnam visa exemption list.
How to apply for a Vietnam visa as a Guatemalan citizen
- Check your passport. It must be valid for at least six months after arrival, with blank pages. The DPI is not accepted for Vietnam.
- Enter both surnames. Put your father’s and mother’s surnames together in the surname field, exactly as your passport shows them, for example LOPEZ GARCIA. Leave out accents, as in the two lines of letters at the bottom of your data page.
- Prepare a 4×6 cm portrait on a white background, no glasses, plus a full scan of the data page. See our Vietnam visa photo guide.
- Apply on evisa.gov.vn or through our service if you want your form checked before it is sent.
- Choose your entry gate from the list of e-visa ports of entry, matching the airport where you land.
Cost of the Vietnam visa for Guatemalan citizens
The government fee is US$25 for single entry and US$50 for multiple entry, the same for every nationality. Pay by international Visa or Mastercard; most Guatemalan bank cards work, but turn on international online payments with your bank first. With a service, you pay the government fee plus a service fee, and the full total appears before payment. Compare all routes in our Vietnam visa cost guide.
When to apply: Semana Santa, Tet and the time difference
Vietnam is 13 hours ahead of Guatemala all year. The 3 working days are counted on Hanoi time, so a form sent at 9 am on a Friday in Guatemala City arrives at 10 pm in Hanoi, after office hours, and processing starts on Monday. Read more in our Vietnam visa processing time guide.
- Semana Santa and December: Holy Week and the Christmas holidays are the busiest travel times. Apply at least 3 weeks before.
- Tet: Vietnam’s Lunar New Year starts on 6 February 2027. Processing slows or pauses around it; in 2026 the pause ran from 14 to 22 February. Apply in January for a February trip.
- Flights: there are no direct flights. Connecting in the United States requires a valid US visa, even if you never leave the airport. Routes through Madrid or another European hub avoid that, since Guatemalans can visit the Schengen area without a visa.
Embassies covering both countries
Vietnam for Guatemala. There is no Vietnamese embassy in Guatemala City. Instead, Vietnam’s ambassador to Mexico, based in Mexico City, is also accredited to Guatemala; the current ambassador presented his credentials to President Arévalo in January 2026. You need the embassy only for paper visas or special cases, not for an e-visa.
Guatemala for Vietnam. Guatemala has no embassy or consulate in Vietnam. In an emergency, such as a lost passport, contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guatemala City, which will tell you which Guatemalan mission can help. Holders of a Spanish passport can also ask the Embassy of Spain in Hanoi.
Worked examples
- Couple from Guatemala City, 2 weeks in Hanoi and Hoi An in December: two single-entry e-visas (US$25 each), flying through Madrid.
- Coffee exporter from Antigua at a trade fair in Ho Chi Minh City: a single-entry e-visa with “business” as the purpose and the organiser’s details on the form.
- Student from Quetzaltenango with Guatemalan and Spanish passports, 2 months in Vietnam: the 45 visa-free days on the Spanish passport would not cover the whole stay, so a 90-day e-visa on either passport is the better choice.
FAQ: Vietnam visa for Guatemalan citizens
Do Guatemalan citizens need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes, on a Guatemalan passport. With a Spanish passport, you can stay up to 45 days without a visa.
Is there a Vietnamese embassy in Guatemala?
No. Vietnam’s ambassador in Mexico City covers Guatemala. For most trips, apply for the e-visa online.
Can I get a visa on arrival?
Only with an approval letter arranged before the flight, and only at international airports. See our guide to Vietnam visa on arrival.
Do I need the Digital Arrival Card?
If you land in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Phu Quoc or Cam Ranh, submit the free card within 72 hours before arrival. It is not a visa. Learn more about the Vietnam e-visa.
Sources: Vietnam Government Resolutions 44/NQ-CP, 229/NQ-CP, 127/NQ-CP and 389/NQ-CP; Vietnam Ministry of Public Security arrival figures; Viet Nam News (January 2026). Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. We are an independent visa service, not a government website.
