Yes, New Zealand citizens need a visa for Vietnam. New Zealand is not on Vietnam’s visa-free list, so every traveler, children included, needs a visa before the flight. The easiest choice is the Vietnam visa for New Zealand 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. Kiwis who also hold a British passport have a second option, explained below.
This guide goes beyond the basics. It shows how many New Zealanders visit Vietnam, how the time difference works in your favour, how to plan around the summer holidays and Tet, which embassies to contact on both sides, and what Cook Islands and Niue passport holders need.
Vietnam visa for New Zealand citizens: quick facts (November 2026)
- Visa needed: yes, for mainland Vietnam.
- Best option: 90-day e-visa, US$25 single / US$50 multiple entry.
- Dual UK citizens: a British passport gives 45 days visa-free.
- Vietnamese post in New Zealand: the embassy in Wellington only.
- New Zealand posts in Vietnam: embassy in Hanoi, consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Time difference: Vietnam is 5 hours behind New Zealand (6 hours during NZ daylight saving).
Do New Zealand citizens need a Vietnam visa?
Yes. Vietnam’s unilateral exemption covers 24 countries, mostly in Europe plus Japan and South Korea, and bilateral agreements cover several ASEAN neighbours, Chile and Panama. New Zealand is in neither group. Therefore, a New Zealand tourist, business traveler or student needs a visa for any stay outside the airport transit area. See the full list in our guide to who is exempted from Vietnam visa.
The exception is Phu Quoc island: any foreign visitor can stay there for up to 30 days without a visa when flying in directly from abroad, or after transiting through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City without leaving the airport.
Cook Islands and Niue
People from the Cook Islands and Niue are New Zealand citizens and travel on New Zealand passports. As a result, exactly the same Vietnam visa rules apply to them.
How many New Zealanders visit Vietnam?
According to the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security, 48,582 New Zealanders entered Vietnam in 2019. Arrivals then fell to almost nothing during the border closures, with only 186 in 2021, and recovered to 13,892 in 2022 after Vietnam reopened. In other words, New Zealand is one of the larger sources of visitors who still need a visa, so the process is well established for Kiwi passports.
Vietnam visa for New Zealand citizens: your options
| Option | Length | Government fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-visa | Up to 90 days | US$25 / US$50 | Almost every trip |
| British passport (dual citizens) | Up to 45 days | Free | Kiwis who also hold a valid UK passport |
| Visa on arrival (approval letter) | As stated on the letter | US$25 / US$50 cash + letter fee | Some urgent air arrivals |
| Embassy visa, Wellington | Depends on type | Set by the embassy | Special cases and sponsored long stays |
| Phu Quoc exemption | Up to 30 days | Free | Phu Quoc island only |
Vietnam visa for New Zealand citizens with a British passport
Many New Zealanders also hold a British passport. Since the United Kingdom is on Vietnam’s 45-day exemption list, you can enter visa-free on your British passport for trips of up to 45 days. However, use the same passport for the whole journey: book your flight in that passport’s name and number, show it at check-in, and enter and leave Vietnam with it. If your trip is longer than 45 days, apply for a 90-day e-visa instead, on whichever passport you will travel with.
How to apply for a Vietnam visa as a New Zealand citizen
- Check your passport. It must be valid for at least six months after arrival, with blank pages.
- Take a 4×6 cm portrait on a white background with no glasses. A New Zealand passport photo has a different shape, so take a new one. See our Vietnam visa photo guide.
- Scan the data page, including all four corners and the two lines of letters at the bottom.
- Apply on evisa.gov.vn or through a service if you want your form checked first.
- Choose single or multiple entry. Pick multiple entry if a side trip to Cambodia, Laos or Thailand is in your plans.
- Pay, wait and print. Keep the registration code, then print and check the e-visa.
The time difference works in your favour
Most travelers lose time because their form arrives in Vietnam after office hours. New Zealanders are the exception, because Vietnam is 5 to 6 hours behind. For example, a form paid at 2 p.m. on a Thursday in Auckland during daylight saving reaches Vietnam at 8 a.m. the same Thursday, so that day can count as a working day. By contrast, a form sent on a Friday evening in Auckland arrives on Friday afternoon in Vietnam, and the next working day is Monday. Read how the days are counted in our Vietnam visa processing time guide.
When to apply: summer holidays, Waitangi Day and Tet
The New Zealand summer holidays run from mid-December to late January, which is also Vietnam’s busiest season. In addition, Tet pauses processing for about a week; in 2026, e-visas were not processed from 14 to 22 February. In 2027, Tet starts on Saturday 6 February, the same day as Waitangi Day. So if you plan a February trip, submit your application by mid-January at the latest.
How much does a Vietnam visa for New Zealand citizens cost?
The government fee is US$25 for single entry and US$50 for multiple entry, the same for every nationality. Because the fee is charged in US dollars, New Zealand banks usually add a foreign currency fee. With a service, you pay the government fee plus a service fee, and the exact total for a New Zealand passport appears before payment. Compare every route in our Vietnam visa cost guide.
Flights and entry points for New Zealand citizens
Direct flights between New Zealand and Vietnam began in 2016, although schedules change with the seasons. Many travelers therefore connect through Australia, Singapore or Bangkok. If you connect in another country and stay airside, you do not need a visa for that stop, but always check its own transit rules. Once in Vietnam, your e-visa works at 17 airports and many land and sea gates; see the full list of Vietnam e-visa ports of entry.
Embassies on both sides
- Embassy of Vietnam, Wellington: Level 21 Grand Plimmer Tower, 2-6 Gilmer Terrace, Wellington 6011. It is the only Vietnamese post in New Zealand; there is no consulate in Auckland.
- Embassy of New Zealand, Hanoi and Consulate General of New Zealand, Ho Chi Minh City: contact them if you lose your passport or need consular help while in Vietnam.
Before you fly, read the New Zealand Government’s travel advice for Vietnam on SafeTravel (safetravel.govt.nz) and register your trip there, so the embassy can contact you in an emergency.
Vietnamese New Zealanders
New Zealand has a Vietnamese community of several thousand people. If you were born in Vietnam or have a Vietnamese parent, you may qualify for a visa exemption certificate, which allows visa-free visits for up to five years. Your foreign spouse and children can apply too. Ask the embassy in Wellington for the current requirements.
Worked examples
- A Christchurch couple, three weeks in January: two single-entry e-visas, 2 × US$25 = US$50 in government fees, applied for by 15 December to beat the holiday rush.
- A Kiwi with a British passport, 30 days in March: no visa needed, provided the whole trip is booked and flown on the British passport.
- A Wellington family visiting Vietnam and Cambodia over 5 weeks: four multiple-entry e-visas, 4 × US$50 = US$200, so they can leave for Siem Reap and come back.
FAQ: Vietnam visa for New Zealand citizens
Can New Zealanders 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.
How long can New Zealand citizens stay?
Up to 90 days with an e-visa. A tourist e-visa generally cannot be extended inside Vietnam, so plan the full stay when you apply.
Is there a Vietnamese consulate in Auckland?
No. The embassy in Wellington is the only Vietnamese post in New Zealand, but you do not need to visit it for an e-visa.
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.
Sources: Vietnam National E-Visa Portal (evisa.gov.vn); Vietnam Ministry of Public Security arrivals by nationality, 2019 to January 2023; Government Resolutions 44/NQ-CP and 229/NQ-CP on visa exemption; New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. We are an independent visa service, not a government website.
