Short answer: as of November 2026, Pakistani passport holders cannot get a Vietnam visa in practice. In our own processing, applications for the Vietnam visa for Pakistani citizens are currently not being approved, and that includes the online e-visa and visa on arrival letters. Vietnam has not published a public notice or a reason, and it has not announced a reopening date.
So please do not pay for an e-visa, an “approval letter” or a “guaranteed visa” until this changes. The government fee is not refunded if an application is refused. This page explains what we know, who is not affected, what to do instead, and how you will know when visas reopen.
Vietnam visa for Pakistani citizens: status (checked 9 November 2026)
- Tourist and business e-visas: not being approved.
- Visa on arrival: not available, because it also needs a pre-approved letter.
- Dual citizens: if you travel on another passport, the rules for that passport apply.
- Government fee: not refundable if refused.
- Official notice: none published by Vietnam so far.
- Reopening date: none announced. We will update this page when it changes.
What we know about the pause
The information on this page comes from the results of applications we handle, not from an official announcement. At the moment, applications on Pakistani passports are not being approved. Because Vietnam has not explained the change, we cannot say how long it will last. In addition, some websites still describe the e-visa as open to Pakistani citizens, which is why many travelers only find out after paying.
How many Pakistani visitors went to Vietnam
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security counted 6,281 arrivals from Pakistan in 2019. The number then fell to 151 in 2021, when Vietnam’s borders were closed, and recovered to 1,739 in 2022. In January 2023, 407 Pakistanis arrived.
What the pause means for your trip
- Do not book non-refundable flights or hotels for Vietnam on a Pakistani passport until visas reopen.
- Be careful with agents who promise a guaranteed visa or visa on arrival. Visa on arrival still needs an approval letter from Vietnam’s immigration department, and those letters are affected too.
- Living abroad does not change it. The result depends on the passport, so a Pakistani living in the UAE, Saudi Arabia or Malaysia is affected as well.
- Dual citizens can use their other passport. For example, a Pakistani-British dual citizen can enter Vietnam on the British passport for up to 45 days without a visa. Then use that same passport for check-in, entry and exit.
- Business travelers: ask your Vietnamese partner company to check with the immigration department before you plan a visit.
- Already refused? The government fee is not refunded. If you paid a service, ask it about its own refund policy.
Other passports are affected too. See the full list of nationalities that cannot get a Vietnam visa right now.
Embassies on both sides
Embassy of Vietnam in Islamabad. It is the best place to ask about the official visa position before you plan anything.
Embassy of Pakistan in Hanoi. It helps Pakistani citizens who are already in Vietnam, for example with lost passports or other consular needs.
When will the Vietnam visa for Pakistani citizens reopen?
No date has been announced. In the meantime, the most reliable signs that visas have reopened are an official notice from the Vietnamese embassy in Islamabad and e-visa approvals for Pakistani passports on evisa.gov.vn. We check the situation regularly and will update this page, with the date, as soon as approvals resume. For the general rules that apply to other nationalities, see our pages on the Vietnam e-visa and who is exempted from Vietnam visa.
FAQ: Vietnam visa for Pakistani citizens
Can Pakistani citizens get a Vietnam e-visa now?
Not in practice. As of November 2026, e-visa applications on Pakistani passports are not being approved.
Can I get a visa on arrival in Vietnam with a Pakistani passport?
No. Visa on arrival needs a pre-approved letter, and those are affected by the same pause. Learn how it normally works in our guide to Vietnam visa on arrival.
Is there a Vietnamese embassy in Pakistan?
Yes, in Islamabad. Contact it for the official visa position.
I have a British or other second passport. Can I travel?
Yes. The rules for the passport you travel on apply. For example, British passport holders can stay up to 45 days without a visa.
Sources: our own application processing (November 2026); Vietnam Ministry of Public Security arrival figures. Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. We are an independent visa service, not a government website.
