Yes, Portuguese citizens need a visa for Vietnam. Many travelers expect otherwise, because neighbouring Spain, France and most of Western Europe now enter Vietnam visa-free for 45 days. Portugal is not on that list. The simplest choice is therefore the Vietnam visa for Portuguese 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.
The two countries also have new embassies. Vietnam formally opened its embassy in Lisbon on 25 November 2025, and Portugal opened its embassy in Hanoi on 27 February 2026. Many older guides still say neither exists. This page covers the current rules, the options for dual citizens, timing from Portugal, costs and worked examples.
Vietnam visa for Portuguese citizens: quick facts (November 2026)
- Visa needed: yes. Portugal is not on Vietnam’s 45-day exemption list.
- Best option: e-visa, up to 90 days, single or multiple entry.
- Government fee: US$25 single entry, US$50 multiple entry.
- Processing: about 3 working days, longer around Tet.
- Passport: valid at least 6 months after arrival, with blank pages.
- Visa-free exception: Phu Quoc island, up to 30 days, if you fly straight in.
- Embassies: Vietnam in Lisbon (since November 2025), Portugal in Hanoi (since February 2026).
Why Portugal is not visa-free when Spain is
Vietnam’s visa exemptions are granted country by country, not to the EU as a whole. Resolution 44/NQ-CP gives 45 days to 12 countries, including Spain, France, Germany and Italy. Resolution 229/NQ-CP added 12 more in August 2025, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Switzerland. Portugal, Austria, Greece, Ireland and the Baltic states are still outside both lists, so they need a visa. You can check the full list on our page who is exempted from Vietnam visa.
This also means you cannot rely on a Spanish travel companion’s rules. If a couple travels on one Spanish and one Portuguese passport, only the Portuguese partner needs an e-visa.
How many Portuguese visitors go to Vietnam
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security counted 17,060 arrivals from Portugal in 2019. The number fell to 160 in 2021, when borders were closed, and climbed back to 5,404 in 2022. The new embassies in both capitals are part of a push to grow these numbers again.
Vietnam visa for Portuguese citizens: your options
| Option | Length | Government fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-visa on your Portuguese passport | Up to 90 days | US$25 / US$50 | Almost every trip |
| French, Spanish or British passport (dual citizens) | Up to 45 days | Free | Short trips by dual citizens |
| Visa on arrival (approval letter) | As stated on the letter | US$25 / US$50 cash + letter fee | Some urgent air arrivals |
| Embassy visa, Lisbon | Depends on type | Set by the embassy | Work, study and special cases |
| Phu Quoc exemption | Up to 30 days | Free | Phu Quoc island only |
Dual citizens: which passport to use
Many Portuguese families hold a second nationality, and the second passport can change the answer:
- Portuguese and French, Spanish or British: enter on the second passport and you get up to 45 days visa-free. Use the same passport for check-in, entry and exit.
- Portuguese and Brazilian: no help here, because Brazil is not visa-free either. Apply for the e-visa on whichever passport you will travel with.
- Portuguese and another EU country on the 45-day list (for example the Netherlands or Belgium): same as the first case.
- Trips longer than 45 days: use the Portuguese passport with a 90-day e-visa instead of planning a border run.
How to apply for a Vietnam visa as a Portuguese citizen
- Check your passport. It must be valid for at least six months after arrival, with blank pages. The Portuguese Cartão de Cidadão is valid for travel within Europe only, not for Vietnam.
- Write your full name exactly as in the passport. Portuguese names are often long, with particles such as “de”, “da” or “dos” and several surnames. Enter all of them in the same order. If the form will not take ã, ç or é, copy the spelling from the two lines of letters at the bottom of your data page, which never use accents.
- 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 single or multiple entry. Pick multiple entry if you will hop to Cambodia, Laos or Thailand and come back.
- Choose your entry gate. The e-visa is valid at 83 airports, land borders and seaports; check our list of e-visa ports of entry.
When to apply from Portugal: summer, Christmas and Tet
Vietnam is 7 hours ahead of Lisbon in winter and 6 hours ahead in summer. The 3 working days are counted on Hanoi time. If you apply at 4 pm on a Friday in Lisbon, it is already 11 pm on Friday in Hanoi, so processing really starts on Monday morning. Read more in our Vietnam visa processing time guide.
- August and Christmas: the busiest travel weeks from Portugal. Apply at least 2 weeks before you fly.
- 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 before late January for February trips.
- No direct flights: there are no nonstop flights from Portugal to Vietnam, so most people connect in the Gulf, Istanbul or another European hub. Check your transit country’s own rules too.
How much does a Vietnam visa for Portuguese citizens cost
The government fee is US$25 for single entry and US$50 for multiple entry, the same for every nationality. It is charged in US dollars, so your bank may add a conversion fee on top of the euro amount. With a service you pay the government fee plus a service fee, and the full total for a Portuguese passport appears before payment. Compare all routes in our Vietnam visa cost guide.
Embassies on both sides
Embassy of Vietnam in Lisbon. Vietnam held the official opening of its embassy in Portugal on 25 November 2025. You do not need to visit the embassy for an e-visa, but it handles paper visas, longer stays and visa exemption certificates for people of Vietnamese origin.
Embassy of Portugal in Hanoi. Portugal inaugurated its embassy on 27 February 2026 at BRG Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai Street, Hanoi. Contact it if you lose your passport or need consular help in Vietnam. Before you go, you can also sign up with Portugal’s Registo Viajante service on the Portal das Comunidades, so the Foreign Ministry can reach you in an emergency.
Worked examples
- Couple from Lisbon, 2 weeks in August: two single-entry e-visas (US$25 each), applied in mid-July. If they land in Ho Chi Minh City, they also fill in the Digital Arrival Card.
- Student from Porto, 2 months backpacking Vietnam and Cambodia: one multiple-entry e-visa (US$50) covering both Vietnam legs within 90 days.
- Portuguese-French dual citizen, 3-week holiday: no visa needed on the French passport, because the trip is under 45 days.
- Portuguese-Brazilian family, 10 days in Da Nang: an e-visa for each traveler on the passport they fly with, children included.
FAQ: Vietnam visa for Portuguese citizens
Do Portuguese citizens need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes. Portugal is not on Vietnam’s visa exemption list, so you need an e-visa or another visa.
Is there a Vietnamese embassy in Portugal?
Yes, in Lisbon, officially opened on 25 November 2025. You do not need to visit it for an e-visa.
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.
Can I use my Cartão de Cidadão to enter Vietnam?
No. Vietnam accepts only a passport. The ID card works for travel within Europe, not in Asia.
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; The World and Vietnam Report (November 2025); VietnamPlus (February 2026). Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. We are an independent visa service, not a government website.
