{
  "id": "visa/evisa-required-in-advance",
  "signature": "AI tells a tourist they can enter Vietnam visa-free or get a visa on arrival without arranging anything",
  "signature_zh": "",
  "regex": "(vietnam.*visa|visa.*vietnam|vietnam.*evisa|e.?visa.*vietnam|vietnam.*visa.on.arrival)",
  "domain": "visa",
  "category": "administrative_barrier",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa. Since August 2023 Vietnam issues an e-visa valid up to 90 days (single or multiple entry) applied for online in advance via the official portal. A limited list of nationalities is visa-exempt for short stays; 'visa on arrival' still requires a pre-approval letter arranged beforehand.",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "any",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "Fly to Vietnam expecting a free visa-on-arrival stamp with no prior paperwork",
      "why_fails": "Vietnam's 'visa on arrival' is not a walk-up service - it requires a pre-approval letter arranged before travel. Without an e-visa or approval letter (and outside the short visa-exempt list), you are denied boarding or entry.",
      "fail_rate": 0.85,
      "condition": "",
      "sources": [
        "https://evisa.gov.vn/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "Apply for the e-visa through a random third-party site at the last minute",
      "why_fails": "Unofficial sites overcharge and may submit incorrectly; processing also takes about 3 working days, so last-minute applications can miss the flight.",
      "fail_rate": 0.5,
      "condition": "Using non-official sites or applying too late",
      "sources": []
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "Apply for the e-visa on the official Vietnam Immigration portal several working days before travel.",
      "success_rate": 0.9,
      "how": "Use only evisa.gov.vn; upload a photo and passport page, pay the fee, and download the approved e-visa to print before boarding.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": [
        "https://evisa.gov.vn/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "If visa-exempt for a short stay, confirm the exact allowed days and carry proof of onward travel.",
      "success_rate": 0.8,
      "how": "Check the official visa-exemption list and your allowed period; bring return/onward tickets and accommodation details.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": []
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": []
  },
  "official_doc_url": null,
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.8,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.86,
  "resolvable": "true",
  "first_seen": "2024-01-01",
  "last_confirmed": "2026-06-14",
  "last_updated": "2026-06-14",
  "evidence_count": 3,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": [
    "visa/evisa-required-in-advance/vn"
  ]
}