Why this is being talked about officially right now
In August 2026 Vietnam’s immigration authorities issued a public warning: the number of fraudulent sites copying the official electronic visa portal has grown noticeably along with demand for the e-Visa itself. The scheme is simple and for that reason especially dangerous — scammers create sites visually almost indistinguishable from the real portal, buy search-engine ads to appear above the official link in the results, and use domains that look plausible at first glance although formally unrelated to Vietnam’s government resources. Experts separately noted that such fakes have become noticeably more convincing thanks to generative AI — the design, the texts and even the chat-support conversation on such sites look plausible.
What exactly tourists are caught with
The main bait is promises that the official portal never makes: “instant visa”, “urgent processing in an hour”, “guaranteed approval”. The official Vietnamese electronic visa is not issued instantly — the real processing time takes several working days, and no official resource can guarantee approval, since the decision is made by the immigration service after review. If a site promises what a government portal structurally cannot promise, that is already a reason to be wary.
The risk on such sites is twofold. First, financial: they charge much more than the official fee for processing a visa, passing off the markup as a “service fee” or “VIP processing”. Second, the far more serious risk — these sites collect full passport data, personal information and the bank card details entered at payment, and this information can be used for identity theft or card fraud after you have already returned home from Vietnam.
How to check that you are on the official site
- The only official address for submitting an e-Visa application is evisa.gov.vn. The duplicate official address is thithucdientu.gov.vn. Any other domain, even with a similar name (“evisa-vietnam.com”, “vietnam-evisa-online.net” and the like), is not a government resource.
- Don’t go to a visa site via the first ad link in a search — ads at the top of the results can be bought by anyone, including scammers. Type the official address manually or bookmark it in advance, before you start the application.
- The real portal does not promise “instant approval” and does not offer different fees for “speed” — the government service fee is fixed and does not depend on how much extra you are willing to pay for urgency.
- Before paying, compare the amount with the official e-Visa fee (check the current figure directly on evisa.gov.vn) — a significant excess over this sum on a third-party site signals a markup.
What to do if you have already entered data on a suspicious site
If you paid for a visa on a site whose authenticity you doubt, first contact the bank that issued the card and report possible fraud: there is often a chance to dispute the payment or at least reissue the card if the data may have been compromised. Then file the application again — but on the official portal evisa.gov.vn — so as not to be left without a valid visa before the trip. If you entered passport data, it makes sense to additionally watch for unusual activity connected with your documents in the following months.
Frequently asked questions
Which site for applying for a Vietnam visa is official?
Only evisa.gov.vn (and its duplicate address thithucdientu.gov.vn). Any other domain, even one with a similar name, is not a government resource.
Is it true that a real visa can be obtained instantly for an extra fee?
No — real e-Visa processing takes several working days. Promises of “instant receipt” or “guaranteed approval” for an extra fee are a characteristic sign of a fraudulent site.
What do scammers do with the data a tourist enters?
They collect passport data, personal information and the card details entered at payment — this can be used for identity theft or card fraud after the trip.
How can I tell a visa site is fake if it looks very convincing?
The main and most reliable sign is the exact domain: evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn. Visual similarity says nothing — modern fake sites are made almost indistinguishable from the original.
What next
See the detailed breakdown of Vietnam’s entry rules in the article Vietnam visa for Russians — it also describes the e-Visa procedure and the 45-day visa-free regime.
The e-Visa rules and fees may be clarified — apply for a visa only on the official portal and check the current cost directly there before paying.
