Getting a Vietnam visa on the weekend or public holidays can be more challenging than on regular working days. Here’s what travelers need to know about visa applications, processing times, and available options.
Yes, but not through the same channel you'd use on a weekday. The standard government e-Visa takes about 3 working days to process, and that clock only runs Monday to Friday. Applications submitted on a Saturday simply sit until the next business day opens. Vietnam's immigration offices, along with the e-Visa processing team, are closed on weekends and on national holidays, which is why a same-day or next-day visa isn't possible through the free government route once the weekend hits.
For many international travelers, the problem only becomes clear when they are already working through their travel plans. They may submit an e-Visa on a Friday evening, assume the application will continue moving over the weekend, and only realize on Saturday or Sunday that the standard processing timeline has paused. When the flight is already booked and there are only a day or two left, waiting until Monday can turn a simple visa application into a last-minute travel problem.
Vietnam visa at the weekend
When a weekend departure is approaching, private urgent processing can provide an alternative. UrgentVisaToVietnam’s Vietnam Emergency Visa service runs 24/7/365, including outside office hours, weekends, and public holidays, so a Saturday departure gets the same attention as a Tuesday one. Instead of waiting for a government officer to come back on Monday, your application goes through a dedicated urgent-processing channel that operates every day of the year.
The same processing tiers we run on weekdays stay available on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, from a fast same-day turnaround down to the tightest windows for travelers already close to departure. In practice:
How fast your request moves still depends on your nationality and visa type. Submission time also matters, especially on weekends. A Saturday-morning application gives the processing team far more time to work than one submitted at midnight on Sunday.
The growing number of international visitors also means more travelers are planning trips around tight schedules. Vietnam welcomed 21.17 million international visitors in 2025, up 20.4% year on year and the highest figure on record. Visitors from Europe reached 2.77 million, up 38.8%, while arrivals from the Americas reached 1.10 million and those from Australia reached 607,400. (Source: National Statistics Office of Vietnam, 2026). With international arrivals continuing to grow, travelers with weekend and holiday departures have even more reason to check visa processing times carefully and leave enough time before their flights.
Related Blog Post:Vietnam Visa For Tet Holiday - Lunar New Year
Weekend and holiday visas carry a transparent urgent surcharge on top of the standard government fee, and we publish both so there are no surprises.
|
Fee |
Weekday |
Weekend/Public Holiday |
|
Government fee - single entry |
$25 |
$25 |
|
Government fee - multiple entry |
$50 |
$50 |
|
Urgent/private service fee |
Depends on processing speed |
Usually higher due to out-of-hours processing |
|
Weekend/holiday surcharge |
X |
May apply, depending on the provider |
The $25 single-entry and $50 multiple-entry government fees remain fixed, regardless of when you apply. Any additional cost comes from the private service you choose, particularly if you need urgent processing for a Vietnam visa on a weekend or public holiday.
Vietnam Visa on the Weekend Services
For example, published weekday urgent-service rates may be around $102 for 4-hour single-entry processing or $92 for 1-day single-entry processing. Weekend and holiday pricing may vary depending on the provider, your nationality, submission time, and how urgently you need the visa. Always confirm the total cost before payment.
To apply on a weekend, submit your request through our 24/7 form, confirm details and pay, then receive your approval within the promised window.
Since there's no government office to escalate to once the weekend starts, getting your documents in early in the day gives our team the most room to fix anything, a blurry photo or a typo in your passport number, before it becomes a delay when applying for a Vietnam visa on the weekend.
Many Western travelers we speak with mention the same pattern: they assumed the e-Visa system was fully automated and only discovered the weekday-only rule after the portal had already closed for the weekend.
Related Blog Post: Vietnam Emergency Visa: Urgent & Expedited Service 24/7
|
Your situation |
Best option |
Why |
|
Your flight is after the weekend |
Standard weekday processing |
If you have enough time, skip the weekend surcharge and get the same visa for less |
|
Your flight departs on Saturday, Sunday, or a public holiday |
Weekend rush processing |
You may need your visa before the next government working day, making urgent processing worthwhile |
|
You need a visa after the government portal closes |
Weekend rush processing |
Waiting until Monday may be too late if your departure is approaching |
|
You are already travelling and have an urgent visa issue that cannot wait until Monday |
Weekend rush processing |
An urgent private service may provide a faster solution outside normal government processing hours |
If your trip is not urgent, applying on Thursday or Friday for standard weekday processing is usually the cheaper option. Weekend rush services are mainly worthwhile when you genuinely need a visa before the next working day.
Applying for a Vietnam visa on the weekend
A single Saturday is usually manageable, but a multi-day national holiday requires more planning because more travelers tend to submit urgent requests around the same period, which can put extra pressure on private visa services. Vietnam's 2026 National Day holiday runs for five consecutive days, from August 29 to September 2, including the weekend and a compensatory day off.
Tet 2026 stretches across nine consecutive days off, from February 14 to 22, once the official public holidays and surrounding weekends are combined. This can also affect visa processing schedules during the holiday period.
If your trip falls around Tet, our Vietnam Visa For Tet Holiday guide explains the holiday schedule and how much buffer to build in. As a general rule for any multi-day holiday, apply at least 5–7 days before departure, or 7–10 days ahead for Tet, or choose a faster processing tier to avoid delays pushing your approval past your travel date.
Useful tips for a smooth Vietnam visa on the weekend application process
By following these tips, you can enhance the chances of a smooth and successful Vietnam visa on the weekend application process. Remember to start early, gather all required documents, and provide accurate information to ensure a hassle-free travel experience.
Vietnam Visa on the Weekend
Our team works nights, weekends, and public holidays with an on-time-or-refund commitment, so a Saturday deadline is treated with the same urgency as a weekday one. Here’s what travelers can expect:
Contact us:
Can I get a Vietnam visa on Saturday or Sunday?
Yes, the government portal is closed, but private urgent processing runs every day of the year, so a weekend trip doesn't have to wait for Monday.
Do weekend visas cost more than weekday ones?
Yes. On top of the fixed government fee, weekend and holiday requests carry an additional after-hours surcharge, contact us for the exact quote, since it depends on your timing and nationality.
How fast can I get a visa if I'm applying on a weekend?
The same tiers available on weekdays apply on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays too, from a few hours up to a couple of days depending on how early you submit.
What happens if my flight lands on a public holiday and my visa isn't ready yet?
Without a valid visa or approval letter, airlines will generally deny boarding, and you can't legally enter Vietnam, which is exactly why applying with enough runway before a holiday matters more than it does on a normal weekend.
Is visa-on-arrival a better option than an e-Visa for a weekend arrival?
It can be. The e-Visa portal itself is closed on weekends, but the visa-stamping counter at Vietnam's international airports runs 24/7, so a pre-approved VOA letter is sometimes the more dependable route if you're landing on a Saturday or Sunday.
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