1. Check passport validity before anything else
The Vietnam Embassy in India currently advises that the passport expiry date should be at least six months after the date you arrive in Vietnam.
Do this check before preparing images or entering application data. A passport that is too close to expiry can create a more fundamental issue than a formatting mistake.
If the passport-validity buffer is insufficient, resolve that first instead of rushing into an e‑Visa application.
2. Prepare the full passport data-page image
Official Embassy guidance specifies the full passport data page, including the photograph, personal information and ICAO lines. A crop that removes the machine-readable lines defeats the point of submitting the complete page.
Use a clear, readable image. Avoid glare, fingers covering corners, blur, shadows or aggressive compression that makes letters and numbers difficult to read.
- Capture the entire data page.
- Keep the ICAO machine-readable lines visible.
- Check that passport number and expiry date remain readable.
- Avoid editing that changes the document's appearance.
3. Prepare the portrait to the current specification
The Embassy's current e‑Visa guidance describes a 4×6 cm portrait with a white background, looking straight and without glasses.
Treat this as an identity image, not a social-media photo. Use even lighting, a neutral expression and a clean background. Always follow the live portal's current file-format and upload requirements when you submit.
A technically acceptable portrait should also be easy for an officer to identify as the same person shown in the passport.
4. Keep travel and contact information ready
The official application asks for information beyond the two images. Prepare the intended visa dates, contact details and the travel/stay information requested by the live form before you start.
Use an email address you can access and keep your application information organised. The Embassy also advises saving the registration code because it is needed to check and print the result.
- Planned Vietnam arrival and departure window.
- Single or multiple-entry decision based on the itinerary.
- Intended entry / exit and Vietnam stay information requested by the form.
- Reliable email address and saved registration code after submission.
5. The final document check matters as much as the application
After a visa is granted, compare the e‑Visa against the passport and the planned trip. Check the spelling of the name, passport number, validity dates and entry type.
Current Embassy guidance says e‑Visa holders must present the printed e‑Visa and valid passport at the checkpoint. Prepare the travel copy before departure rather than relying on a last-minute phone search.
The traveller remains responsible for checking that the issued document matches the passport and intended journey.