Planning to visit Vietnam during the holidays? Be careful – visa processing might not be as smooth as you expect. Many travelers are caught off guard every year when visa …
Imagine this: You’ve booked your dream vacation to Vietnam, packed your bags, scheduled every tour down to the minute, and you’re ready to go. Suddenly, it hits you — your visa hasn’t been approved. You dig deeper and find out it’s Tet, Vietnam’s most important public holiday, and the immigration office is closed. Your flight is in 36 hours. Panic sets in. Sadly, this isn’t just a hypothetical situation. Thousands of travelers each year experience visa delays simply because they didn’t plan around Vietnam’s public holidays. But don’t worry — in this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about visa processing during public holidays in Vietnam, highlight the common mistakes travelers make, and show you how to turn the situation around with smart, fast solutions. Read on before it’s too late.
Visa processing in Vietnam isn’t always as seamless as in other countries — especially when national holidays are involved. During these holidays, most government offices, including the Immigration Department, completely shut down operations. That means:
Take the story of Maria, a traveler from New Zealand. She submitted her e-visa application two days before Lunar New Year, unaware that the entire immigration system shuts down during Tet. Her visa didn’t arrive in time, and she had to reschedule her flight — losing hundreds of dollars in change fees and missed bookings.
Not all public holidays are created equal. Some are short and cause minimal disruption, while others, like Tết (Lunar New Year), bring the country to a standstill for over a week.
Here are the major holidays that can affect your Vietnam visa processing:
📢 Pro Tip: Official holiday schedules are generally announced 3–4 weeks in advance, so always check before you apply for your visa. Missing this step can cause major disruptions to your trip.
Too many travelers assume the visa process will “just work out.” Here’s what they often get wrong:
💡 These mistakes are easily avoidable with a bit of planning and the right backup plan in place.
Don’t let a delay ruin your plans — if your visa hasn’t been approved and time is tight, here’s what you can do:
✅ Use a Rush Visa service — These services can get you an approval letter in as little as 2–8 working hours, even on weekends and public holidays.
✅ Contact visa support teams via WeChat, WhatsApp, or hotline — Many agencies offer 24/7 multilingual assistance, especially those experienced in handling last-minute cases.
✅ Submit your application again via a trusted provider — If your current application is stuck, you can often reapply through a private agency for expedited results.
One reliable provider is Vietnam Visa Services, which offers fast-track processing and expert support throughout the year.
When choosing a visa service during high-pressure situations, you need speed, reliability, and accountability.
Vietnamimmigration.com is a leading visa provider with over 15 years of experience in handling urgent travel documents. Here’s why travelers trust them:
If you’re in a time crunch or traveling during a high-risk holiday period, this is the partner you want in your corner.
Public holidays in Vietnam can completely halt visa processing — but with the right knowledge and tools, they don’t have to ruin your trip.
Here’s what to remember:
Don’t let delays hold you back from the experience of a lifetime in Vietnam. Plan smart — and you’ll be just fine.