5 Reasons Your Vietnam E-Visa Will Be Rejected 🚫 (From My Painful Experience)

I thought applying for a Vietnam E-Visa would be the easiest part of my trip. It’s online, it’s cheap, and everyone says it’s “simple.” But I was wrong. Very wrong.

I’m writing this after waiting 7 full days, checking my email every morning, only to receive a cold rejection notice with zero explanation. No refund. No appeal. Just “Rejected.” If you’re planning a trip to Vietnam, learn from my mistakes. This post might save you a week of stress — and a lot of sweat.

📌 Basic Vietnam E-Visa Info (Before My Mistakes)

Official cost: 25 USD (single entry)
Processing time: 3–5 working days (mine took 7… then rejected)
Validity: 90 days (single or multiple entry)
Official site: Vietnam Immigration Portal (⚠️ beware of fake sites)

I applied thinking, “This is easier than booking a hotel.” Instead, it became the most stressful part of my entire trip. Here are the 5 real reasons my Vietnam E-Visa was rejected.

1️⃣ Name Order Disaster (This One Hurt the Most)

I typed my name the way I always do: First Name + Last Name. Rejected.

Vietnam’s system wants your name EXACTLY as it appears in the machine-readable zone (MRZ) at the bottom of your passport. No guessing. No “common sense.”

I remember staring at my passport at 2 AM, sweating, realizing my mistake. One space. One order. Seven days gone.

2️⃣ Glasses in Photo 👓 (Yes, Really)

I uploaded a photo where I was wearing thin reading glasses. I didn’t even think about it. Rejected.

The rejection email just said: “Bad photo.” No explanation. No second chance.

Vietnam E-Visa photos must be:

No glasses
No shadows
White background
Neutral expression

It was hot when I took that photo. I rushed it. That small laziness cost me a full week.

3️⃣ Passport Expiry Date Too Close

My passport had about 6 months validity. I thought that was fine. Technically, it is — but “technically” doesn’t always work in Vietnam.

If your passport expires anywhere near the 6-month mark, your application becomes a gamble. I learned this the hard way, refreshing my inbox every hour.

4️⃣ Entry Port Mismatch

I selected one airport, then later changed my flight. I didn’t update my E-Visa. Big mistake.

Your entry port must match. Immigration officers check this carefully. If it doesn’t match, they don’t care how tired you are after a long flight.

5️⃣ Falling for Fake “Express Visa” Websites (Scam Alert 🚨)

This one almost got me again. When my visa was rejected, I panicked. Google showed me ads saying: “Vietnam Visa in 2 Hours – Guaranteed!”

Prices? 80–150 USD. No official receipt. No government URL. Just pressure and fear.

Some of these sites do work, some don’t. But many are pure scams. When you’re stressed and sweaty, bad decisions feel tempting. Don’t do it.

😓 How It Actually Felt

I was already imagining Vietnamese street food, the heat, the noise, sitting on a tiny plastic chair eating pho. Instead, I was stuck at home, angry at myself.

Vietnam is cheap. Flights are cheap. Food is cheap. But one small visa mistake can make everything feel very expensive.

✅ My Final Advice (Please Learn From Me)

Copy your name directly from your passport MRZ
Take a fresh photo — no glasses, no shortcuts
Make sure your passport has plenty of validity
Double-check your entry airport
Use only the official government site

Vietnam is absolutely worth the effort. The heat, the chaos, the food — all of it. Just don’t let a tiny typo ruin your trip like it almost ruined mine.