The choice looks like a small line item on the application form. It is the one decision that can strand you at a border a week into your trip.
Single entry
One admission to Vietnam. Once you leave the country, the visa is spent — even if there are weeks left on it. This is the right choice for a straightforward return trip.
Multiple entry
You can leave and re-enter as often as you like within the validity period. Anyone combining Vietnam with a neighbouring country, or making repeated business trips within the same month, needs this.
The itineraries that catch people out
- Hanoi, then a few days in Luang Prabang, then back to Hanoi to fly home
- Ho Chi Minh City with a weekend in Phnom Penh
- A regional sales trip touching Vietnam twice in one fortnight
Each of these requires multiple entry. A single entry visa ends the moment you cross out.
30 days or 90 days
Validity is separate from entry count. A 90-day multiple entry visa suits long stays and repeat visits; a 30-day single entry is enough for a standard holiday. Match both settings to your ticket, not to the cheapest combination.