🔄 Last updated: 11 July 2026
You're bringing the family to Nha Trang for the winter. Mum and Dad have E-Visas. And the six-year-old… surely kids don't need a visa?
They do. And this is one of the misconceptions that gets families turned away right at the check-in desk.
❌ "Children under 14 are visa-exempt for Vietnam." → FALSE. Vietnam has no age-based visa exemption. Children need a visa (or must fall under a visa exemption) exactly like adults.
1. 📋 Look it up by your child's situation
The rule doesn't depend on your child's age. It depends on your child's travel document.
| Your child's situation | What they need to enter Vietnam |
|---|---|
| Child has their own passport (any age) | Their own E-Visa, a separate application, and the full fee — or they fall under a visa exemption like an adult |
| Child is listed in a parent's passport (where your country still allows it) | They travel on that parent's passport and visa — and can only enter while accompanied by the passport holder |
| Child holds a nationality with the 45-day exemption | They are visa-exempt just like an adult, under the resolution applying to that nationality |
💡 On the 45-day exemption: citizens under Resolution 44/NQ-CP — which includes Russia and South Korea — are exempt regardless of passport type or purpose of entry. That means children with their own passports are exempt too. → The two exemption resolutions explained
2. There's no "child fare" for an E-Visa
This catches a lot of parents out at budgeting time.
An E-Visa has no age discount. An infant with their own passport pays the same fee as a parent.
For a family of four, that's four E-Visa applications and four fees — for every entry. Budget for it from the start, rather than discovering it when the visa run comes around.
3. ⚠️ The biggest trap: your family does NOT share one expiry date
This is the part almost nobody warns you about.
Each visa is tied to one passport and one application. Which means each family member's expiry date is calculated independently — and they can drift apart:
- Your child's E-Visa is approved a few days later than yours
- You declared different intended entry dates for different people
- One family member entered visa-free, another on an E-Visa → two completely different clocks (45 days vs 90 days)
The result: you're certain the family still has 20 days, while your child's visa expired yesterday.
And children are not exempt from overstay consequences — a child's permitted stay is its own clock, it does not "follow" the parents.
🔔 Track each family member's expiry date, not "the family's"
This is exactly the kind of error that a reminder 15 days out prevents.
👉 Turn on free visa expiry reminders with Visa Tracker — add each family member separately, each with their own expiry date. Free, no account needed.
If you do overstay, the penalties under Decree 282/2025 apply by day-count band — and for a family, they multiply by the number of people.
4. E-Visa photos for children — the number one refusal cause
Children's E-Visa applications are most often refused over the photo, not the documents.
The photo requirements for children are identical to adults' — and that's precisely the problem:
- Eyes open, looking straight ahead → nearly impossible with a newborn
- Plain white background, no shadows
- No hats, no pacifiers, no toys in frame
- No adult hands supporting the child visible in the shot
- Face clear, not covered by hair
Practical trick: lay the baby on their back on a white sheet or towel, shoot straight down in natural light. No flash.
See also: 7 reasons Vietnam E-Visa applications get refused
5. Children's passports expire sooner than you think
In many countries a child's passport is valid for a shorter period than an adult's — often 5 years instead of 10.
Combine that with the 6-month remaining validity expected on entry and you get an easy trap: your passport has four years left, your child's has five months.
Check every passport in the family, not just your own.
6. Doing a Visa Run with children — what changes
If you're on a long stay and the time comes to exit and re-enter, everyone travels, including the little ones.
What to prepare additionally with children:
- A new E-Visa for each person, all declaring the same entry checkpoint → how to choose a crossing
- Proof of relationship (birth certificate, translated if needed)
- If a child travels with only one parent: some countries require a consent letter from the other parent. Check the rules of your own country and of the neighbouring country you'll pass through.
- Travel time, meals and rest that actually work for a child
For families with young children, a private Visa Run trip often works better than a shared bus — you control the timing and don't wait at the border with a large group.
7. ⚠️ Common misconceptions
❌ "Children under 14 don't need a visa." → FALSE. There's no age exemption. Own passport → own visa (or a visa exemption).
❌ "My child is on my passport, so they can travel alone on it." → FALSE. A child listed in a parent's passport can only travel while accompanied by that passport holder.
❌ "E-Visas are cheaper for children." → FALSE. Same fee as an adult.
❌ "My child's visa expires when mine does." → NOT NECESSARILY. Each visa has its own expiry date. Check each one.
❌ "My passport has years left, so my child's must too." → CAREFUL. Children's passports are often valid for only 5 years. Check separately.
❌ "Any photo of the baby will do — they'll understand, it's a child." → FALSE. The requirements apply equally. A non-compliant photo is the most common refusal reason for children's applications — and the fee is non-refundable.
8. ✅ Family pre-flight checklist
- Check every passport — valid ≥ 6 months, ≥ 2 blank pages
- Establish whether your child has their own passport or is listed in yours → use the table in section 1
- If they have their own passport and aren't visa-exempt → file a separate E-Visa for them
- Take a compliant E-Visa photo (white background, eyes open, no hat, no adult hands)
- Declare the same entry checkpoint for the whole family
- Write down each person's expiry date — they may differ
- Bring the birth certificate (translated if needed)
- If only one parent travels → prepare a consent letter from the other
- File the digital arrival card (QR) for each person within 72 hours of arrival
ViEntry supports multi-passenger E-Visa applications in one go — we check each person's photo and details before submission to reduce the risk of refusal.
Not sure what your family's route should be? The free Advisor suggests one based on nationality and dates.
Sources
- Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (Law 47/2014/QH13, as amended) — entry conditions and visa issuance
- Vietnam Immigration Department — Ministry of Public Security:
evisa.gov.vn(photo and passport requirements) - Resolution 44/NQ-CP (7 Mar 2025) and Resolution 229/NQ-CP (11 Aug 2025) — the 45-day visa exemptions
- Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP — Article 21, overstay penalties
Note: This article is informational and compiled at the time of the last update. Rules on children's passports (own passport vs listed with a parent) are set by the issuing country and differ widely — check with your own authorities. Requirements when a child travels with one parent are likewise set by each country. Admission is decided by the immigration authorities. ViEntry is a technology platform connecting users with independent service operators; all prices are for reference. ViEntry is not an immigration authority and does not provide legal advice.
Need E-Visa and Visa Run support for the whole family? Telegram @vientry_support · WhatsApp +84 963 091 001 · Hotline 0963 091 001
