The Royal Thai Embassy in Hanoi handles Thai visas for foreigners living in 41 of Vietnam's provinces. Most people assume Vietnam splits neatly at the middle, with the north going to Hanoi and the south to the Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City. It doesn't. Hanoi's list also takes in the Central Highlands and several Mekong Delta provinces, including An Giang, Kien Giang, Dong Thap and Soc Trang, so someone living on Phu Quoc or in Da Lat files with Hanoi, not Saigon.
Vietnam moved onto Thailand's new e-Visa platform on 8 October 2024, nearly three months before it became the standard for Thai missions worldwide on 1 January 2025. You no longer hand in a passport at the counter.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Royal Thai Embassy, Hanoi |
| Embassy (chancery) | 26 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi |
| Consular section | 85 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi |
| Phone | +84 24 3823 5092 to 5094 (embassy); +84 24 3823 5095 (consular section direct) |
| Office hours | Embassy: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 17:30. Consular and visa: 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 17:00 (see note below) |
| Closed | Weekends and embassy holidays |
| Jurisdiction | Foreign nationals residing in 41 provinces (listed below) |
| Visa applications | Online only at thaievisa.go.th (since 8 October 2024, 10:00 UTC+7) |
| Stated processing time | 5 working days |
| Payment | Debit or credit card through the e-Visa portal, non-refundable |
The afternoon hours don't match across the embassy's own pages. The location and contact page gives the consular and visa section as 13:30 to 17:00, while an older visa-section page says 13:30 to 15:00. Phone the consular line before you go in the afternoon.
Which Areas This Mission Covers
The embassy's e-Visa announcement (last updated 9 March 2026) says the platform applies to "a foreign national who currently resides in" these provinces:
| Province | Province | Province |
|---|---|---|
| Ha Noi | Ha Tinh | Phu Tho |
| An Giang | Hai Duong | Quang Binh |
| Bac Giang | Hai Phong City | Quang Ninh |
| Bac Kan | Hoa Binh | Quang Tri |
| Bac Ninh | Hung Yen | Son La |
| Binh Phuoc | Kien Giang | Soc Trang |
| Cao Bang | Kon Tum | Tay Ninh |
| Dak Lak | Lai Chau | Thanh Hoa |
| Dak Nong | Lam Dong | Thai Binh |
| Dien Bien | Lang Son | Thai Nguyen |
| Dong Thap | Lao Cai | Tuyen Quang |
| Gia Lai | Nam Dinh | Vinh Phuc |
| Ha Giang | Nghe An | Yen Bai |
| Ha Nam | Ninh Binh |
The southern provinces on this list are the ones people miss. An Giang, Kien Giang (Phu Quoc), Soc Trang, Dong Thap, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, Lam Dong (Da Lat), Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai and Kon Tum all belong to Hanoi, even though Ho Chi Minh City is far closer.
The Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City covers the other 22: Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang City, Can Tho City, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. The two lists together cover all 63 of Vietnam's old provinces, each once.
Both missions still use the old province names. Vietnam merged its provinces in 2025, and some of the new, larger provinces contain former provinces from both lists (the former Long An, an HCMC-list province, is now part of Tay Ninh, a Hanoi-list name). Neither mission has published a list using the new names. If your current province was formed by a merger, work out which former province your address belonged to, and if it's still unclear, email the consular section before you file.
Do You Need a Visa?
Vietnamese citizens don't need a visa for a short visit. Vietnam isn't on the new 30-day exemption list that took effect on 15 September 2026. Vietnamese travellers are covered by a separate bilateral agreement with Thailand instead. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Consular Affairs lists Vietnam among the countries whose ordinary passport holders can stay up to 30 days without a visa under that agreement. The Royal Gazette change didn't alter bilateral agreements.
Foreigners living in Vietnam get whatever their own passport gets. Most Western nationalities now have 30 days, extendable by 30 days for 1,900 THB. Check yours on the visa exemption page and read what changed on 15 September 2026.
You need the embassy when you want:
- A stay longer than your exemption allows, or any stay if your passport isn't exempt
- A Non-Immigrant B visa for business, work or teaching
- A Non-Immigrant O visa to join a Thai spouse or a family member working or studying in Thailand
- The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
- Thai passport, police clearance or other services for Thai nationals
How to Apply
- Confirm your province is on Hanoi's list. Use your province of residence, not the nearest city.
- Register at thaievisa.go.th and choose the Royal Thai Embassy, Hanoi.
- Fill in the form carefully. The embassy warns that you can't change any personal information once the application is submitted.
- Upload your documents and pay by card. The embassy's e-Visa notice says payment is by debit or credit card and is non-reimbursable.
- Wait about 5 working days. Approval arrives as a confirmation email. Print it and show it to the airline and to Thai immigration.
The embassy keeps the right to ask for more documents, call you for an interview, or refuse the application. Our e-Visa guide walks through the portal screen by screen.
Practical Notes
Treat the older visa pages as background only. Several of Hanoi's visa-type pages date from 2019 to 2023, before the e-Visa. They still describe in-person appointments, cash payment and "visa stamps". The e-Visa announcement, last updated in March 2026, describes the current process. Where the two disagree, go with the e-Visa notice.
Fees aren't published in current form. The old tourist visa page quotes a cash fee that predates the e-Visa, so we're not repeating it. The fee appears at the payment step in the portal.
The DTV page is a single image, and it is out of date. Hanoi's DTV page carries its requirements as a graphic and was last updated in October 2024. It predates the rule Thai missions applied from 31 August 2026: DTV applicants must hold nationality or permanent residence in the country where they apply, and must add a criminal record clearance certificate (announcements posted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane and the Embassy in Canberra). The Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City has updated its DTV page and accepts only a Temporary or Permanent Residence Card as proof of long-term residence. Hanoi hasn't said the same in text, so check with the consular section if you hold a different document.
Two addresses. The chancery is on Phan Boi Chau Street, but the consular section, which handles visas and services for Thai nationals, is at 85 Ly Thuong Kiet Street. If you need to go in person, go to Ly Thuong Kiet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Thai mission covers Da Nang?
The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City. Da Nang City is on the consulate's list of 22 provinces, along with Hue, Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa and the rest of the south-central coast.
Does the Thai embassy in Hanoi cover An Giang, Phu Quoc or Da Lat?
Yes. Under the old province names both missions still use, An Giang, Kien Giang (which included Phu Quoc) and Lam Dong (Da Lat) are all on the Hanoi embassy's list, not Ho Chi Minh City's.
How long does a Thai visa take in Hanoi?
The embassy states 5 working days for e-Visa applications. It can ask for extra documents or an interview, which adds time, so apply at least two weeks before you travel.
Can I walk into the Thai embassy in Hanoi to apply for a visa?
No. Since 8 October 2024 foreigners residing in the embassy's provinces apply online at thaievisa.go.th, and passports and original documents no longer need to be handed in.
Do Vietnamese citizens need a visa for Thailand?
Not for a short stay. Under Thailand's bilateral agreement with Vietnam, Vietnamese ordinary passport holders can stay up to 30 days without a visa, according to the MFA's Department of Consular Affairs.
Where is the Thai embassy in Hanoi?
The embassy is at 26 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem. Its consular section is at 85 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, also in Hoan Kiem.
Sources
- Royal Thai Embassy Hanoi: Launch of e-Visa (updated 9 Mar 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy Hanoi: Location and contact
- Royal Thai Embassy Hanoi: Working hours, visa section
- Royal Thai Embassy Hanoi: Visa information
- Royal Thai Consulate-General Ho Chi Minh City: Announcement on the launch of the online e-Visa platform
- Royal Thai Embassy Hanoi: Destination Thailand Visa (image, updated Oct 2024)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Vientiane: Applying for a Visa (worldwide DTV rule from 31 August 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra: Adjustment of Supporting Documents for DTV Applications
- MFA Department of Consular Affairs: Countries with bilateral visa exemption agreements (ordinary passports), 24 Feb 2025
- TAT Newsroom: new 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September
