Vietnam Embassy and Consulate in Canada

Vietnam has two diplomatic missions in Canada: the Embassy in Ottawa and the Consulate General in Vancouver. Canada is home to a large and long-established Vietnamese community, especially in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, so both offices handle a steady stream of consular work. This guide is for Canadian travelers, foreign residents in Canada and Vietnamese citizens living there. It gives the address, phone numbers, email and opening hours for each office, plus a few tips that can save you a wasted trip.

Good news first: most travelers heading to Vietnam for a holiday or a short business trip never need to visit either office. Canadian passport holders do need a visa for Vietnam, but the Vietnam e-visa is handled fully online. The embassy and consulate matter most when you need a special type of visa, help with Vietnamese documents, or support as a Vietnamese citizen abroad.

Which Office Should You Contact?

As a general guide, contact the office that serves your region:

If you live in the Prairies or the North and aren’t sure which office covers you, call or email the nearer one first to check.

Embassy of Vietnam in Ottawa

The Embassy is on MacKay Street in New Edinburgh, a quiet residential neighborhood near Rideau Hall and the Ottawa River. Besides its diplomatic role, it handles consular matters for most of the country.

If you live in Toronto or Montreal, start with a phone call or email to the consular address. Many questions can be sorted out without making the trip to Ottawa.

Consulate General of Vietnam in Vancouver

The Vancouver office is on the 8th floor of an office building on Robson Street, in the heart of downtown Vancouver. It serves Vietnamese citizens and local residents across British Columbia and Western Canada.

Call ahead to confirm the consulate’s current opening hours before you visit, since consular services may only run at set times.

What Can the Embassy and Consulate Help With?

The two offices handle consular work for both foreigners and Vietnamese citizens. Services typically include:

• Vietnam visas issued at the mission, for travelers whose plans need one
• Visa exemption certificates for overseas Vietnamese and their family members
• Passports and travel documents for Vietnamese citizens
• Notarization and legalization of documents to be used in Vietnam
• Civil registration, citizen protection and support for the Vietnamese community in Canada

Do You Need to Visit for a Tourist Visa?

Usually not. Canadian passport holders can apply for a Vietnam e-visa online without visiting either office or posting a passport. You fill in the form, upload a passport scan and a photo, pay, and receive the e-visa by email.

The embassy or consulate is the better route when your trip doesn’t fit what the e-visa offers, for example certain work, study or other long-term stays. Each office sets its own document list and fees for these cases, so check with them before you apply.

Practical Tips Before You Go

A little preparation goes a long way with consular offices. Keep these in mind:

• Call or email first. Hours, phone lines and procedures can change, and some services may need an appointment.
• Check public holidays on both sides. The offices may close on Vietnamese national holidays, including several days around Lunar New Year (Tet), and on Canadian holidays such as Canada Day on 1 July and Thanksgiving in October.
• Mind the time difference. Ottawa is 12 hours behind Vietnam in winter and 11 hours behind during daylight saving time. Vancouver is 15 hours behind in winter and 14 hours behind in summer.
• Heading only to Phu Quoc? Vietnam’s Phu Quoc island has its own visa-free policy for foreign visitors arriving directly from abroad. If your trip is limited to the island, check whether you need a visa at all before you apply.
• Bring originals and copies. For any in-person service, carry your passport, photocopies and passport photos, plus any supporting papers the office asks for.

Canadian Citizens Needing Help While in Vietnam

The Vietnamese missions above serve people in Canada. If you are already in Vietnam and need help as a Canadian citizen, for example with a lost passport or an emergency, contact Canada’s own offices there:

Travelers in southern Vietnam will usually find the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City the most convenient. For anywhere else in the country, start with the Embassy in Hanoi.