Vietnam Embassy in South Africa

Vietnam is represented in South Africa by one embassy: the Embassy of Vietnam in Pretoria. There are no Vietnamese consulates in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban or any other city, so the embassy handles consular matters for the whole country. This guide is for South African travelers, foreign residents in South Africa and Vietnamese citizens living there. It covers the embassy’s address, phone numbers, email and opening hours, plus a few practical tips before you get in touch.

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

Embassy of Vietnam in Pretoria

The Embassy is on Brooks Street in Brooklyn, a leafy suburb in the east of Pretoria close to the city’s main diplomatic area. It serves all of South Africa.

If you live in Cape Town, Durban or elsewhere far from Gauteng, start with a phone call or email. Many questions can be sorted out without making the trip to Pretoria.

What Can the Embassy Help With?

The embassy handles consular work for both foreigners and Vietnamese citizens. Services typically include:

• Vietnam visas issued at the embassy, 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 emergency support for Vietnamese nationals in South Africa

Do You Need to Visit for a Tourist Visa?

Usually not. South African passport holders can apply for a Vietnam e-visa online without visiting the embassy 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 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. The embassy 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 embassy may close on Vietnamese national holidays, including several days around Lunar New Year (Tet), and on South African holidays such as Freedom Day, Heritage Day and the Day of Reconciliation.
• Mind the time difference. South Africa is 5 hours behind Vietnam all year round.
• 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 embassy asks for.

South African Citizens Needing Help While in Vietnam

The Vietnamese embassy above serves people in South Africa. If you are already in Vietnam and need help as a South African citizen, for example with a lost passport or an emergency, contact South Africa’s own embassy there:

Travelers anywhere in Vietnam can contact the embassy in Hanoi for consular help.