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Tet (Lunar New Year) is the longest public holiday in Vietnam. Learn how this impacts your eVisa processing time and how to avoid getting stuck.
How Tet Holiday Affects Your Visa Processing
Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) is the most significant holiday in Vietnam. During this period, all government offices, including the Vietnam Immigration Department, close down completely. In 2026, the official Tet holiday period runs from **February 14 to February 22**.
The Real Processing Time Around Tet
If you submit a standard 3-working-day eVisa application right before or during Tet, here is what happens:
- **Submitting on Feb 12 (Thursday):** Working day 1 is Thursday. Working day 2 is Friday. Working day 3 is **February 23 (Monday)**. Your visa will be paused for over a week!
- **Submitting during Tet (Feb 14 - 22):** The online portal will accept your payment, but the application will not enter the queue until government officers return to work on February 23.
- **The Post-Tet Backlog:** When officers return to work, they face thousands of applications submitted during the 9-day holiday. Processing times immediately after Tet often stretch to 5-7 working days.
How to Avoid Tet Holiday Visa Disasters
The golden rule for traveling to Vietnam in February is to apply for your eVisa in early January. Do not wait until the last minute.
- **Apply a Month in Advance:** Avoid the backlog altogether by applying in January.
- **Enter Before the Holiday:** If your visa is approved, you can enter Vietnam during the Tet holiday. The immigration officers at airports work 24/7. It is only the back-office processing department that closes.
If you are flying into an international airport during Tet and your eVisa wasn't approved in time, your only option is securing an emergency Visa Approval Letter through a local agency. Fees for this during Tet can soar to $150 - $300+.