Booking an E-Visa when visiting Vietnam is a great way to save time and the hassle of obtaining one upon entry at the airport.  It was our first time to Vietnam and were really stoked because we were able to book all of our flights on Business Class from Hawaii using our Airlines Miles (We really like the American Express Platinum Card because they currently have a 60000 sign-up bonus). In preperation for our first ever visit to Vietnam we decided to plan ahead and apply for an E-Visa by visiting the Vietnamease National Web Poetal on Immigration E-Visa Page.

The process is pretty easy and only took 15 minutes to complete.  When you get to the site simply click on the “For Foreigners” option to get the application process started.
Next you’ll have to fill out your personal information and upload your passpost photo and a copy of your passport.  It takes a little bit of effort to upload your images.  I decided to take a picture of our passports and passport photos with my Galaxy phone, cropped the images, and uploaded them to the website, which was faster than scanning (Does anyone scan things with a scanner these days?).
When you pau (finished) you’ll have a chance to review your information.  Double check to make sure that all of your information is correct, so that you don’t run into any issues at immigration.  Be sure to take a screenshot of your Regestration Code.  You’ll need this later on to check on the status of your visa.  You should receive an email confirming your application, but it’s a good idea to keep a screenshot as backup just in case.
Paying for your visa is easy.  You’ll automatically be taken to a separate site called Payoo where you can pay with a Visa or Mastercard.  Be sure to turn your add-blockers off.  If not you may have to refresh the page and enter in all of your information again.
The cost of the visa is $25 plus a $1 service charge for using a credit card.  The website says that processing usually take 2-3 days.  Use the the E-Visa Search Menu to check on your visa status
Within a few days you should be approved for your visa and provided with a link to download and print your visa.

The Verdict

Applying for an E-Visa to Vietnam is a smart choice.  You’ll avoid the long lines to obtain your visa upon entry at the airport, you’ll save compared to paying a third party to complete the process, and completing the process online is easy-breezy.