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- Quick Checklist: Documents Needed to Enter Vietnam
- 1. Flight Ticket
- 2. Identity Documents Needed to Enter Vietnam
- 3. Vietnam Digital Arrival Card
- 4. Vietnam Entry Requirements: Your Visa Options
- Vietnam E-Visa and Entry Visa
- Visa Exemption for Vietnam
- Transit Visa for Vietnam
- 5. Health and Quarantine Rules
- FAQs About the Documents Needed to Enter Vietnam
- Need Help with Your Vietnam Visa and Entry Process? Joey Visa Vietnam Is Here for You
Wondering which documents are needed to enter Vietnam? You are in the right place. This guide walks you through every step of Vietnam entry requirements in just a few minutes: your flight ticket, passport, digital arrival card, visa, and the latest health rules.
Get your paperwork ready early, and you will breeze through the airport and start your trip stress-free!
Quick Checklist: Documents Needed to Enter Vietnam
| Document | What to prepare |
| Flight ticket | A valid paper or electronic ticket |
| Identity document | Your original passport (or another valid travel document) |
| Arrival declaration | An online digital arrival card on the official portal |
| Visa | An e-visa, a visa sticker, or proof of visa exemption |
| Health requirements | None at the moment, unless new rules are announced |
1. Flight Ticket
You need a valid flight ticket to check in at the airport. A printed ticket or an electronic one both work.
If you use an e-ticket, keep the confirmation email from your airline handy, or save the ticket in the Wallet app on your iPhone. A quick tip: take a screenshot or download the ticket in advance, in case the airport Wi-Fi is slow.
2. Identity Documents Needed to Enter Vietnam
When you fly to Vietnam, bring your original identity document so officers can check your details. Accepted documents include:
- Passport
- Laissez-passer (travel permit) or a visa issued on a separate sheet
- National ID card (only if Vietnam has an agreement with your country that allows ID cards instead of passports)
- Permanent residence card or temporary residence card
- Other documents that are valid for entry and exit under Vietnamese law
Passport tip: make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your entry date and has at least 2 blank pages for stamps. Many airlines and immigration authorities ask for this, so check early to avoid being denied boarding.
Traveling with a child who has no passport of their own? The child’s full name, date of birth, and photo can be recorded and attached in the passport of a legal representative: a biological parent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian.
3. Vietnam Digital Arrival Card
Based on current information, foreign travelers need to complete a digital arrival card when arriving at certain checkpoints:
- Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City): required from April 15, 2026
- Phu Quoc International Airport: required from June 1, 2024
Other airports, including Noi Bai (Hanoi), Cam Ranh, and Da Nang, also encourage you to submit the card in advance for a faster arrival.
Complete it online on the official portal: prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.
Not sure how to complete it? Follow our step-by-step guide: Vietnam Digital Arrival Card 2026: Step-by-Step Guide.
4. Vietnam Entry Requirements: Your Visa Options
This is the part that raises the most questions. Depending on your nationality and itinerary, one of the options below will apply to you.
Vietnam E-Visa and Entry Visa
Foreign travelers generally need a visa to enter Vietnam. To save time, you can apply for an e-visa before your flight instead of handling the paperwork at the border. Once you receive your e-visa, save a copy and print it to show when needed.
Not sure how long your e-visa stays valid? Check our guide on Vietnam e-visa validity before you book.
Another option is the visa on arrival, which needs an approval letter arranged before you fly.
Visa Exemption for Vietnam
Some travelers can enter Vietnam without a visa, under certain conditions:
- Visa exemption of up to 45 days under Vietnam’s unilateral policy, available to citizens of Belarus, Germany, Italy, France, Denmark, South Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, Finland, Sweden, Spain, and several other European countries.
- Visa exemption of up to 90 days for citizens of Chile and Panama.
- Visa exemption under bilateral agreements with Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Laos, the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, and Brunei, with a stay of roughly 14 to 30 days depending on the country.
- Visa exemption for Phu Quoc: foreign visitors flying directly into Phu Quoc Island from abroad can stay up to 30 days. The same applies if you transit through another international gateway in Vietnam (by air or sea) and then continue to Phu Quoc.
The exemption list can change over time. Before you fly, check your nationality in our Vietnam visa exemption list.
Transit Visa for Vietnam
If your itinerary includes a domestic flight within Vietnam, you may need a transit visa. Requirements can change over time, so check the rules for your exact route before you book.
5. Health and Quarantine Rules
Good news: travelers entering Vietnam currently do not need a medical test, quarantine, or health declaration. If a new outbreak occurs and the Ministry of Health issues an announcement, the rules will be updated, so check official sources shortly before your flight.
FAQs About the Documents Needed to Enter Vietnam
The documents needed to enter Vietnam include a valid flight ticket, a passport (or another valid travel document), a visa or proof of visa exemption, and a completed digital arrival card at the checkpoints that require one.
For foreign visitors, it is required at Tan Son Nhat Airport (from April 15, 2026) and Phu Quoc Airport (from June 1, 2024). At Noi Bai, Cam Ranh, and Da Nang, submitting it in advance is encouraged.
Aim for at least 6 months of validity and at least 2 blank pages. If your passport is close to expiring, renew it before you apply for a visa.
Many European countries, Japan, South Korea, and several Southeast Asian countries enjoy visa-free entry for 14 to 45 days, depending on nationality. Citizens of Chile and Panama can stay up to 90 days. The list can change, so double-check before you travel.
Not at the moment. The rules only change if the Ministry of Health announces new measures.
Need Help with Your Vietnam Visa and Entry Process? Joey Visa Vietnam Is Here for You
Still unsure which visa fits your trip, or need an e-visa in time for your flight? The Joey Visa Vietnam team is ready to help. With over 8 years of experience and more than 155,000 satisfied customers, we support e-visa applications, airport Fast-Track, and travel eSIMs to make meeting Vietnam entry requirements simple and stress-free.
Message us anytime on WhatsApp or Zalo (24/7): +84 343 470 507 | +84 357 802 768.
We wish you a smooth flight and a Vietnam journey full of wonderful memories!
