🔄 Last updated: 21 July 2026

Arriving in Vietnam: easier than you think, with the right prep

Landing in a new country for the first time always feels nerve-wracking. But Vietnam's arrival process is fairly clear — you just need to know the steps in advance.

🔑 This guide splits into three parts: what to prepare BEFORE YOU FLY, the steps AT THE AIRPORT, and what to do AFTER YOU LAND.

✈️ Part 1 — Before you fly (prep)

1. A passport valid for at least 6 months with blank pages.

2. Your entry permit: an E-Visa (print a copy + keep a soft copy) or eligibility under visa exemption. → E-Visa conditions

3. The QR pre-arrival card (NEW step):

• Since 15 April 2026, travellers arriving via Tan Son Nhat Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) must submit a digital pre-arrival form to get a QR code to show officers.
• It's free, done at the official portal prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, within 72 hours of arrival; it applies even to visa-exempt travellers.
• Save the QR + a PDF to your phone and email them to yourself (in case the airport has no signal).
• ⚠️ Currently ** at Tan Son Nhat**; other airports may — check for your arrival airport. → About the QR card

⚠️ The QR card doesn't replace your visa — you still need an E-Visa/exemption separately. And this form is free — don't pay any third-party site charging to do it for you. → Beware fake sites & scams

4. Keep your accommodation address and a return/onward ticket handy (sometimes checked).

🛬 Part 2 — At the airport (the steps)

Step 1 — Disembark and follow the "Arrivals / Immigration" signs.

Step 2 — (Optional) Fast Track: if you want someone to meet you and help you move faster & with priority through the steps (useful with young children/older relatives, or at peak hours). A Fast Track package is currently available at Cam Ranh Airport. → Fast Track

Step 3 — Immigration counter: present your passport + printed E-Visa (and the QR code if arriving at Tan Son Nhat). The officer checks and stamps your entry.

⭐ The step many people forget: photograph your ENTRY STAMP and note the date. It determines how long you're allowed to stay — and you'll need it to track your visa.

Step 4 — Baggage claim.

Step 5 — Customs: take the green channel if you've nothing to declare; red if you do. Mind the limits and prohibited items — vapes/e-cigarettes are banned. → What you can bring into Vietnam

Step 6 — Exit the hall: get a SIM (registered in your own name), change a little VND (airport rates are usually poor — change a small amount), and get a ride. → SIM in your name · Getting around Vietnam

🏠 Part 3 — After you land

• Temporary residence registration: your accommodation (hotel/landlord) usually handles it, but you're responsible. → Temporary residence for foreigners
• Set a visa reminder right away: enter your entry-stamp date into Visa Tracker so you never miss the deadline

🔔 The last step, don't skip it

👉 Turn on free visa reminders with Visa Tracker — enter your entry-stamp date, get alerts at 30 / 21 / 15 / 7 days. Free, no account needed.

(Landing at Cam Ranh? See how to get to Nha Trang.)

⚠️ Common misconceptions

❌ "With a QR code I don't need a visa." → No. The QR doesn't replace an E-Visa/exemption — you need both (at Tan Son Nhat).

❌ "Every airport requires the QR form." → Currently mandatory at Tan Son Nhat (HCMC) since 15 April 2026; others may adopt it in stages — check for your airport.

❌ "I have to pay for the QR form." → It's free at the .gov.vn portal — a site charging for it is a scam sign.

❌ "Visa-exempt travellers skip the QR." → At Tan Son Nhat, visa-exempt travellers must still submit it.

❌ "Once I'm through immigration, I'm done." → Remember your entry-stamp date and register your residence.

Sources

• Digital pre-arrival / arrival card: effective 15 April 2026 at Tan Son Nhat Airport (HCMC); free; official portal prearrival.immigration.gov.vn; submit within 72 hours; does not replace a visa; applies to visa-exempt travellers too — per Official Dispatch 1474/CACK TSN
• Law 23/2023/QH15 & current E-Visa rules — E-Visa up to 90 days, issued only to people outside Vietnam
• Customs limits and prohibited items (including vapes) — per current customs rules

Note: Entry rules can change and vary by airport/nationality — always verify with official sources (the Immigration Department) before you fly. ViEntry is a technology platform; it supports E-Visa, Fast Track, and Visa Tracker and connects you with licensed operating units; it is not an immigration authority and not the government portal.

Flying to Vietnam for the first time and want the visa & arrival kept simple? Message us — free advice in your language.

🔗 E-Visa conditions: Read the guide 🔗 Airport Fast Track: Fast Track 🔗 What you can bring into Vietnam (customs): Read the guide 🔗 Turn on visa reminders (enter your entry-stamp date): Visa Tracker

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