Vietnam Entry Requirements
What documents do I need to enter Vietnam?
To travel to Vietnam is only possible if you fulfill some entry requirements. One of the main travel requirements is to have a Vietnam eVisa.
If your nationality and type of trip requires one, you must submit and process a Vietnam visa. Thanks to the measures taken by the government, you can be eligible for a visa online. This is the most convenient method to get a Vietnam Visa: applying online. If you get your evisa, you can travel to Vietnam more confidently: you will have your travel authorization before reaching the border.
There are various types of evisa for Vietnam, such as the 30-day tourist visa or the multiple entry 90-day tourist visa. The first one only allows one entry to the country. However, having an approved eVisa doesn’t guarantee entry; the final decision rests with Vietnamese authorities.
If you are not eligible for a Vietnam eVisa, you will have to get the visa at your nearest Vietnam embassy. Additionally, while a visa on arrival is possible (only if you bring with you a visa approval letter), it often involves long queues and wait times at the airport, making online application a preferable alternative.
Other Vietnam travel requirements
Other Vietnam travel requirements include:
- Recent photograph.
- Valid Passport.
- Yellow fever certificate, if you are coming from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
- It is strongly advised to have travel insurance of up to $10,000.
Does my passport need to be valid for 6 months to enter Vietnam?
Yes, your passport must be valid for six months beyond your planned stay, it must not have any damage and have 2 empty pages.
Do you need proof of health insurance to enter Vietnam?
You don’t need proof of health insurance to enter Vietnam. Previously, because of Covid-19, the country made travel health insurance mandatory, but it is no longer a Vietnam travel requirement.
Although having travel insurance is no longer one of Vietnam travel requirements, it is highly advisable to have one. Most insurances are affordable and cover a wide range of mishaps (medical emergencies, lost, stolen or damaged items, evacuation and repatriation, and more).
What vaccines do I need before traveling to Vietnam?
There are no mandatory vaccines for Vietnam, unless you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic. In such cases, you must have this vaccine and provide proof of it.
Starting from March 15, 2022, there is no requirement of the COVID-19 vaccine, but it cannot be ruled out that, this previously mandatory Vietnam travel requirement may be requested by public or private entities at some point. Therefore, having an updated vaccination certificate could potentially ease your stay in Vietnam under certain circumstances.
Downloading the PC-COVID app is no longer a Vietnam entry requirement. It is no longer mandatory to use this tracking app for COVID-19.
Although having specific vaccines is not a Vietnam travel requirement as such, there are some recommended vaccines for Vietnam. They include: Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus-Polio, Typhoid Fever and Japanese Encephalitis and Influenza. You can check the information on Vietnam by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to get further information on vaccines and other health-related matters.
In rural areas of Vietnam there is a risk of malaria and the recommended prevention in these high-risk zones is Type IV.
It is also highly recommended to pack insect repellent, sunscreen, paracetamol or other general antibiotics, anti-malarial tablets, and medication for treating diarrhea in case of emergencies.
We recommend asking your doctor or medical travel center for up-to-date information on diseases.
What medicines are not allowed in Vietnam?
Vietnam has restrictions and special control on some medicines it classifies as ‘addictive’ or ‘psychotropic’. Medications to treat addiction, anxiety, depression, insomnia and other conditions are classified as such. Upon entry and exit you will need to declare them.
People with medication should have the doctor’s prescription and a letter stating that you are required to take the medication. The prescription should be:
- in English or Vietnamese
- include your name and age
- list the medicine name, volume and dosage
- include the doctor’s signature or address
The medication must be in its original packaging. Keep in mind that some medicines can be hard to find in Vietnam and can be fake.