Vietnam visa and entry requirements

For an e-visa, the e-visa's validity must be at least 30 days shorter than your passport's. No Vietnamese official source we could read states a passport-validity rule for visa-exempt visitors; the UK Foreign Office says a British passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive.

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• Yellow fever (ICVP) — WHO's country list records no yellow fever vaccination requirement at entry to Viet Nam.

No official source we could read states whether travel insurance is required to enter Viet Nam. The e-visa portal lists the conditions for an e-visa as holding a passport and not falling under the cases of suspension from entry in Article 21 of the entry law; travel insurance is not among them.

No official source we could read states whether an onward or return ticket is required to enter Viet Nam. The e-visa portal lists the conditions for an e-visa as holding a passport and not falling under the cases of suspension from entry in Article 21 of the entry law; an onward or return ticket is not among them.

No official source we could read states whether proof of funds is required to enter Viet Nam. The e-visa portal lists the conditions for an e-visa as holding a passport and not falling under the cases of suspension from entry in Article 21 of the entry law; proof of funds is not among them.

• Pre-arrival Information Submission — The Immigration Department highly recommends completing the pre-arrival form at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn before entering Vietnam, saying it saves time and makes entry swifter. (up to two days ahead: the form offers the day you submit and the next two days as the arrival date) prearrival.immigration.gov.vn ↗(opens in a new tab)

Under Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP, a foreigner who stays past the term of their temporary residence certification without permission is fined by length of overstay: VND 500,000 to 2,000,000 for under 16 days; 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 for 16 to under 30 days; 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 for 30 to under 60 days; 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 for 60 to under 90 days; 20,000,000 to 25,000,000 for 90 to under 180 days; 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 for 180 days to under 1 year; and 30,000,000 to 40,000,000 for 1 year or more. Expulsion may also be imposed for overstays of 16 days or more. Under the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners, the immigration control unit grants every foreigner entering Viet Nam this temporary residence certification, and the foreigner may stay within its term.

within 12 hours of arrival. Done by the accommodation.

A foreigner staying temporarily in Viet Nam declares temporary residence through the manager of the accommodation establishment to the commune, ward or township police, or the police station or post, where the establishment is located. The establishment must ask the foreigner to show a passport or international travel document, and papers on residence in Viet Nam, before agreeing to let the foreigner stay. The declaration is made electronically or on a paper form. With a paper form, the manager must deliver it within 12 hours, or 24 hours in remote areas, of the foreigner's arrival. An establishment that does not declare temporary residence is fined VND 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 for 1 to 3 foreigners, VND 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 for 4 to 8, and VND 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 for 9 or more.

If not done: An accommodation establishment that does not declare temporary residence is fined VND 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 for 1 to 3 foreigners, VND 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 for 4 to 8 foreigners, and VND 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 for 9 or more (Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP, Art. 21).

Vietnam Customs says travellers entering with foreign-currency cash over 5,000 USD (or the equivalent) or Vietnamese cash over 15,000,000 VND must declare it to customs at the border gate.

• The UK Foreign Office says to carry prescription medication in your hand luggage with a copy of the prescription, and to declare it at customs if its total import value is over 100 US dollars.
• The UK Foreign Office says vapes and related products are banned and cannot be brought into Vietnam.
• Canada's travel advice says that if you buy items that may be considered antiques, you should have export permits from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the General Department of Customs.