Vietnam travel requirements 2024: What travelers need to know

We aim to keep this post updated about Vietnam travel in 2024 with official Vietnam travel restrictions, requirements, and health and safety guidance. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions so you can travel confidently, safely, and responsibly in this new post-pandemic world of ours.

Vietnam is a destination close to our hearts. We returned to visit Vietnam in 2023 and 2024.

As restrictions can vary based on the traveler’s citizenship, we will focus primarily on rules affecting U.S. citizens.

Last update: April 8, 2024. Originally published: July 2020.

April 2024 – “During our 3-month stay in Central Vietnam, we took a short trip out of the country. We brought our printed e-visa, which was examined by the agent that checked us into our flight from Hong Kong back to Vietnam and again at immigration in Da Nang. Proof of onward travel was not requested this time.

The Hanoi airport international check in was as crowded as ever in April. Budget airlines like VietJet use buses instead of jetways for boarding and deplaning, so it’s impossible to avoid close contact with crowds.

I’d say less than 1/4 of travelers are still wearing masks. Masks are more commonly worn outside on motorbikes in Vietnam.”

January 2024 – “We flew back to Hanoi, this time with a 3-month evisa we applied for online well in advance. Besides valid passports, we were asked for proof of onward travel from Vietnam while checking into our flight in the US.

We were asked to name our travel insurance provider on the visa application and brought documentation of the policy from Safety Wing, however, we weren’t asked to show it at any point. We were not asked any questions at immigration, only provided our passport and black/white print out of the visa.”

At the end of the post, we share more on-the-ground perspectives from local residents and travelers to Vietnam so you can get a true sense of what things are like.

Is Vietnam open for travel? Can I travel to Vietnam right now?

Vietnam is now open to foreign travelers. Vietnam officially reopened its borders to all international visitors on March 2022, after two years of being closed.

Travelers can apply for an e-visa online. See our Vietnam evisa tips here.

Foreign travelers are not required to take a pre-departure Covid-19 test or show proof of vaccination prior to arrival. The health declaration form requirement has been removed. 

Travel insurance that covers Covid-19 treatment with a minimum coverage of $10,000 has been required. There is a declaration that you’ll have insurance on the evisa application. It’s unclear if this is still being enforced anywhere. (We use Safety Wing for travel insurance in Vietnam.)

What Vietnam tourist visas are available right now?

E-visas are available to Americans, Canadians, and all other nationalities.

Effective August 2023, e-visa validity has been extended to 90 days. You can choose between single entry or multiple entries.

Travelers can apply for an e-visa at the e-visa web portal of the Vietnam Immigration Department.

Be sure to review our Vietnam evisa tips here, as there are some quirks and important things to know to avoid having to reapply.

In our experience, processing the evisa can take at least 3 days. We also had to redo one application because one of our credit cards wouldn’t allow the online charge. It’s best to apply for Vietnam e-visas several weeks in advance, just in case.

What about Vietnam Visas On Arrival?

We’re not clear on the availability of Visas On Arrival – technically it’s a Landing Approval Letter, which we used before the pandemic. We saw no desk for VOAs in the immigration hall at Ho Chi Minh City airport when we arrived at the end of 2022. In early 2024, there was a “Visa Application” desk in Hanoi, but it didn’t seem to be active.

In cases where you’re ineligible or have trouble with the e-visa process, you may be able to apply for a Landing Approval Letter through an agent in Vietnam, print out the letter, and proceed to the visa counter at the airport to receive your actual visa sticker, which is another $25 USD.

Can Vietnam e-Visas be extended?

E-visas cannot be extended, meaning visitors have to leave or do a border run and reapply. There is no official limit that we can find as to how many times tourists will be approved for e-visas back to back.

Vietnamese embassies and consulates are telling callers that nothing can be done about visas there, as all applications are currently online.

Quarantine rules in Vietnam: What happens if I get Covid?

Travelers entering Vietnam are not required to quarantine upon arrival.

Foreign tourists experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or those concerned they have been exposed to COVID-19 while in Vietnam can call Vietnam’s health hotline at 19009095 (Press 1 for English).

Foreign tourists who test positive for Covid while in Vietnam may need to isolate for treatment. Thankfully, isolation no longer needs to take place in government facilities.

Medical treatment should be covered by the visitor’s travel insurance. Some of our acquaintances tried getting Paxlovid via a local doctor while in Vietnam but were not successful.

How has the Coronavirus impacted Vietnam?

Apart from suspending foreign travel, the impact of Covid in Vietnam was relatively minimal in the first year. The country’s quick reaction became one of the most effective in the world at first. Lock downs were for a few short weeks and then daily life resumed as usual for several months until new cases popped up.

Vietnam had 99 days without any cases of community transmission and no deaths in Spring 2020. However, in late summer 2021, the infection rate in Vietnam skyrocketed as the Delta variant spread and vaccination rates were low. In December 2021, Vietnam detected the first case of the Omicron variant in Hanoi.

Strict lock down zones were implemented throughout 2021. Vietnam’s tourism and manufacturing sectors have been especially hit hard.

In March 2021, vaccinations began but very slowly. Now, over three quarters of the population are fully vaccinated.

In January 2022, Vietnam reopened international flights from select locations. A limited number of tourists were accepted through package tours and a trial vaccine passport program until full reopening in late Spring 2022.

International tourism recovery was slow in 2022, though domestic tourism was strengthened. Vietnam’s tourism in 2023 was still lower than pre-pandemic levels.

For the current situation in Vietnam, including: total COVID-19 positive cases; total cases in Vietnam; and COVID-19 testing in Vietnam, please see the Vietnam Ministry of Health site.

Can I travel to Vietnam this Winter 2024?

Travel to Vietnam this Winter is open. Read on for details and check back for updates.

What is it like to fly to Vietnam HAN Hanoi, DAD Da Nang, or SGN Ho Chi Minh City International Airport right now?

Vietnam airports seemed very busy to us, and crowds are difficult to avoid. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City airports can get exceptionally crowded. Masks are no longer required.

Do I have to quarantine when traveling to Vietnam? No. See details above.

Does Vietnam check COVID-19 symptoms of incoming travelers? No.

Does Vietnam require a proof of negative Covid 19 test result for travelers? No. As of April 2022, a negative test is no longer required for entry into Vietnam. 

Does Vietnam require a proof of Coronavirus vaccine for travelers? No. Proof of vaccination is currently not required to enter Vietnam. 

Do I still need to provide a negative Covid test or quarantine if I have been vaccinated? At this time, there is no special allowance for vaccinated travelers in Vietnam. However, a Covid test and quarantine is no longer required to enter Vietnam.

Is a booster shot required for travel to Vietnam? At this time, booster shots are not required in Vietnam. There is currently no expiration period set for the validity of vaccinations.

What healthcare options are available to travelers in Vietnam who get the virus? Hospitals and clinics are open in Vietnam. Foreigners must pay for any medical treatment out of pocket.  

Government quarantine locations may only have rudimentary facilities.

Persons experiencing symptoms of the COVID-19 virus should call the health hotline at 19009095 (Press 1 for English). Availability of treatments may differ from your home country.

If a foreign visitor is required to be tested for Coronavirus, they can get tested at designated laboratories in Vietnam. The test may be free if they test negative. If the test is positive, the visitor will be required to pay for it.

For travel insurance that covers Covid, check out Nomad Insurance by Safety Wing >

What service businesses and restaurants are open in Vietnam? Businesses and activities have fully reopened. Select cities and provinces have imposed temporary lock downs or closed certain non-essential businesses when outbreaks of the virus are detected in the area. 

Are face masks required in Vietnam? Vietnam has relaxed mask rules in pubic places. You’ll still see many people wearing face masks, especially while driving, as this was common practice even before the pandemic.

Are buses and trains running in Vietnam? Domestic airline and railway transportation are running on normal schedules. More daily flights within Vietnam are now available. Public and passenger transportation has resumed.

Will Vietnam impose new Covid restrictions? What’s next is difficult to predict. Vietnam no longer follows a “zero Covid” policy so shut downs are less likely than they were before vaccines were available. Historically, most countries impose COVID-19 restrictions when strains on the health care system become unsustainable.

What do Vietnamese locals and recent travelers say about visiting Vietnam now?

What is it like to visit Vietnam right now? It’s our goal to provide regular updates here from real people on the ground, to help potential visitors know what to expect. The following are subjective opinions only. Official travel guidance can be found above.

October 2023 – Peta and Jonas of Exit45 Travels, Australian travelers: “We are travelling around the north of Vietnam for 1 month from mid-September to mid-October 2023. We are nearing the end of the wet season here in the north of Vietnam which is traditionally low season. There are some tourists travelling around but in general, it is fairly quiet.

There are no travel restrictions in place here in Vietnam and there is no shortage of restaurant, accommodation and medical care facilities available. As the seasons are changing here at the moment, many locals and travellers are sick with head colds. This has been most obvious in restaurants where the cooks and waiters have been coughing and sneezing freely without covering their mouths or wearing face masks. It feels as though covid never really happened, and no lessons have been learnt about general hygiene. This may have been the case pre-covid too, and maybe we just didn’t notice then, but we have certainly had a heightened awareness of it this time.

The new e-Visa application process can be quite a challenge and whilst they say to allow 3 to 5 business days for approval, we would highly recommend applying approximately 1 month before you plan on arriving in Vietnam. If you then have any problems with the application, you will have time to reapply.

The biggest problem people are encountering is once approved, the information on your approval is incorrect i.e. middle name is missing, D.O.B. has the day / month in the wrong format, incorrect entry port etc.”

September 2023 – Ros & Alan Cuthbertson of StepIntoVietnam, Australian Digital Nomads: “We visited Vietnam frequently prior to Covid and have returned three times since the country reopened post Covid.

Everything is back to normal, masks are not required but you will find many locals still wearing them. Very few tourists can be seen wearing masks. There is no Covid or health testing required for travel within the country.

Tourists are beginning to flock to Vietnam and are rediscovering the wonders of this fascinating country. Popular destinations such as Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City are busy with tourists and prebooking travel and tours is advised. For example we tried to book a two berth train cabin from Hanoi to Hue but they had been booked out months in advance and we had to get a four berth cabin instead.”

March 2023 – Michelle, Intentional Travelers, U.S. nomad: “We thoroughly enjoyed returning to visit Vietnam and would have stayed longer if we could. Our Vietnamese friends tell us that Covid is no longer a major concern in Vietnam. Tourists have few restrictions to worry about.

There are still fewer tourists than pre-pandemic times, so I think now is a great time to visit. It still gets crowded in Hoi An Ancient Town at night, and the Hanoi airport departures area seemed exceptionally crowded.”

February 28, 2023 – Michelle, Intentional Travelers, U.S. nomad: “We arrived back in Vietnam, flying from Thailand to DAD, for our second stay on the 30-day tourist visa. The evisa application took 3-4 days this time and we made sure to print it out. Air Asia checked the evisa at check in, as did the agent at immigration when we arrived.

Filling out an immigration form when arriving in Vietnam is no longer required unless you have something to declare (bring in significant money or goods into the country). Wait time for immigration was no longer than the wait for our bags to show up at luggage claim, and customs just asked us to scan our two carry on bags.

As our flight came in, AirAsia announced that there was a mask requirement for arriving in Vietnam. However, we did not see masks enforced and even a few of the airport employees weren’t wearing masks.” 

January 27, 2023 – Michelle, Intentional Travelers, U.S. nomad: “Unlike our flight into Vietnam, masks were not required on our outgoing flight but a majority of passengers and all the crew were wearing face coverings. Da Nang airport is spacious and only crowded at certain times when many flights are scheduled.”

January 2, 2023 – Michelle, Intentional Travelers, U.S. nomad: “The Ho Chi Minh City airport was very busy and had quite a few delayed domestic flights early in the year. More than half of passengers were wearing masks though they’re not required.”

December 2022 – Michelle, Intentional Travelers, U.S. nomad: “We flew to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from the US via Singapore. We applied for the 30-day evisa about one week before traveling. There was an issue with Chase not allowing the credit card charge online, so we had to redo one of our applications. It was processed in 2-3 days and I printed the one-page documents for our trip. We also printed our Safety Wing travel insurance coverage letter but didn’t end up needing to show it.

Upon check-in with Singapore Airlines in Seattle, we were only asked for our passports and visa paperwork. Arriving in Vietnam, there was a 40+ minute wait for immigration. We had to show our passport, boarding pass, and evisa printout. We were never asked for onward flight booking or Covid documents.

Masks were required on our flight into Vietnam. Many locals wore masks before the pandemic (partly due to air pollution), so mask-wearing out in public is still very common but by no means universal in Vietnam.”

July 1 2022 – M.T. Expat in Ho Chi Minh City: “Covid is very much an afterthought for most people now – official national case numbers have been under 1,000 per day for a while (with basically no testing going on), and mask use is far from universal anymore. I’ve even seen people in airports and on planes without a mask… But health officials are starting to sound some (mild) alarm bells [regarding the Omicron BA.5 variant]. Given how normal daily life has become (and the incredible surge in domestic travel, which is seeing holiday-level airport traffic daily), conditions are ripe for Covid to spread rapidly.”

May 2022 – Karla of Colorful Journeys, expat in Vietnam: “Every day, an increasing number of tourists travel within Vietnam. Many local tour operators have reopened for business and are now easily bookable. Transportation options are widely available and simple to book. 

Despite the fact that there are no longer any travel restrictions in Vietnam, the majority of people still wear masks. This is particularly true in larger cities such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. There is also a lot of local testing accessible in major cities. Because many hotels and attractions are permanently closed, it’s a good practice to call the business beforehand.”

March 25, 2022 – Phu, Vietnamese tour guide: “Vietnam now is reopening for tourists but the tourists come to Vietnam very little at the moment. Not so many, still quiet here. In Hoi An all the shops and restaurants are open, and more domestic tourists come to Hoi An. The local people we are really happy welcome the tourists. And me I open my motorbike tours again, but in 1 month I have only one tour booking. I will be offering a discount price to welcome tourists booking this is the year.”

We highly recommend a motorbike day tour or overnight tour with our friend, Phu! Contact him at Hoianmotorbiketouradventures@gmail.com.

January 2022 – Isabelle of Move to Vietnam, Vietnamese resident: “At the moment, domestic travel is possible as long as you are fully vaccinated. Tourists are only allowed in Vietnam under specific requirements. Unless you want to spend $1500 and up for 7-14 days of holiday, it’s better to wait for a few more months.

June 2022 is the government’s target to reopen. However, these policies change very often.

Vietnam has a pretty good system when it comes to contact tracing. Most places of business require everyone to check-in using a QR code or sign up sheet. If that place detects a positive case, people who were there at the same time will be contacted to be tested and self-isolated for a number of days. There’s very little anti-vaccination sentiment here. 

Tourists attractions are normally open. If you need to be hospitalised, you will have an option to go to a private hospital or a more affordable local hospital (you might have to bring a local or a translator).”

December 2021 – Huong Nguyen (Hanna), Vietnamese nomad CoXplore: “After the lifting of strict COVID-19 restrictions, the government is still strict with the 5K rule: ‘Khau trang’ (facemask), ‘Khu khuan’ (disinfection), ‘Khoang cach’ (distance), ‘Khong tu tap’ (no gathering), and ‘Khai bao y te’ (health declaration) to help citizens get used to living safely with the COVID-19 pandemic in ‘new normal’ state; and citizens are generally active to follow. 

Recovering from COVID-19, Vietnam is now encouraging domestic travelling within the country, and is prepared to welcome international visitors who have met all the vaccination requirements. Residents must receive at least a dose of COVID-19 vaccine and obtain a QR code through mandated health apps for movement within the city.”

September 2021 – Phu, Central Vietnam Resident: “Vietnam now is lock down. Covid delta so fast in Vietnam now. Kill 14000 people already. My area we are staying home, still safe at the moment.”

January 2021 – Jackie & Justin, Life Of Doing, Expats in Ho Chi Minh City: “Vietnam does not currently allow tourists to enter the country. Tourist cities rely on locals and long term residents visiting. 
Currently, there aren’t any restrictions for traveling within the country for locals and long term residents. Everyone traveling must wear masks at public places and may have a temperature check before entering a building or vehicle. Many of the tourist cities have been impacted by fewer tourists and have closed restaurants and tourist attractions.
Luckily, Vietnam’s government is proactive when it comes to finding the source of confirmed cases that have tested positive for the virus and trace the contacts of confirmed cases immediately.” 

Adela, Spanish/Digital Nomad. July 2020 ~ “The only tourists in Vietnam at the moment are either those who were already in the country or Vietnamese nationals doing internal tourism. At the moment, the relationship of the locals with foreigners is back to normal, however during the months of March and April there was a sudden “fear” of foreigners, especially Westerners, and in some places (restaurants, hotels, bars, etc) we were denied entrance. Although at the moment everyone is as friendly and welcoming as it can be, the kids that live in our street still laugh and cover their faces when they see us. Many businesses have chosen to close due to the lack of tourists, but most touristic attractions are open and …less crowded than they will ever be!”

Tasha, American Digital Nomad. July 2020 ~ “Despite having a third the population of the U.S. and sharing a border with China, thanks to common sense, early action, and preventative measures, Vietnam has vanquished coronavirus. Cases peaked at less than 400, and now the virus is completely contained — there is no community spread. Borders remain closed to keep the virus out. Vietnam has done an excellent job with testing and contact tracing. The virus is completely gone from the general population, so we are living life as normal, going to restaurants and cafes.”

 

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Even if you can’t go to Vietnam right now, you can still get started planning your Vietnam trip for the future.

Check out our other Vietnam travel resources:
–Suggested Vietnam Itineraries: 10+ Days in Vietnam
–A budget guide to Hoi An Vietnam
–A budget guide to Ninh Binh
–A budget guide to Hue
–A budget guide to Hanoi
–A budget guide to Mai Chau Vietnam
–Central Vietnam Destinations and Itinerary

* Get our free Vietnam Travel Destinations e-guide *

If you have questions or updates about travel to Vietnam during the Coronavirus crisis or post-pandemic, please let us know in the comments below.

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Disclaimer:
Please note, travel restrictions change frequently. Readers must take responsibility for verifying information through official sources like the State Department and CDC, in respect to their specific situations. No responsibility can be accepted by Intentional Travelers for action or inaction as a result of information provided through IntentionalTravelers.com. Any information provided here is issued as general information only.