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Vietnam may be one of the friendliest countries in the world – seriously, of the more than sixty countries I’ve visited, not one comes close to Vietnamese hospitality – but when it comes to border formalities… sheesh, I get whiplash every time.
e-Visas, health forms, certain vaccinations if you’re traveling directly from certain countries or are a citizen of certain countries, and a lot of other details you wouldn’t necessarily think about when dreaming of an all-inclusive cruise of Ha Long Bay.
You know the drill at this point: the best The place to check travel regulations, regardless of destination, is the Travel Off Path Entry Requirement Checker. Whether it’s Vietnam or elsewhere, it gives you the latest updates you need to know before you fly, without hallucinating or leaving out important things as AI often does.
Back to Vietnam itself: it seems they’re enjoying making entry more and more complicated for visitors, with the rollout of a brand new mandatory form that different than the one you need for your visa:
Introducing Vietnam’s new arrival form
Following a semi-launch earlier this year at select airports, Vietnam is now massively expanding its online ‘Pre-Arrival Information’ system to include two of the country’s most used access points.
The PAI (as we will simply call it from now on) is being rolled out by the Immigration Department to ‘streamline’ arrivals into Vietnam.
I’m not sure if any of you have been there before, but I remember searching the room for a pen (there were only a handful available for passengers) and having to fill out a printed form, after which I standing in line for over an hour to hand it over to the border official…
Who would then carefully check the information provided and compare it with the details on my e-Visa and my planned itinerary. Sheesh.
The new PAI, on the other hand, is comparable to a Digital Arrival Card. Travelers can submit all required information from the printed form such as personal details, travel information and certain details related to their stay online prior to pass immigration.
The system was originally launched only at Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc airports, but now also includes arrivals in Hanoi (possibly the most popular entry point for US arrivals) and Da Nang.
The good thing is it could help reduce notorious border bottlenecks that affect foreign arrivals in Vietnam – if we look at Europe, are they actually unavoidable at this point? – but the downside? It is another online form that you must submit before your trip to Vietnam.
And boy, do they love a bit of bureaucracy?
The complete overview of the documents you need to travel to Vietnam
Obtain the visa
Always check the Entry Requirements page to stay informed of the ever-changing travel rules that apply American travelers.
As of now, in the case of Vietnam, tThe first thing you need to do is obtain your visa. Americans are eligible to apply for the Vietnam electronic visa online, and the process officially takes about 20 minutes.
For me it took well over an hour between failed attempts, due to their painfully slow website, and browsing through numerous third party scammers who charged triple the $25 fee, until I got the factual government page (that is thisand you are more than welcome).
For the visa you need the following:
- A digital copy of your passport details page (also make sure it is valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date)
- A digital portrait photo of 4×5 cm with a white background (no glasses, no hat, no face covering and a neutral expression)
Go to the Vietnam National Electronic Visa System, click ‘Apply Now’ and start uploading the documents where indicated.
Then fill in your personal details, passport details and contact details as they appear in your passport. Make sure there are no typos As a system, you cannot change information once it has been submitted, and if the system detects any inconsistencies, your visa may be canceled.
Finally, enter your intended travel date, the length of your stay, and the specific airport or ferry port you will use to arrive. You must please enter at exactly this point of entry or you may be turned away at the border.
Review all information one last time, pay the $25 non-refundable feeand save the registration code, as the system is notorious for messy email transmissions.
Check your application status on the same page. It may take – mine came through the night before I left. Do this well in advance to avoid travel issues, but don’t panic if it takes a while as the system is notoriously slow.
Once approved, download and print a paper copy of your e-Visa, which you can present once you land in Vietnam. From my experience, border officials there usually prefer dealing with papers rather than looking at your small screen, so try to make their lives a little easier.
Complete the health declaration form
A quick break before we continue, in case you’re wondering how safe this faraway country you know so little about is, it currently scores 91 out of 100 on the Traveler Safety Index, based on reports from travelers on the ground.
This is safer than the average Western European country!
The next step is to obtain the health declaration form.
This form continues live July 1, 2026and if you travel after this date it must be completed within seven days before your trip or you risk not being admitted.
The official online portal has not been released yet, so again beware of scammers. Unlike the e-Visa, this will be the case free.
Until the website is released, you must continue to complete the health declaration using the paper form available at the checkpoints.
Please submit your details before arrival
Last but not least (until they put up a new hoop for you to jump through anyway) you also need to get the PAI, which we talked about first.
IFand only if you are arrive directlyy at the 4 following destinations:
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Phu Quoc Island
- Hanoi
- Da Nang
Again, there’s a good chance this will be the case, as most US flights (usually connecting via a third country) land in one of these countries.
The arrival information form can be submitted within 3 days after you enter the countryand is a supplement to the e-Visa and the Health Declaration Form. They are not interchangeable and do not replace the other.
Forget one, and you’re dealing with a major travel nightmare.
Request the arrival information form here.
Okay, let’s rewind one last time:
- Apply for the e-Visa (and wait for confirmation)
- Once the e-Visa is in order, complete the Health Declaration Form
- Finally, please provide your details before arrival
- Check out Travel Off Path’s Vietnam archives for updates on this destination
