Vietnam may well be one of the friendliest countries in the world—seriously, out of the 60+ countries I've visited, not one comes close to Vietnamese hospitality—but when it comes to border formalities… sheesh, I get a whiplash every time.
e-Visas, health forms, certain vaccination if you're traveling directly from, or you're a citizen from certain countries, and a bunch of other minutiae you wouldn't necessarily think of if you've been dreaming of an all-inclusive cruise down Ha Long Bay.
You know the drill at this point: the best place to checking travel rules, regardless of destination, is the Travel Off Path Entry Requirement Checker. Whether it's Vietnam or elsewhere, it will give you all the latest updates you need to know ahead of flying, without hallucinating or leaving important stuff out like AI often does.
Back to Vietnam itself, it looks like they're having fun making entry ever-more complicated for visitors, with the rollout of a brand new mandatory form that's different than the one you need for your visa:
Introducing Vietnam's New Arrival Form
After half-launching earlier this year in select airports, Vietnam is now massively expanding its online ‘Pre-Arrival Information' system to include two of the country's most-used entry points.
The PAI (as we'll call it from now on to be more straightforward), is being rolled out the Immigration Department to ‘streamline' arrival in Vietnam.
I'm not sure if any of you have been there before, but I remember scavenging the room for a pen—there was only a handful available to passengers—and being made to complete a printed form, then waiting in line myself for over an hour to hand it to the border officer…
Who would then check meticulously the information provided and compare it to the details on my e-Visa, and my planned itinerary. Sheesh.
The new PAI, on the other hand, is similar to a Digital Arrival Card. Travelers can submit all the required information of the printed form, such as personal details, travel information, and certain details related to their stay online prior to passing immigration.
The system was originally launched only in Ho Chi Minh City Airport and Phu Quoc, but as of right now, it also covers arrivals in Hanoi (possibly the most popular entry point for U.S. arrivals), and Da Nang.
The good thing is it might help reduce the infamous border bottlenecks affecting foreign arrivals in Vietnam—looking at Europe, though, are those unavoidable anywhere really at this point?—but the downside? It's yet another online form you must submit before your trip to Vietnam.
And boy, do they love a little bit of bureaucracy.
The Full Rundown Of Documents You Need To Travel To Vietnam
Get The Visa
You should always check the Entry Requirements page to stay up to date with the ever-changing travel regulations that affect American travelers.
As of right now, in Vietnam's case, the first thing you need to do prior is getting your visa. Americans are eligible to apply for the Vietnam Electronic Visa online, and the process takes about 20 minutes… officially.
Mine took well over an hour in between failed attemps, due to their painfully slow website, and browsing through numerous third-party scammers charging triple the $25 fee, until I've found the actual government page (which is this one, and you're more than welcome).
For the visa you'll need:
- A digital copy of your passport data page (also make sur eit's valid at least 6 months past your arrival date)
- A 4x5cm digital portrait photo with a white background (no glasses, no hat, no facial coverings, and a neutral expression)
Head over to the Vietnam National Electronic Visa System, click on ‘Apply Now', and start uploading the documents where indicated.
Next, fill in your personal details, passport information, and contact details as they show on your passport. Make sure there are no typos as the system you cannot change information once it is submitted, and if the system picks up on any incongruence, your visa could be canceled.
Finally, enter your planned travel date, length of stay, and the specific airport or ferry port you'll use to arrive. You must enter at this exact point of entry, or else you may be denied at the border.
Review all the information one last time, pay the non-refundable $25 fee, and keep the registration code as the system is notorious for their messy mail send-outs.
Check your application status on the same page. It may take—mine came through the evening prior to my departure. Do it well in advance in order to avoid travel hiccups, but don't panic in case it takes a little while as the system is notoriously slow.
Once approved, download and print a hard copy of your e-Visa to present once landing in Vietnam. From my experience, border officers there typically prefer handling papers as opposed to looking at your tiny screen, so try and make their lives a little easier.
Complete The Health Declaration Form
A little intermession before we proceed, just in case you're wondering how safe this faraway country you know very little of 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 your average Western European country!
The next step will be getting the Health Declaration Form.
This form goes live on July 1, 2026, and if you're traveling beyond this date, it needs to be completed within 7 days before your trip, or again, you risk not being allowed entry.
The official online portal has not been released yet, so again, beware of scammers. This one, unlike the e-Visa, will be free.
Until the website is released, you must continue to complete the health declaration using the paper form available at checkpoints.
Submit Your Pre-Arrival Information
Last but not least—until they place a new hoop for you to jump through, anyway—you must also get the PAI, which we'd been discussing at first.
IF, and only if, you're arriving directly at the 4 following destinations:
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Phu Quoc Island
- Hanoi
- Da Nang
Again, chances are you will, as most U.S. flights (usually connecting via a third country) land in one of those.
The Pre-Arrival Information form can be submitted within 3 days of you entering the country, and it is complementary to the e-Visa and the Health Declaration Form. They are not interchangeable, nor do they replace the other.
Forget one, and you're dealing with a major travel nightmare.
Apply for the Pre-Arrival Information form here.
Okay, let's rewind one last time:
- Apply for the e-Visa (and wait for confirmation)
- Once the e-Visa's all good, complete the Health Declaration Form
- Lastly, submit your Pre-Arrival Information
- Check Travel Off Path's Vietnam archives for updates on this destination
