Vietnam to Remove All Entry Requirements
As of 15 May, all visitors may enter Vietnam without needing to take pre-departure tests. Now, visiting Vietnam is possible like it used to be before the Covid-19 pandemic. Travelers only need to get a visa before a trip or enter Vietnam visa-free if they are holders of passports of the visa-exempt countries.
Previous entry restrictions
The Vietnamese authorities opened the country’s borders to foreign travelers in March 2022. Vietnam was actually one of the strictest Southeast Asian countries that have lifted coronavirus restrictions and became the easiest to visit.
Until recently, travelers had to meet the following requirements:
- take a Covid-19 RT-LAMP or RT-PCR test no earlier than 72 hours before departure or RAT taken 24 hours prior to departure;
- complete an online health declaration form;
- download the PC-Covid app;
- buy travel insurance with Covid-19 coverage.
Current entry protocol
With the recent announcement to remove actually all restrictions to enter Vietnam, including the online health declaration form, travel insurance, PC-Covid app, and pre-departure testing, the only requirement remaining in place is a visa.
Vietnam has also not required visitors to confirm their vaccination status since reopening, which means that both vaccinated and non-vaccinated travelers were allowed to travel to the country under the above-described conditions.
Vietnamese visa requirements
Citizens of 25 countries are able to visit Vietnam visa-free and stay from 15 to 90 days depending on the traveler’s nationality. Other nationalities, however, need to obtain a visa prior to traveling to Vietnam. They may get it either online (if eligible) or at the nearest Vietnamese Embassy (if their country is not listed among eligible countries for eVisa).
Electronic visa
Nationals of 80 countries may take advantage of the online application and apply for an eVisa to Vietnam without even leaving home. An electronic visa to Vietnam is a one-type visa enabling one entry to the country for a stay of up to 30 days. Applicants may use it for tourism, business, or transit purposes.
The application should be submitted at least 5 business days in advance of the planned trip.
