Sun, sand: Vietnam changes entry rules for Russians

Vietnam has introduced a digital arrival card for foreign travelers. At the moment, the innovation is valid only in Ho Chi Minh City, but in the future, the measure may extend to airports across the country. For more information about the Vietnam entry card, see the Izvestia article.

Digital arrival card in Vietnam: what is known

Vietnam has become another country that has introduced a digital arrival card for foreign tourists. It is currently operating at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, but it cannot be ruled out that filling it out in the future will become mandatory upon arrival at other border crossings and airports in Vietnam (including Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, which are popular with Russians).

Photo: Global Look Press

According to the authorities, the innovation will help to manage passenger traffic more effectively, as well as reduce queues at the country's busiest airport.

The measure, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Migration Service, applies to all arrivals. The exception is Vietnamese citizens with national passports, as well as passengers traveling in transit and not passing through passport control.

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How to fill out a digital arrival card

The digital arrival card must be completed no earlier than 72 hours before the date of entry. The tourist must provide all the necessary information on the official website, after which a QR code will be generated, which will then need to be shown at border control.

It is important to note that the card is filled out for each traveler, including children. The procedure itself is simple and usually takes about 10 minutes.

The QR code you receive when filling out a digital card is required to pass through passport control in Vietnam. Therefore, it is worth taking a screenshot and saving it in the photo gallery. To protect yourself, you can print out the code. This will help if your phone runs out of battery after a long flight.

Photo: Global Look Press/Martin Sasse

To receive the card, you will need:

— personal data (passport number, validity period, full name, gender, date of birth, nationality, phone number, email address);

— information about the flight and accommodation (purpose of the trip, country of departure, date of arrival, flight number, place of residence, date of departure).

If the passport image upload feature is available, some fields can be filled in automatically. It is important to remember that passengers must ensure that the information they provide is accurate, truthful and complete.

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For travelers with a visa or other entry document (for example, a permanent resident card), you will need to fill in other sections in which you need to specify the visa number, the date of issue and expiration, and the place of issue.

If the traveler arrives at Ho Chi Minh City Airport without first filling out the form, this can be done on the spot, but the time to pass through passport control will be greatly delayed. In this regard, it is recommended to obtain a QR code before departure.

Recall that Russian citizens can stay in Vietnam without a visa for up to 45 days, the number of such entries per year is unlimited. It is allowed to stay in the republic for up to 90 days on an electronic visa.

Digital arrival card: what is it, where does it operate

An arrival card is a document that foreigners fill out when entering another country. In different countries, they may differ in form — paper or digital — and content. In the first case, the document is usually issued at border control at the entrance or on an airplane or other vehicle.

Photo: Global Look Press/Gerhard Zwerger-Schoner

Vietnam is not the first country to introduce a digital arrival card. This measure is already in effect in Thailand, China, Indonesia, South Korea and other countries. Egypt announced a similar step in January 2026.

Travelers planning to visit several countries at once should study the rules of entry in advance, as well as find out about the availability of a digital arrival card. A separate form is required for each State. The digital map of Thailand does not apply to Vietnam and vice versa.

In addition, a QR code does not replace a visa. Online card filling is an analogue of the paper version, which has been in operation for a long time.