Do I still need to complete Vietnam's Pre-Arrival Information (PAI/QR code) even if border officers don't check it on arrival?

Vietnam's Immigration Department officially requires completing the PAI form before arrival. The fact that border officers sometimes skip checking the QR code doesn't mean the procedure itself is optional.

When filling out the pre-arrival form, in the 'visa issued date' field enter the date you received the e-visa confirmation email — usually it's the same day the approval arrives.

At border control, officers typically only ask for your passport — nobody visually checks the QR code. But the system verifies via passport number that PAI was completed, and a confirmation email arrives automatically after entry, so there's no need to worry.

Right after crossing the Vietnam border, an official email arrives from the immigration service — the subject line includes passport details and entry date, confirming that your PAI was accepted.