Vietnam Pre-Arrival Card for e-visa holders: is it required and which visa date should you enter?

From messages by 2 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 14 days ago

TL;DR

For entry on a Vietnam e-visa, travelers report that the Pre-Arrival Card should be completed no more than 72 hours before travel. A traveler crossing overland at Hekou–Lao Cai was not asked for it, while the form may produce date-validation errors for e-visas, so check the details before departure.

What the community said

The Arrival Card may display an error saying that the visa issue date is later than the planned entry date. In one reported case, neither the e-visa validity start date of 1 October 2026 nor 30 September was accepted; using the visa approval date of 24 September triggered a separate 90-day error. Recheck the e-visa details and the form requirements before travelling.

14 days ago Arrival Card date error

At the Hekou–Lao Cai land crossing from China to Vietnam, a traveler reported passing immigration without a paper form or an e-visa and receiving a passport stamp. According to that report, this border crossing was not listed on the website for the form.

15 days ago Hekou–Lao Cai border crossing

The reported entry periods are up to 45 days visa-free and up to 90 days with an e-visa. The Pre-Arrival Card should be completed no earlier than 72 hours before entry.

16 days ago 45-day visa-free stay / 90-day e-visa