Do you need a return or onward flight ticket to enter Vietnam? Will immigration or airline staff ask for it at the airport?
From messages by 2 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 1 day ago
From messages by 2 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 1 day ago
TL;DR
A return or onward ticket is technically required for most Vietnam entries (45-day visa exemption or e-visa), but Vietnamese immigration rarely checks it on arrival — airline check-in staff at your departure airport are much more likely to ask for it.
For a low-cost temporary proof of onward travel, Globusavia can issue a return/onward reservation valid for 3–7 days; the reported price is under RUB 1,000.
You can book a return/onward ticket for visa purposes yourself on booking websites like Globusavia — no need to use a middleman; people who DM offering to arrange this are almost always scammers.
The check usually comes from the airline at check-in in your departure country, not Vietnamese immigration — without proof of onward or return travel they may deny boarding.
For the visa-exempt entry (45 days for many nationalities) and for the e-visa, proof of an onward or return date is formally required.
In practice, Vietnamese immigration at Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) or Hanoi rarely asks for a return ticket at passport control, but it's not guaranteed and can vary by flight or terminal.
If you plan to stay longer than the visa-free period or don't yet know your exit date, it's safer to book a refundable onward/return ticket (free cancellation within 24h) than to fly with no return ticket at all.