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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

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.

What the community said

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.

Globusavia: 3–7-day reservation, 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.

Globusavia

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.

airline check-in requirement

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.

e-visa / 45-day visa exemption

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.

Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City

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.

refundable ticket with 24h free cancellation

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