Do you need a return or onward ticket to enter Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) with an e-visa?

From messages by 3 participants in 3 sources · Last activity: 44 days ago

TL;DR

It's usually the airline check-in staff, not Vietnamese immigration, who may ask for proof of onward travel — especially on connecting flights. Have a return flight or onward ticket (even a bus ticket to Cambodia) booked just in case.

What the community said

Based on an August trip, no return ticket or ticket from Vietnam to Russia was requested when re-entering Vietnam. Immigration asked no additional questions and did not require proof of funds or a travel itinerary.

One traveler flying Kuala Lumpur → Ho Chi Minh City planned to exit overland to Cambodia by bus, without a return flight. This raised concern whether airline check-in would refuse boarding without proof of an outbound flight.

Kuala Lumpur–HCMC flight

Travelers who already had their e-visa approved and had completed flight check-in were still worried that Vietnamese airport staff might ask to see a return ticket, based on warnings they'd heard beforehand.

A recurring question among travelers: whether proof of a return ticket is checked upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City or Vietnam in general — this comes up often before departure.