Do I need to fill out a digital migration card before entering Vietnam?

From June 22, 2026, completing the digital arrival card is mandatory for all foreign tourists arriving through Vietnam's international airports, including Cam Ranh (Nha Trang). The requirement applies to both visa-free arrivals (up to 45 days) and e-visa holders.

The digital arrival card can be filled out no earlier than 72 hours before entry on the official Vietnamese immigration website. After completing the form, a QR code is generated — save it on your phone or print it out.

In June 2026 participants listed what the form asks for: passport details, flight number, arrival and departure dates, accommodation or hotel address, phone number and email. After you submit the form, the QR code arrives by email and is shown at passport control.

In a recent Cam Ranh arrival report, passport control did not ask for the migration-card QR code. The information may be retrieved when the passport is scanned, but this does not confirm that the requirement has been cancelled.

Experiences with the code check vary. In July 2026 someone wrote that the QR code arrives after you fill in the form but you do not necessarily have to show it; in September a couple whose tour operator issued one code for both said border officers did not ask for it, but it is better to have it. Participants assume the officer may already see the data linked to the passport, but there is no official description of the procedure — so they still recommend completing the card.

When spouses are entered in one application as the main and second passenger using the same email address, only one shared QR code may be issued for both. Save it anyway, even if border control does not ask to see it.

Transit passengers who do not go through Vietnamese passport control do not need to complete the PAI digital arrival card.

For a visa run via a land border with Laos, the electronic arrival card is not needed. Travelers fill in a small paper form with their name, passport details, and dates before crossing.

Vietnam's e-visa is applied for online in advance. Confirmation is sent by email, but some travelers report waiting several days without a response — allow extra time before your trip.