Do you need a return ticket to enter Vietnam?

When departing from Thailand to Vietnam, airlines often check for an onward ticket out of Vietnam — even if you are transiting. If they insist, you can step aside and purchase one on the spot.

Vietnamese immigration does not check onward tickets. If the airline let you board without one, that is the airline's responsibility — not yours.

The main check happens at airline check-in: you may be denied boarding without a return or onward ticket. Vietnamese border control can also refuse entry, in which case the airline must fly you back at their expense.

An onward ticket is typically required in two situations: at airline check-in, and when you have no visa. If you have a valid visa and the airline boarded you, Vietnam immigration usually raises no issues.