Vietnam Makes Digital Arrival Card Mandatory at Ho Chi Minh City — In Effect from 15 April 2026

On 15 April 2026, Vietnam's Immigration Department made the Digital Arrival Card mandatory at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City. The system replaces the paper arrival card that travellers previously filled out on the plane or at immigration counters with an online pre-arrival declaration.

The declaration is free, hosted on the official government portal at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, and must be submitted within 72 hours before arrival. Once approved, the system generates a QR code that travellers present to the immigration officer on landing.

1. 1Visit the official portal: prearrival.immigration.gov.vn (only this URL — avoid lookalike third-party sites).
2. 2Step 1 — Personal details: enter your passport data, full name, date of birth, nationality, contact information, visa type and number.
3. 3Step 2 — Travel arrangements: enter your flight number, departure country, purpose of visit, transport mode, accommodation address in Vietnam, and planned departure date.
4. 4Step 3 — Email verification: receive an OTP code to your email and enter it on the portal.
5. 5Step 4 — Confirmation: the system generates a QR code. Save it to your phone (screenshot or PDF) and/or print a copy.
6. 6On arrival at HCMC airport: show the QR code to the immigration officer. They scan it to retrieve your declaration. Standard immigration process follows.

The portal accepts arrival dates only within the next three days, so do not attempt to submit weeks in advance. Plan to complete the form 24–48 hours before your flight.

All UAE residents flying directly to Ho Chi Minh City are affected, regardless of nationality. This includes Emirati, Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Egyptian, Nigerian, British, American, and all other passport holders living in the UAE.

Direct flights from Dubai to Ho Chi Minh City — operated by Emirates and Vietnam Airlines — all land at Tan Son Nhat (SGN), which is the only airport currently enforcing the digital arrival card. If you fly to Hanoi or Da Nang via a connection, the card is not yet required at those airports — but Vietnam may expand the system.

1. 1Confirm your Vietnam visa is valid (e-visa, visa-on-arrival authorisation, or visa-exempt eligibility based on your nationality).
2. 2Check your flight arrival airport. If it is Tan Son Nhat (SGN, Ho Chi Minh City), the digital arrival card is mandatory. If it is Noi Bai (HAN, Hanoi) or Da Nang (DAD), it is not yet required — but verify before travel as the policy may expand.
3. 3Within 72 hours before arrival, visit prearrival.immigration.gov.vn and complete the declaration.
4. 4Save the QR code to your phone (screenshot AND PDF) and email it to yourself as a backup.
5. 5Print a paper copy if possible — phone batteries die at the worst times.
6. 6If travelling as a family, complete a separate declaration for each person including children.
7. 7Allow extra time at HCMC airport during the rollout phase — immigration officers and travellers are still adjusting to the new process.

This update is based on publicly available information from the Vietnam Immigration Department and credible international travel reporting as of 22 April 2026. The Digital Arrival Card is mandatory at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) from 15 April 2026. This analysis is provided for informational purposes to help UAE residents understand the new entry process. It does not constitute legal advice. For the latest official information, visit the Vietnam Immigration Department portal at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.