Vietnam Digital Arrival Card: What It Really Is
If you searched for a Vietnam digital arrival card, you were looking for something real under a name that does not exist. That gap is worth understanding, because it is exactly where paid intermediaries position themselves.
Does Vietnam have a digital arrival card?
No — not under that name. Vietnam requires a Pre-Arrival Information Declaration, submitted online before you land, which produces a QR code you show at immigration.
Travellers call it a digital arrival card because that is the phrase used across the region, and the habit carries over. Vietnam does not use it. The official terms are:
| In English | Vietnam Pre-Arrival Information Declaration |
|---|---|
| In Vietnamese | Tờ khai thông tin trước nhập cảnh |
| Official portal | prearrival.immigration.gov.vn |
| Run by | Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security |
What is the Pre-Arrival Information Declaration?
It is an online form every international traveller must submit before entering Vietnam, free of charge, at the Immigration Department’s portal. Completing it produces a QR code that you present to the officer at the immigration counter.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who must submit it | All arriving passengers not holding a Vietnamese passport |
| Where | prearrival.immigration.gov.vn — the official government portal |
| Cost | Free |
| When | Up to three days before arrival, or on the spot at the airport |
| What you get | A QR code for the immigration officer |
One submission can cover a family or group travelling together, and there is no need to print anything — showing the QR code on your phone is enough. What the QR code is and where it gets scanned →
Is the Vietnam arrival form the same as a visa?
No. The declaration does not replace a visa and does not grant you permission to enter. If your nationality requires a visa, you still apply for one separately. If you are travelling visa-free, you still have to submit the declaration.
This is the single most common misunderstanding about the requirement, and it runs in both directions. People with an e-visa assume the declaration is already covered by it; people arriving visa-free assume the form does not apply to them. Both are wrong.
Which Vietnamese airports require the arrival form?
All of the main international airports now require it. The requirement was introduced airport by airport during 2026 rather than nationwide on a single date:
| Airport | Code | Required from |
|---|---|---|
| Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) | SGN | 15 April 2026 |
| Phu Quoc | PQC | 1 June 2026 |
| Noi Bai (Hanoi) | HAN | 8 June 2026 |
| Da Nang | DAD | 15 June 2026 |
| Cam Ranh (Nha Trang) | CXR | June 2026 |
As of 15 July 2026, every main Vietnamese international airport applies the requirement. The April date belongs to Tan Son Nhat alone — it was the pilot, not a nationwide start — which is why guidance written in spring 2026 is often wrong in one direction or the other.
Is the Vietnam pre-arrival declaration free?
Yes. The declaration costs nothing at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. There is no government fee attached to it at all.
Because the requirement is searched under a name the government does not use, paid look-alike sites occupy that search space easily. Some reproduce the portal’s layout closely and charge a fee while never stating that the underlying form is free.
We will state our own position plainly, because the distinction is the whole point of this section. The government form is free and you can complete it yourself in a few minutes. EntryVN sells a form-filling service — you are paying for the work and for us carrying the risk if a detail is wrong, never for access to the form. EntryVN is a private company, not part of or authorised by any government body.
Rather not fill it in yourself?
We complete the declaration and send you the QR code. $5 per person, $12 for a family of four — and free with fast track or an e-visa.
What do you need to fill in the Vietnam entry form?
Everything is on documents you already hold. Have these ready before you start:
- Passport — full name exactly as printed, passport number, nationality
- Visa details — your e-visa number, or the visa exemption you are travelling under
- Flight details — airline, flight number, arrival date
- Accommodation in Vietnam — hotel name and address
- Intended departure date
- Purpose of travel
- Contact details — email and phone
The address is the field people stall on, particularly travellers who have not booked past their first night.
We have not repeated the step-by-step walkthrough here — it lives in its own guide. The Vietnam pre-arrival form, screen by screen → And before you submit, it is worth reading the mistakes that send people back to the counter →
So what should you actually do?
Search for a Vietnam digital arrival card and you will find intermediaries. Search for the Pre-Arrival Information Declaration and you will find the government portal. That is the practical value of knowing the real name.
- Sort your visa or visa exemption first — it is a separate requirement.
- Within three days of your flight, submit the declaration at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.
- Save the QR code to your phone. No printing needed.
- Show it at immigration on arrival.
Want it handled?
$5 per person, $12 for a family of four. Free with fast track or an e-visa — we file it and send the QR code.
The Pre-Arrival Information Declaration is operated by Vietnam’s Immigration Department (Ministry of Public Security) at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. Airport rollout dates are as recorded above; the requirement applied at all main international airports as of 15 July 2026. EntryVN is an independent company and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any Vietnamese government body.
