Vietnam Introduces Pre-Arrival Digital Declaration for Foreigners at Ho Chi Minh City Airport

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Vietnam has introduced a mandatory digital pre-arrival declaration for all foreign nationals entering on a visa through Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. The requirement took effect on 15 April.

The rule covers all foreign nationals entering Vietnam on any type of visa, including visa-on-arrival and e-visa holders. Overseas Vietnamese traveling on foreign passports also fall within the scope.

Only Vietnamese passport holders and transit passengers remaining airside are exempt.

How It Works

Travelers complete the declaration online through the official portal, or by scanning a QR code provided through official channels. The form requires passport details, flight information, address of stay, and a health self-declaration.

After submitting, travelers receive a confirmation QR code. They must show it to immigration officers on arrival, either on a phone or in print.

Failure to complete the declaration before arrival will result in longer processing times at immigration checkpoints. Travelers without the QR code face manual processing, which can stretch well beyond standard wait times.

Visitors must complete the form 24 to 48 hours before departure.

The measure aims to modernize immigration management, cut congestion during peak hours, and improve the overall passenger experience as part of Vietnam’s broader digital transformation drive.

Part of a Regional Shift

Vietnam’s move is the latest in a broader regional push toward digital border management, with several Southeast Asian countries introducing similar systems in 2025.

Thailand

Thailand rolled out its own digital arrival card, known as the TDAC from 1 May 2025. The system applies to all foreign passport holders arriving by air, land, or sea, and requires travelers to submit passport data and address of stay before arrival.

Thailand had scrapped its paper-based TM6 form back in July 2022 to ease congestion at immigration, but has now reintroduced a digital version to strengthen security and better track tourist movements.

Indonesia

Indonesia also launched its own unified digital arrival card, called All Indonesia, in August 2025. The system brings immigration, customs, and health declarations under one platform, replacing several separate online forms.

Travelers entering through Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya must complete the form up to 72 hours before arrival and present a QR code on landing.

Laos

Laos itself introduced its own digital immigration system on 1 September 2025. The Lao Digital Immigration Form replaced paper arrival and departure cards and requires all foreign nationals to register online a at least three days before entering or leaving the country. On submission, travelers receive a QR code valid for three days to present at the border.

The system currently operates at four checkpoints: Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, Luang Prabang International Airport, Pakse International Airport, and the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge crossing.

Authorities plan to extend it to all checkpoints by end of 2026.

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