Travel & Nomad

Vietnam Travel Requirements 2026: Visa-Free Countries, E-Visa, Arrival Form and Cash Rules

Who needs a visa for Vietnam, who gets 45 days free, what changed in 2025 and 2026, the Tan Son Nhat online arrival declaration, passport validity and the US$5,000 cash declaration threshold, with official and press sources dated to November 2026.

Quick answer: As of 2 November 2026, citizens of 24 countries including the UK, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France and Russia can enter Vietnam without a visa for 45 days, while US, Canadian, Australian and Indian passport holders need a visa, usually the US$25 e-visa from evisa.gov.vn. Everyone needs a passport valid for at least six months, arrivals at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat airport are asked to fill in a free online declaration, and cash above US$5,000 or VND 15 million must be declared to customs.

Key takeaways

45-day visa-free list. 24 countries in two resolutions: 12 under Resolution 44/NQ-CP (to 14 March 2028) and 12 more under Resolution 229/NQ-CP (to 14 August 2028).
US citizens need an e-visa. UK citizens are on the 45-day list. Apply only on evisa.gov.vn.
Passport: at least six months' validity from your entry date.
Tan Son Nhat arrival form: a free online declaration with a QR code, required since 15 April 2026 at that airport only. The portal is prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.
Cash: declare more than US$5,000 (or equivalent) or VND 15 million at the border.

Vietnam's entry rules have moved a lot since 2023, and many pages mix old and new. A friend on a 45-day exemption, a relative who needs a visa and a form that exists at one airport can all be true in the same week.

Rules sorted, the next question is the first hour: data for the arrival form and your ride, and a way to pay. The Fizen app does both for foreign visitors, and your travel eSIM gift is waiting there: US$10 of eSIM credit off the bill automatically at checkout (up to 30% of each plan, new users only), payable with USDT or by card. Get the Fizen app.

Do you need a visa for Vietnam in 2026?

It depends on your passport. These are the main groups, from vietnamtourism.com's table updated on 30 October 2026 and the government resolutions behind it.

Passport	Entry as of 2 Nov 2026	Basis
Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland	45 days visa-free, any purpose	Resolution 44/NQ-CP, 15 Mar 2025 to 14 Mar 2028
Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland	45 days visa-free, tourism	Resolution 229/NQ-CP, 15 Aug 2025 to 14 Aug 2028
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and some Central Asian neighbours	14 to 30 days; Chile and Panama 90	Bilateral deals; confirm with your embassy
US, Canada, Australia, India and most others	Visa needed: e-visa up to 90 days	Not on the exemption lists
Any nationality, Phu Quoc only	30 days, if you arrive directly from abroad	Phu Quoc rule

Viet Nam News (7 March 2025) says Resolution 44 applies regardless of passport type and purpose of entry. KPMG's August 2025 note on the second list says it covers tourism and that combining work and tourism is not allowed. vietnamtourism.com says the old 30-day gap before re-entry has been dropped; that comes from one source, so confirm it with an embassy if you plan back-to-back stays. For Phu Quoc, see our e-visa guide for Indians, which covers the island rule.

What is the Vietnam visa for US citizens and UK citizens?

US citizens are not on the exemption lists, so they need a visa. The simplest is the e-visa: US$25 for a single entry or US$50 for multiple entry, valid up to 90 days, on evisa.gov.vn only. Our official portal guide has the steps, the status check and the fake-site red flags.

UK citizens are on the 45-day list, so a normal holiday needs no visa. For a longer stay, work or study, an e-visa or another visa is needed. A visa on arrival is a different thing: vietnamtourism.com says it needs an agency's pre-approval letter first and a stamping fee in cash at the airport, so for most visitors the e-visa is simpler.

What changed for Vietnam entry in 2025 and 2026?

March 2025: Resolution 44/NQ-CP kept 45-day exemption for 12 countries to March 2028, replacing earlier resolutions that expired on 15 March 2025 (Viet Nam News).
August 2025: Resolution 229/NQ-CP added 12 more European countries from 15 August 2025.
December 2025 to 2026: e-visa holders can use 83 border gates, after 41 more were added, according to the Immigration Department director in July 2026. Vietnam issued over 4 million e-visas in 2025 (VNA).
15 April 2026: the Tan Son Nhat online declaration started, in the next section.
1 July 2026: a revised immigration law took effect; VietNamNet (6 May 2026) gave no detail that changes a tourist's steps and expects the exemption list to expand.

What passport rules apply?

Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the day you enter, children included on their own passports, and you may be asked for your purpose of entry (VietNamNet, 6 May 2026; vietnamtourism.com). Airlines check it at check-in.

Is there an arrival form for Vietnam?

Only at one airport so far. From 15 April 2026 the Immigration Department asks foreigners and overseas Vietnamese entering through Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat to complete a pre-arrival declaration online, Viet Nam News reported on 23 April 2026. It takes personal details, flight itinerary and purpose of entry; you receive a QR code to show at immigration. It is free on prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, and QR codes in the international terminal let you file on the spot if you did not. Transit passengers who stay airside and Vietnamese citizens on Vietnamese passports are exempt.

Press accounts differ on whether visa-exempt visitors are covered and on how early to file, and no similar form was reported at Hanoi or Da Nang. It is free, so file it if you land at Tan Son Nhat. It does not replace a visa.

How much cash can you bring, and what must you declare?

There is no limit on how much you bring, but State Bank Circular 15/2011/TT-NHNN, Article 2, says anyone entering or leaving through an international border gate must declare to customs cash above US$5,000 (or the equivalent in other currencies) or VND 15 million. No newer circular changing these figures turned up, but verify with Vietnam Customs before a large carry.

That is one reason many visitors carry little cash. Fizen QR Pay lets foreign visitors in Vietnam pay VietQR, VNPay, MoMo and ZaloPay codes from USDT, with the amount shown in dong before you confirm. It is for visitors only, funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, with limits of US$800 per payment and US$1,000 per week, and USDT moved into QR Pay is governed by the QR Pay Terms. Steps: QR Pay getting started.

What should you set up before you fly?

Install a data plan before departure so the arrival form QR code, maps and your ride-hailing app work at the gate. One option is Fizen's Asia plan, which, as of 2 November 2026, runs on Viettel Mobile 4G in Vietnam; fixed-data plans slow to 128 kbps after the allowance. Check the eSIM tab in the app for current Vietnam plans. A fault on Fizen's side gets a free 1:1 replacement for the whole trip from a real person in live chat. It is data only, so keep your home SIM on for bank codes. Install it on home Wi-Fi before you fly. More in our Vietnam eSIM guide and things to know before travelling to Vietnam.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Vietnam?

Not if your passport is on the 45-day exemption list, for example the UK, Japan, South Korea or Germany. US, Canadian, Australian and Indian passport holders need a visa, usually the e-visa from evisa.gov.vn.

Can I get a Vietnam visa on arrival?

Only with a pre-approval letter from an agency, plus a stamping fee in cash at the airport, according to vietnamtourism.com. Most visitors use the e-visa instead.

Is there a Vietnam visa for US citizens and UK citizens?

US citizens need an e-visa (US$25 single or US$50 multiple entry, up to 90 days). UK citizens can enter visa-free for 45 days as of November 2026.

Does Vietnam have an arrival card?

Since 15 April 2026, arrivals at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City are asked to complete a free online declaration and show the QR code. Reports found none at other airports as of 2 November 2026.

How much cash can I take into Vietnam?

There is no cap, but you must declare cash above US$5,000 or VND 15 million at the border under State Bank Circular 15/2011.

Your travel eSIM gift is waiting: US$10 of eSIM credit

A new Fizen programme: US$10 of eSIM credit is waiting in the eSIM tab of the Fizen app for new users, taken off the bill automatically at checkout (up to 30% of each plan), no code. Pay with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, or by card. Foreign visitors in Vietnam can also pay a shop's bank QR code with QR Pay in the same app. Prefer the web? fizen.io/esim works too.

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Information only. Fizen publishes this article to inform, not to sell. Nothing here is an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, legal, tax, immigration or security advice. Entry rules change with little notice; confirm with the Vietnam Immigration Department, your embassy and your airline before you travel.
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Sources

Updated 2 November 2026.