Vietnam’s SGN digital arrival card adds one more step

Vietnam now requires a digital pre-arrival declaration for eligible foreign travelers entering Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City. The rule took effect on April 15, 2026 and it’s meant to cut immigration lines, which, frankly, have been a pain point at Vietnam’s busiest airport.

You submit your passport details, flight info and contact address online, then get a personal QR code to show at immigration. It’s free and it supplements your visa or e-visa, it doesn’t replace it, so don’t treat this as a visa workaround.

Who it affects

This applies to foreign nationals entering SGN, including tourists, business travelers, expats and digital nomads. Overseas Vietnamese entering with visas are included too, weirdly, while Vietnamese passport holders and transit passengers who aren’t entering the country are exempt.

The process is still simple, but timing matters, honestly. You can submit up to 3 days before departure and if you skip that step, you can still scan airport QR codes on arrival, though officials say that can mean extra delays during peak hours.

What to do

If you’re flying into SGN, fill out the digital declaration before you leave, then save the QR code on your phone and, ideally, print a backup. Accuracy matters, because your form needs to match your passport exactly and any mismatch can slow you down at the desk.

• Before departure: complete the online declaration
• At arrival: show the QR code at immigration
• If you forgot: use the airport QR, then expect a wait

This is only active at SGN for now, though Vietnam says the system may expand to other airports later. For frequent flyers and remote workers, that means one extra admin step, but also a cleaner entry process if you plan ahead.

Read our full Vietnam guide for the complete picture and check visa updates for more travel-alerts.