Introduction: What Is the Pre-Arrival Card?
The Pre-Arrival Card (also called the Vietnam Digital Arrival Card) is a mandatory online declaration that most foreign travelers must complete before clearing immigration at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City. Introduced by Vietnam’s immigration authorities on 15 April 2026, it collects a traveler’s personal details, flight information, and accommodation address in advance, generating a QR code that is shown at the immigration counter instead of a paper form.
It’s important to understand from the outset that the Pre-Arrival Card is not a visa. It’s a separate, free entry declaration. Whether you’re travelling on a Vietnam e-visa, a Visa on Arrival, or entering visa-free, this new declaration sits alongside ā not instead of ā your entry document.
At Vietnam Visabox (vietnamvisabox.com), we spend most of our time helping travelers get their e-visas and tourist visas right, and one of the most common questions we now hear is: “Do I still need this new arrival form if I already have my visa sorted?” This guide answers that, along with everything else you need to know before you fly.
Why This Matters: The Problem It’s Solving
Tan Son Nhat is one of the busiest international gateways in Southeast Asia, and immigration halls there have long been known for slow-moving queues ā sometimes 500+ travelers deep during evening peak arrivals, with waits stretching past an hour. The Pre-Arrival Card is Vietnam’s attempt to modernize that process: instead of an immigration officer manually typing your details from a paper form, they scan your QR code and pull your pre-submitted information instantly.
This mirrors a broader regional trend ā countries including South Korea, China, India, and Indonesia have all introduced similar digital arrival declarations in recent years as part of border modernization efforts.
Who Needs to Complete the Pre-Arrival Card
Based on official notices from Vietnam’s immigration authorities and guidance published by foreign embassies operating in Vietnam, the following groups are required to submit the declaration:
- All non-Vietnamese passport holders arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) ā regardless of whether they require a visa
- Overseas Vietnamese entering the country on a visa
- Every individual traveler, including children (a parent or guardian may complete the form on a child’s behalf using the child’s own passport details)
Who Is Exempt
- Vietnamese citizens travelling on a Vietnamese passport
- Same-day transit passengers who never pass through immigration ā for example, someone flying Singapore ā Ho Chi Minh City ā London on a single ticket, with both boarding passes already issued and luggage checked through
The Visa-Exemption Misconception
One of the most common mistakes we see travelers make is assuming that if their nationality is visa-exempt for Vietnam, they don’t need to bother with the Pre-Arrival Card either. This is incorrect. Visa exemption only removes the requirement for a visa ā it has no effect on the Pre-Arrival Card, which is a separate immigration control step. Travelers from visa-exempt countries arriving at SGN still need to submit the declaration.
What Information You’ll Need
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid passport, with the machine-readable data page ready to reference |
| Entry document | Your e-Visa, Visa Exemption Certificate, ABTC Card, Temporary/Permanent Residence Card, or applicable visa exemption category |
| Flight details | Flight number and expected arrival date ā the portal only accepts submissions within a 72-hour window before arrival |
| Accommodation | The full, exact address of where you’re staying in Vietnam |
| Contact email | An address you can access at the airport, in case a verification step is required |
A note on accuracy: immigration systems cross-reference your Pre-Arrival Card details against your visa and passport. Small mismatches ā a misspelled name, a transposed passport number, or an address that doesn’t match your hotel booking ā are among the most common causes of delays at the counter. This is the same principle we emphasize when helping travelers prepare their Vietnam e-visa application: consistency between your passport, visa, and entry paperwork matters more than most travelers expect.
How the Process Works, Step by Step
The declaration is submitted directly through the official government portal at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, and is completed in four steps:
- Personal and passport information ā including an optional passport photo upload, which can auto-fill certain fields
- Entry document details ā the type and number of the visa or exemption category you’re entering under
- Travel and accommodation details ā your flight number, arrival date, and full address in Vietnam
- Review and submission ā a final check of all fields, followed by confirmation of your contact email
Once submitted, the system generates a QR code. Save it in two forms: a screenshot on your phone, and a printed backup, in case of a dead battery or no signal at the airport. If something goes wrong, immigration officers can look up your submission using your file number or passport details, but this takes longer than simply presenting your saved QR code.
Timing tip: the portal can slow down or become temporarily overloaded close to peak travel periods. Completing your declaration the evening before departure ā rather than at the airport, or the moment the 72-hour window opens ā tends to be the smoothest approach.
Where This Currently Applies
As of this writing, the Pre-Arrival Card requirement is confirmed as mandatory for arrivals at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN). Other major international airports were not yet confirmed as mandatory at the initial April 2026 rollout, though the official portal already includes fields for other points of entry and travel modes (air, land, and sea) ā which suggests the system may expand over time.
Because immigration procedures can change quickly and with limited notice, always confirm current requirements on the official government portal, or check with your airline, before departure ā particularly if you’re arriving somewhere other than Ho Chi Minh City.
How the Pre-Arrival Card Fits Into Your Overall Entry Plan
For most travelers heading to Ho Chi Minh City, the Pre-Arrival Card is just one piece of a three-part entry checklist:
- Your visa or entry authorization ā for most nationalities, this means applying for a Vietnam e-visa in advance, though some travelers may qualify for visa exemption or need a full Vietnam tourist visa depending on their nationality and length of stay
- The Pre-Arrival Card ā the new digital declaration covered in this guide
- Supporting documents ā accommodation confirmation, return/onward flight details, and sufficient funds, which immigration officers may ask to see on arrival
Because the Pre-Arrival Card cross-checks your visa details, getting your e-visa application right the first time ā correct passport number, correct entry/exit dates, correct port of entry ā makes the arrival declaration far simpler to fill in later. This is one reason our team at Vietnam Visabox reviews visa applications closely before submission, rather than treating it as a form-filling exercise.
A Quick Illustration
Consider a traveler from the UK planning a two-week holiday in Ho Chi Minh City. Their checklist typically looks like this:
- Apply for a Vietnam e-visa 30 days before travel, listing Tan Son Nhat Airport as the port of entry
- Confirm hotel booking in District 1 at least a few days before departure, since the exact address is required on the Pre-Arrival Card
- Submit the Pre-Arrival Card the evening before the flight, using the e-visa number exactly as printed
- Save the QR code confirmation in two formats before boarding
Skipping any one of these steps doesn’t necessarily prevent entry, but mismatches between them are the most common source of delays we hear about from travelers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Pre-Arrival Card for Ho Chi Minh City? It’s a mandatory, free online declaration for foreign travelers arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN), introduced on 15 April 2026 to speed up immigration processing.
2. Is the Pre-Arrival Card the same as a visa? No. It’s a separate entry declaration. If your nationality requires a visa or e-visa, you still need to apply for that separately ā see our guide to the Vietnam e-visa application process.
3. Do visa-exempt travelers still need to complete it? Yes. Visa exemption only affects your visa requirement ā it has no bearing on the Pre-Arrival Card.
4. How soon before my flight can I submit it? Up to 72 hours before arrival. Submitting the night before departure is generally the most reliable timing.
5. What happens if I don’t complete it before landing? QR kiosks are available in the SGN arrival area for on-the-spot submission, but this adds time to your immigration process, especially during busy periods.
6. Is there a fee for the Pre-Arrival Card? No. The official government portal, prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, does not charge a fee.
7. Does this requirement apply at airports other than Ho Chi Minh City? It was introduced first at Tan Son Nhat (SGN). Always check the official portal before travelling to confirm current coverage at other airports.
8. Do children need their own declaration? Yes ā each traveler needs an individual submission, though a parent or guardian can complete it using the child’s passport details.
9. What’s the most common mistake travelers make with this form? Mismatches between the Pre-Arrival Card and visa details ā misspelled names, incorrect passport or visa numbers, or accommodation addresses that don’t match a hotel booking.
10. What if the official website won’t load? The portal can become busy close to peak travel periods. Clearing your browser cache and trying again ā or waiting and retrying later ā is generally recommended.
Planning Your Trip to Ho Chi Minh City?
The Pre-Arrival Card is a straightforward step once your visa paperwork is in order ā and that’s where most delays actually start. If you haven’t applied for your entry document yet, Vietnam Visabox helps travelers get their Vietnam e-visa or Vietnam tourist visa right the first time, so the details on your Pre-Arrival Card, passport, and visa all line up when you reach immigration.
Start Your Vietnam E-Visa Application ā
This article is for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available guidance current at the time of writing. Immigration requirements can change; always verify the latest rules on Vietnam’s official immigration portal or with your airline before travelling. Vietnam Visabox is an independent visa assistance service and is not affiliated with the Vietnam Immigration Department.
