Vietnam arrival card: the pre-arrival declaration explained

The pre-arrival declaration, the e-visa, and when customs needs a form.

By the Local SIM Vietnam team, checked October 2, 2026

Illustration: a passport and a phone showing a simple form beside an aircraft window, a coastline below.

The short answer

Yes, in an online form. Vietnam's Immigration Department runs a pre-arrival declaration at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, filled in up to three days before you land and free on the official site. It is not a visa: entry still rests on a visa exemption or an e-visa, and a customs form applies only above the allowances.

Pre-arrival declaration: prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, filled in within three days before arrival.
Free on the official portal; look-alike sites charge for the same form.
Not a visa: entry rests on a visa exemption or an e-visa, checked at the counter.
Customs: a form only above the allowances, or cash over 5,000 US dollars or 15 million dong.

Checked October 2, 2026

The forms, side by side

	Where	What it costs
Pre-arrival declaration	prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, up to three days before arrival	Free
E-visa	evisa.gov.vn, before you fly	25 US dollars single entry, 50 US dollars multiple entry
Customs declaration	At the airport, only above the allowances	Duty on goods above the allowance

Pre-arrival declaration
Where
prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, up to three days before arrival
What it costs
Free
E-visa
Where
evisa.gov.vn, before you fly
What it costs
25 US dollars single entry, 50 US dollars multiple entry
Customs declaration
Where
At the airport, only above the allowances
What it costs
Duty on goods above the allowance

Good to know (Before you go)

The three days
The form accepts an arrival date of today or the next two days, and the U.S. Embassy notice says it can also be completed on arrival. A declaration made a week ahead is too early.
The QR code
The declaration returns a QR code and a reference number by email. Save both on the phone and as screenshots, and copy the flight number exactly: the department reports failed declarations from mistyped flight numbers.
Optional or not
The wording differs: the Immigration Department described the pilot as optional, while the U.S. Embassy describes the declaration as mandatory for travellers who do not hold a Vietnamese passport. Fill it in before you fly.

The bottom line

Illustration: a hand holds a phone showing a QR code beside a lotus flower and a small globe.

15 days · 5 GB a day · US$8.88

The QR code, the e-visa PDF and the acknowledgement all live on the phone: land with data and show them at the counter.

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Questions

Is there a Vietnam arrival card?

Yes, since April 2026: an online pre-arrival declaration on the Immigration Department's portal, within three days before you land, and free of charge. Sources differ on whether it is mandatory; the practical answer is to fill it in before you fly.

Do I need a Vietnam visa?

It depends on your nationality. British travellers can stay up to 45 days without a visa, per the UK's advice; travellers who are not exempt apply for an e-visa, valid up to 90 days, for 25 or 50 US dollars on the official portal.

Do I need a customs declaration when I land?

Only if you carry more than the duty-free allowance, or cash above 5,000 US dollars or 15 million dong. Otherwise Vietnam Customs asks for no declaration, and you walk through after collecting your bags.