Arriving in Vietnam with an e-visa: airport entry checklist for Hong Kong travellers

For arrival in Vietnam with an e-visa, carry the passport used for the application, with at least six months of validity from your intended entry date and blank pages, plus the issued e-visa PDF. Enter through the port selected in your application, and check your documents against the Vietnam visa requirements before leaving Hong Kong. Having everything checked and easy to find makes the journey simpler to organise.

Before you leave Hong Kong#

Set aside time to open the issued e-visa beside your passport and travel plans. Work from the actual documents, rather than a message saying that the application has been submitted. The PDF is the document to keep ready for printing or showing on arrival.

Use this checklist before packing:

• The passport I will carry has at least six months of validity from my intended entry date and has blank pages.
• The details on my issued e-visa match that passport exactly.
• I have saved the e-visa PDF where I can open it offline; I can also prepare a printed copy to keep with my documents.
• My arrival port matches the one selected in the application and is permitted for e-visa holders.
• My intended entry and exit dates fit within the dates on the issued e-visa.
• The single-entry or multiple-entry option matches my whole journey, including any plan to leave Vietnam and return.

Vietnam's e-visa allows a stay of up to 90 days, with single-entry and multiple-entry options. Read the dates and entry type on your own document rather than treating the maximum stay as the duration of every visa. Our e-visa overview explains the options.

Saving an offline copy and preparing a printout are practical ways to keep the issued PDF accessible. Open the saved file once before setting off, so you know where it is and can read it. For a family trip, keep each person's visa clearly associated with their passport instead of leaving every attachment in one long message thread.

At check-in in Hong Kong#

Have your passport accessible and be ready to show your e-visa if asked. Keep the PDF somewhere you can reach without searching through old emails. If you have prepared a printed copy, place it with the passport rather than in a separate bag that is difficult to reach.

A useful rehearsal is simply opening the correct document before you leave home. Make sure that you can find the file itself, not just the email that contained it, and that any person helping with the documents knows which copy belongs to whom. This is an organisational suggestion, not an additional visa requirement.

If travelling with others, agree who is keeping the shared travel information and how each person will access their own e-visa. Each traveller's document deserves its own check, even when everyone shares the same flight. Once you have finished using the files or papers, return them to the same accessible place for arrival.

At immigration in Vietnam#

Have your passport and issued e-visa ready to present at immigration. The e-visa is a PDF that you can print or show on arrival, and its details must match your passport exactly. Keep the whole document accessible so you can refer to it when needed.

Your entry port is part of the preparation. Travellers must enter through the port chosen in the application and one of the ports permitted for e-visa holders. Check the permitted-port list on the official Vietnam e-visa portal when reviewing your journey. The city you plan to visit and the port where you actually enter should be considered together.

Common direct routes from Hong Kong (HKG) include Hanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), Da Nang (DAD), Nha Trang/Cam Ranh (CXR) and Phu Quoc (PQC). Schedules change, so check your actual booking when preparing for departure. Use these names to orient yourself, then compare the booked arrival with your chosen entry port.

For an itinerary with several stops, identify the point where you enter Vietnam rather than looking only at the final destination. If your journey includes leaving Vietnam and coming back, keep the entry type and dates in view for the return as well. A multiple-entry option and a longer stay are separate features of the visa.

If something does not match#

If you notice a difference in your name, passport number, dates or entry port, contact us before travelling to discuss the specific detail. Put the passport, issued PDF and intended itinerary together so you can explain precisely what differs. Resolve the question before departure rather than travelling in the hope that the difference will be overlooked.

In live chat, tell us which detail you are concerned about, when you plan to travel and whether you already have the issued PDF. A clear description is more useful than sending a general message that something looks wrong. Keep the original document available while the next step is discussed, so you can refer back to the same information.

If your route has changed since you applied, include both the original selected port and the arrival now planned. This keeps the discussion focused on the journey you intend to make. The aim is to clarify what needs attention before travel, not to assume that a change to a booking automatically changes the visa.

Quick table#

Use this table as a final document check after reviewing the full itinerary. The last column points to what you should have in front of you while checking each item.

Keep the passport and e-visa together in your preparation, then save the travel details nearby for reference. If you are helping a family member, work through the table with that person's documents before moving on to the next traveller.

For help preparing images before applying, see our e-visa photo guide. Our visa FAQ answers broader preparation questions. If you still need to arrange the visa, Chat to apply; if it has already been issued and a detail needs attention, use live chat before departure.