Vietnam travel restrictions: how to organize your business trips during the pandemic

Entry requirements, isolation and quarantine procedures, mobility, and vaccination policy. Our guide to current travel restrictions in Vietnam for your business activities.

Travel restrictions in Vietnam have been tightened, as the Country is now facing a new phase of the pandemic following the spread of the Omicron variant. Entry is allowed to specific categories of travellers with the authorisation from the local Authorities. The Vietnamese Government has implemented measures to preserve the health of its inhabitants, despite the vaccination campaign reporting positive data, with 79% of the population completely immunised.

In the Country, the measures are established on a provincial basis, according to increasing levels of risk that depend on the daily trend, the health system, and the vaccination rate. Currently, there is no curfew in place: in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, public transport and essential activities have been gradually restored. Workers from abroad are subject to health measures and undergo a minimum of 3 days of quarantine.

Table of contents

1. Entry requirements in Vietnam
2. Categories authorized in Vietnam
3. Negative test to enter Vietnam
4. Isolation and quarantine procedures
5. National movement restrictions
6. State of Vaccination
7. Ask our Experts

1. Entry requirements in Vietnam

Entry and transit through Vietnam are banned for all foreign travellers, consequently no visa waiver is allowed for trips of less than 15 days and no tourist visas are envisaged.

However, some categories are authorised to enter the Country exclusively for diplomatic reason and work needs, subject to specific conditions:

• Autorisation for entry. This permit is activated by sponsoring entity (i.e. employer or company in Vietnam).
• Approval by the Vietnamese Authorities. The authorization must be submitted to the Authorities at least 5 weeks before entering the Country.

2. Categories authorized for entry

The following categories are allowed to enter:

• Official and Diplomatic delegations;
• Highly-skilled workers and high-tech workers;
• Business managers and Investors;
• Foreigners legally resident in Vietnam.

For those who fall into one of these categories, there is an exemption form authorisation only if in possession of a residence permit in Vietnam or a valid entry visa.

3. COVID-19 test negative and health insurance

Authorised travellers must submit a negative Real Time PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 in English carried out in a licensed facility within 72 hours before entering.

In addition, an international health insurance covering also COVID-19 infection must be submitted.

4. Isolation and quarantine procedures

The Vietnamese Government has set up a quarantine period for foreign travellers entering the Country. The costs of quarantine and any health care costs are borne by the traveller.

Moreover, the Ministry of Health applies different periods of mandatory isolation based on the health status of each individual:

• Subjects fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 for no more than six months, in possession of the EU COVID digital Certificate or an equivalent certificate, can be authorised by the Vietnamese Authorities to self-isolation of 3 days at their home or in an accommodation facility plus 11 days of health self-monitoring;
• Non-vaccinated subjects will undergo a 7-day quarantine in an authorised facility or in a residence pre-approved by the Authorities plus 7 days of health self-monitoring;
• Highly skilled workers, whose stay in Vietnamese territory is less than 14 days, are NOT subject to quarantine.

The isolation procedures are also activated in the event of close contact with a Covid-19 positive person (in this case, “F1” subject):

• Fully vaccinated subjects or those who have recovered from Covid-19 for no more than three months must carry out self-isolation of 5 days at home. A test will be carried out on the fifth day and if the result is negative there will be 5 days of self-monitoring of own health.
• Non-vaccinated or partially vaccinated subjects will have to carry out a 7-day health self-isolation at home or at the facilities indicated by the Vietnamese provincial Authorities. A test will be carried out on the seventh day and if the result is negative there will be 3 days of self-monitoring of own health.

5. Movement restrictions in Vietnam

Public transport is operational and there are no specific restrictions in place for intercity and interstate travel, in addition to public health regulations such as mask wearing and social distancing of at least 2 meters. However, movements within the Country are subject to restrictions and quarantine and/or fiduciary isolation obligations upon arrival depending on the destination areas and the severity of the outbreaks in those of origin (even from neighbourhoods of individual cities).

In addition, for all travel from abroad and within the Country, it is necessary to download the PC-COVID application on a smartphone, in which it will be possible to fill in the health self-certification and unify the traveller’s certificates to receive a QR code to show to the Vietnamese Authorities.

6. Information on vaccines

Vaccination in Vietnam is also activated for foreigners who plan to receive the vaccine in Vietnamese territory. Currently, the vaccines authorised in Vietnam are:

• Comirnaty (Pfizer – USA);
• Spikevax (Moderna – USA);
• Janssen (Johnson & Johnson – USA);
• AstraZeneca (British-Swedish);
• Sputnik V (Gamaleya – Russian);
• Vero Cell (CNBG/Sinopharm – Chinese);
• Hayat-Vax ( CNBG – Chinese/UAE), Abdala (BBU – Cuban);
• Covaxin (BBIL – Indian).

Italian citizens and all those registered with the National Health Service who have received the vaccine in Vietnam could apply for the issue of the EU COVID digital Certificate if the vaccine received is recognised by the EMA (Comirnaty by Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca), Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Nuvaxovid (Novavax), as well as Covishield, R-CoVI, Fiocruz.

To receive the vaccine in Vietnam you can register on the online portal or in Hanoi you can go directly to Saint Paul Hospital without having registered.