Vietnam introduce medical declarations from July 1st: what changes for tourists and tourists

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Marta Skylar
Aviation News Editor
29.07.2026 04:59

Vietnam introduce medical declarations from July 1st: what changes for tourists and transit passengers

From July 1, 2026, Vietnam is transitioning to new sanitary control rules at the border: travelers entering the country, leaving it, or transiting through it may need a medical declaration, completed within seven days before crossing the border. For tourists, this does not mean the closure of the destination or a new visa, and it adds an important preparatory step before the flight, especially for those flying through Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or Da Nang.

The innovation is linked to the Vietnamese government's Decree No. 165/2026/ND-CP and to a broader system of prevention of infectious diseases. The Vietnamese government portal reported that the declaration applies to passengers crossing the Vietnamese border, and the form must be provided by the Ministry of Health. The document will be bilingual, in Vietnamese and English, bilingually, and in case of disease outbreaks, the Ministry of Health may give additional instructions for specific checkpoints.

For the tourism market, this is an important change not because Vietnam is becoming a difficult destination. On the contrary, the country remains one of the most competitive routes in Southeast Asia: Da Nang and Nha Trang beaches, city trips to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, gastronomic tours, cruises in Halong Bay, and combined routes with Thailand, Cambodia, or Singapore. But the new medical step may affect the time of passing control, connections, group tours, corporate trips, and routes with multiple entries.

What exactly changes from July 1st

The main change is that before entering, leaving, or transiting through Vietnam, the traveler must be ready to submit a medical declaration. According to the explanations of the government portal, it must be filled out within seven days before crossing the border. Specialized legal and immigration reviews clarify that the declaration may be submitted electronically or on paper according to the form established by the Ministry of Health.

In the declaration, personal data, transport information, route, travel history, and symptoms related to infectious diseases may be asked. The Vietnamese legal publication Vietnam Law Magazine also notes that, if necessary, passengers may be asked to provide proof of vaccination or other evidence of preventive measures. This wording is important: it does not mean an automatic requirement for all tourists to have an additional vaccine, but it leaves the authorities the possibility to activate additional checks depending on the epidemic situation.

FCDO, the British Foreign Office, on June 26 updated the recommendation page for Vietnam precisely because of the new information about the medical declaration. In the entry requirements section, the British side warns that from July 1, those traveling to Vietnam or transiting through the country may be required to fill out a declaration, which may include proof of vaccination. Such an update from an authoritative consular consular source makes the topic practical not only for the British, but for all foreign tourists planning a route through Vietnam.

Is this a new visa and can tourists travel to Vietnam

A medical declaration is not a tourist visa, an entry permit, or a paid authorization like ETA. It belongs to sanitary control, not to migration permit. Therefore, travelers need to separate two blocks of preparation: separately check the visa regime, passport, e-visa, or visa-free period, and separately complete the medical declaration, if it is required for a specific trip.

This is especially important for tourists using the 45-day visa-free regime for certain citizens or the 90-day electronic visa. British recommendations remind that the passport must meet the requirements, și și date of exit after the entry stamp must be checked immediately at the border. The new medical procedure does not cancel these rules. It simply adds another documentary element, which may be checked along with the passport, boarding documents, and visa.

As of June 29, the US State Department maintains for Vietnam a Level 1 status, meaning it advises to follow normal precautions. In a fresh update from June 24, the warning level did not change, but the State Department reminds about small thefts in tourist places and the risk of unexploded ordnance in some areas. That is, the new declaration is not a signal of a sharp deterioration of the security situation, but rather a part of administrative preparation for the trip.

What this means for passengers of SGN, HAN and DAD airports

The most noticeable change may be in the country's main international airports. For southern Vietnam, the key hub remains Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City. It is through this airport that tourists often fly to the Mekong, Phu Quoc, city hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, or for internal connections. If the trip starts or ends in SGN, it is worth checking the flight status via the Tan Son Nhat online board, and also allowing additional time for control in the first days after the launch of the new rules.

For the north of the country, an important point will be Noi Bai Airport (HAN) in Hanoi. Passengers planning a trip to the capital, Sapa, Ninh Binh, or Halong Bay, often combine an international flight, transfer, and early departure from the city in one day. After July 1, it is better not to make such connections too tight. Before heading to the airport, the hotel near HAN airport or a transfer from Hanoi airport.

Da Nang also has a separate significance, as the Da Nang Airport (DAD) а serves not only city trips, but also beach vacations, Hoi An, and routes in central Vietnam. If a tourist flies in high season or arrives as a group, the new declaration may affect the speed of passing formalities. For DAD, the Da Nang online board is also available, and for evening flights, it is worth choosing in advance a taxi or transfer from Da Nang airport, so as not to lose time after control.

What transit passengers should pay attention to

A separate risk concerns transit. The government wording covers not only entry and exit, but also transit through Vietnam. This means that passengers with a connection in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City should not automatically assume that the new rule does not affect them. Especially attentive should be those who have separate tickets, transfer from an international flight to a domestic one, collect baggage, change terminal, or pass through immigration control.

British recommendations separately remind that when transferring from an international flight to a domestic flight in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the passenger must pass through immigration control and actually enter Vietnam, although the final destination of the route is outside the country. In such a situation, the medical declaration may not be a formal formality, and a part of real border process. Therefore, for complex routes, it is worth contacting the airline or tour operator and clarifying whether the declaration is required specifically for your type of connection.

Practical list before the trip

  • Check official instructions from the Vietnamese embassy or airline regarding the medical declaration form, especially if the electronic portal is still being updated.
  • Fill out the declaration within seven days before entry, exit, or transit, and not several weeks in advance.
  • Save an electronic confirmation or a paper copy, if such a form is available or required.
  • Check if additional medical documents are needed, if you arrive from a country or region where there is an outbreak of an infectious disease.
  • Do not confuse the medical declaration on a visa: passport, e-visa, visa-free period, and exit date stamp remain separate requirements.
  • Plan more time at the airport in the first days after July 1, and when staff and passengers adapt to the new procedure.
  • For connections with domestic flights, leave a buffer, because additional control may affect the time between international arrival and the next departure.

Why this is important for the tourism market

Vietnam actively competes for tourists with Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the same as any new rule at the border affects not only the passenger, but also tour operators, hotels, airlines, and receiving companies. For organized groups, the main question is who will control the filling of declarations: the tourist independently, the agent before the flight, and the representative of the group. For individual travelers, the key risk is simpler: not finding out about the rule before arriving at the airport and losing time on site.

On the other side, the new system may make border medical control more predictable. If the form is available online, bilingual and clear, the traveler can fulfill the requirement before leaving home. The most important thing will be the quality of the launch: the presence of an official link, identical instructions from airlines, clear rules for transit and the absence of contradictory requirements in different airports.

Conclusion

The new rule of Vietnam should not stop tourist trips, the same as it should be perceived as a mandatory part of the pre-flight check. The best strategy for the traveler is simple: a few days before the flight, check official instructions, fill out the declaration within the required time, save confirmation, have enough time at the airport and do not build connections without a buffer. For a country that is rapidly growing international tourism, this is a test of how convenient the new sanitary control will be for passengers, and for tourists - a reminder that even popular and open destinations can add new administrative steps almost before the start of the start of the high season.