Passport must be valid for at least one month after expiry date of visa. Otherwise passports should have six months validity for visa-free nationals, except for nationals of
Denmark,
Finland,
Japan, Korea (Rep.),
Norway and
Sweden, who require three months validity. All visitors must have sufficient funds for the duration of their stay, onward or return tickets (if no visa is required) and all documents needed for next destination. Visitors should hold a spare passport photograph on arrival in
Vietnam for use on the immigration form that must be filled out. You should retain the yellow portion
of your immigration Arrival-Departure card on entry to Vietnam, as this is required for exit. Visitors coming from countries with no Vietnamese diplomatic representation will be issued a visa on arrival, provided the visitor is holding a letter from Vietnamese Immigration confirming this.
Americans: US passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
UK nationals: UK passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
Canadians: Canadian passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
Australians: Australian passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
South Africans: South Africans require a valid passport and a visa.
Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a valid passport and a visa.
New Zealanders: New Zealand nationals require a visa and a valid passport.
Health
An outbreak of bird flu in 2004 claimed numerous human lives; recent outbreaks have also resulted in human fatalities. Avian flu in poultry has now spread to numerous provinces and cities across Vietnam. All care should be taken to avoid contact with live poultry and visitors are advised to exercise caution when eating poultry dishes, particularly raw or undercooked poultry products. Other health risks in the country include Hepatitis A and E, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, bilharzia, plague, cholera, diarrhoea and HIV/AIDS. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for travel outside the main cities and towns, the
Red River delta and north of
Nha Trang. There has been an increase in the amount of deaths relating to dengue fever over the past year, and visitors should take care to protect themselves from mosquito bites during the day, especially just after dawn and just before dusk, particularly in the southern
Mekong Delta region. Travelers should seek medical advice about vaccinations at least three weeks before leaving for Vietnam and ensure they have adequate insect protection. Typhoid can be a problem in the Mekong Delta. Those arriving from an infected area require a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Water is potable, but visitors usually prefer to drink bottled water. Decent health care is available in
Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City (
Saigon) with English-speaking doctors, and there is a surgical clinic in
Da Nang, but more complicated treatment may require medical evacuation. Pharmacies throughout the country are adequate, but check expiry dates of medicines carefully. Health insurance is essential.
Safety
Travel in Vietnam is generally safe and violent crime is uncommon. Pick-pocketing is rife, and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) drive-by purse snatching is a common trick. When transferring from airports only use pre-arranged hotel pickups or licensed taxis to avoid theft from opportunists. It is best to leave valuables in a secure hotel safe and avoid obvious displays of wealth. During the monsoon season (usually between June and October) the country is prone to serious flooding and typhoons (until December), particularly the Mekong Delta and Central Region. In August and September 2008, Northern and Central Vietnam experienced torrential rain resulting in severe flooding. This caused considerable damage to local infrastructure, including road and rail links. If you are planning to visit Northern or Central Vietnam, check with your tour operator before traveling to the effected areas.
