Vietnam arrival QR code & Pre-Arrival Information in 2026

What PAI is and why it exists

Pre-Arrival Information is a government electronic declaration run by the Immigration Department of Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security. Visitors fill in the form before flying, the portal issues a QR code, and at passport control in the arrival airport the officer scans that code instead of keying your passport and visa data by hand.

The goal is to speed up the border queue and pull arrival data into one database. It is the same idea as the U.S. ESTA, Thailand's TDAC or Malaysia's MDAC. The key point: PAI does not replace your visa or visa exemption. It is an extra step layered on top of everything else.

Here is what actually changes on the ground:

• Before 17 June 2026. Land in Vietnam → passport to the officer → fingerprints → stamp.
• From 17 June 2026. Land in Vietnam → show your QR (filed in advance) → passport → fingerprints → stamp.

No QR code? The officer keys your details in from the passport right at the counter. That is legal but slow. In high season (December–March, July–August) a single queue in Ho Chi Minh City can stretch to an hour and a half.

PAI is neither a visa nor a permit. If you already have the right to enter — a visa exemption, an e-visa or an embassy visa — PAI does not affect it. It is about data, not admission. For the visa side of the trip, start with our Vietnam visa guide; this page only covers the arrival declaration.

Rollout timeline — who switched on and when

Immigration rolled PAI out in stages. Ho Chi Minh City went first as a pilot, then the other airports came online one by one. From 17 June 2026 the rule is mandatory at every international airport in the country.

Foreign missions flagged the change ahead of time — the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam published its notice about a week before the rule took effect.

💬 "Effective 17 June 2026, all foreign nationals arriving at international airports in Vietnam are required to complete the Pre-Arrival Information declaration. The form is free and is completed on the portal prearrival.immigration.gov.vn no earlier than 72 hours before the flight." — policy notice, U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, June 2026

Every international airport on the list

As of 17 June 2026, PAI applies to air arrivals only. The authorities have said land border crossings will be added later — no firm date yet. If you come by bus from Laos or Cambodia, you do not file PAI. If you fly, you do, at any airport on the list above.

Whatever your passport, the process is identical. Most travellers land at four gateways — Cam Ranh (for Nha Trang), Tân Sơn Nhất (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang and Phu Quoc — but the form is the same everywhere. You do need your flight number in advance: it goes into the form with no spaces, in Latin characters, for example VN0050 or QH1521.

Who must file, and who is exempt

Every foreign national entering Vietnam files PAI. Visa type, age and purpose of travel make no difference. A visa exemption does not cancel the requirement, and it does not exempt you from the form either. If you are coming in visa-free, that guide covers what the officer wants to see at the border; PAI is a separate step on top of it.

Three things trip people up most often:

Children need their own form.A child cannot ride on a parent's passport here. Every child needs their own passport and their own QR. Without both, they can be turned away at check-in in the departure airport.

Multiple entry means a new PAI each time.If you hold a multiple-entry e-visa and fly out and back, each entry needs a fresh form. The old QR is single-use: the officer "burns" it when you cross the border.

PAI does not replace your visa or e-visa. The visa exemption still stands, the e-visa is still issued separately on evisa.gov.vn. PAI is an extra step on top of everything else and cancels nothing.

💬 "The requirement applies to all foreign nationals, including those entering under a visa exemption of up to 45 days as well as e-visa holders. The new rule covers visitors of all ages, including children." — rules explainer, Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, 2026

Dual nationals

If you hold two passports — one foreign, one Vietnamese — and enter on the foreign one, PAI is mandatory. The exemption only covers people entering on a Vietnamese passport. At the counter the officer treats you as a foreigner based on the document you hand over.

The same goes for anyone with a second citizenship: your entry rules follow the passport you present. Whichever document you use, the PAI form is filled in the same way for everyone.

What if I live in Vietnam long-term?

Long-stayers with a multiple-entry e-visa or a Temporary Residence Card (TRC) file PAI on every entry. Live in Da Nang, pop over to Singapore for five days and come back? That is a new entry and a new form.

The exception is holders of a Permanent Residence Card. They are formally foreigners, but separate rules may apply to them (as of 17 June 2026 this is not fully confirmed — rely on the portal and ask Immigration directly).

What to prepare before you start

Sit down with this set and it takes 5–10 minutes per person. If something is missing, the form stalls halfway and you re-enter everything from scratch — it saves no partial progress.

Before you open the form, have ready:

1. Passport. Valid at least six months on your entry date. Note the passport number as one unbroken string, no spaces — you will reuse it in several fields.
2. E-ticket. Flight number (e.g. VN0050), arrival date and time, and the IATA code of your arrival airport (SGN, HAN, DAD, CXR, PQC and so on).
3. Vietnam address in Latin script. Hotel name and street. Staying with someone? The exact house address. Copy it from your Booking, Agoda or Airbnb confirmation — it is already in Latin script there.
4. A working email. The PDF with the QR code lands here. Use your main inbox, not a throwaway — you may need it if the QR is lost and you want to re-issue it.
5. Phone in international format. +1 555 123 4567 style, no brackets, dashes or spaces. Nothing is sent to the number, but the field is required.
6. E-visa number — if you have one. You will need the visa number and its validity dates. Visa-exempt travellers skip this: the block only appears once you pick a visa type.

Tip: gather everything into one note before you open the form. If you close the tab or the connection drops, you start over.

Official portal only — no middlemen

The Immigration Department has one and only address: prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. No agency or "express" service is needed. Filing is completely free and requires nothing but an internet connection and your passport in hand.

Clone sites with lookalike domains are already up. They charge $20–80 for "filing help" or simply harvest your passport data. Signs of a fake:

• any address other than prearrival.immigration.gov.vn
• a request to pay for filing
• "Express" or "Fast track" buttons
• an ad in Google search for "pre-arrival vietnam"

Type the address directly. Do not arrive from search results.

The portal is in English — which is one thing you do not have to worry about. Fill every final field in Latin characters; the system does not accept other scripts.

Which device to use

Step-by-step — seven steps from open to QR

The form opens 72 hours before landing. Any earlier and the system rejects you with Submission too early. The sweet spot is 48–24 hours before the flight. Too early won't go through; too late risks a stall while you are checking in.

Step 1. Open the form

Go to prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. Set the language to English in the top-right if needed. Click Submit Pre-Arrival Information.

Step 2. Passport details

Type in Latin characters exactly as printed in the passport — a stray space or typo can bounce the form.

• Passport No. — one string, no spaces: 123456789
• Surname — family name: SMITH
• Given name — first (and middle) name: JOHN MICHAEL
• Nationality — as in the passport
• Date of birth — format DD/MM/YYYY
• Gender — Male / Female
• Country of birth
• Passport issue / expiry — document dates

Step 3. Contact details

Latin only. The QR PDF comes to your email; nothing is sent to the phone, but the field is required.

• Email — no typos
• Phone — +1 555 123 4567

Step 4. Trip details

Flight number as one string, with the airline's letter code in front.

• Purpose of visit — Tourism (or other)
• Country of departure
• Flight number — VN0050, QH1521
• Duration of stay (days) — number of nights
• Date of arrival
• Arrival airport — SGN / HAN / DAD / CXR / PQC

Step 5. Your address in Vietnam

Copy it from your booking confirmation — it is already in the right form. The system does not accept non-Latin scripts.

• Province / City
• District
• Address in Vietnam — exact address. Example: Cam Ranh, Tran Phu street, 5

Step 6. Visa — if you have one

This block only appears if you hold a visa (e-visa, VOA, embassy visa). Visa-exempt travellers skip it.

• Visa number — your e-visa number
• Valid from / to — validity dates

Step 7. Confirm and submit

Tick the data-processing consent box. Enter the captcha. Click Submit. In a few seconds a reference number appears on screen, and the QR-code PDF arrives by email.

What should land: an email titled Pre-Arrival Information Confirmation with a PDF attached — QR code plus a summary of your data. No email within 10–15 minutes? Check the spam folder.

💬 "Get the e-visa first on evisa.gov.vn, then file PAI on prearrival.immigration.gov.vn one to three days before the flight. One does not replace the other. Fill every field strictly in Latin script — a single space in the passport number and the system rejects the application." — traveller report, r/VietnamTravel, 2026

The QR code and getting through the airport

The QR code is the one "output" of PAI. From it the officer pulls everything you entered in half a second. If the code won't scan off the screen, you want a backup.

Keep the QR in three places:

What to do in the arrivals hall

Walk up to the passport-control counter. The officer will say "show your QR" or just point at the scanner on the desk. Hold up your phone or the printed code — it reads in a second. Then the standard routine: passport, fingerprints, stamp. The whole thing takes a minute or two.

Didn't file in advance? You won't be refused entry. The immigration hall has tablets and QR posters linking to the same portal, and you can fill it on the spot over airport Wi-Fi. But that is another 30–60 minutes in the queue, especially at night or when several flights land at once.

The family counter

Travelling with kids? Skip the main queue — almost every airport has a dedicated counter for families with children under seven. The officer scans the parent's QR and each child's in turn. Children need to be present; fingerprints aren't taken from little ones.

If the code won't scan

The usual cause is a blurry QR after a screenshot, or harsh sunlight in the hall (the scanners sit by the windows at Tân Sơn Nhất). What to do:

1. Show the PDF from the email attachment, not a screenshot.
2. Lower your screen brightness — less glare confuses the scanner less.
3. If nothing works, the officer keys in your reference number by hand — about 30 seconds. The number is in your PDF and email.

In the rare worst case, the officer asks you to wait by the next counter and calls a supervisor. It happens seldom, and costs 5–10 minutes.

Validation errors and edge cases

Most problems are field validation. The system is strict but the fixes are simple. Below are the typical errors and how to get past them, plus the three situations people hit most.

Common errors

Edge cases

Family. You can file back-to-back in one session. Parent details do not carry over — enter each person from scratch. One QR per traveller.

Multiple entry. A separate form for every border crossing. The old QR is single-use and is burned on scan.

Changed flight. File again. The old application stays in the system but will mismatch on flight or airport when scanned. Make a new one — it is free.

Arriving with a connection. The 72-hour window counts from the moment you land in Vietnam, not from your first departure. On an 18-hour trip via Doha or Istanbul, file when there are fewer than 72 hours left before you land in Vietnam.

The portal home page has a Check Pre-Arrival Information button — enter your reference or passport number to see the status and download the QR PDF again.

💬 "The declaration must be completed on the official portal of the Vietnam Immigration Department no earlier than 72 hours before entry. If you don't, the counter enters your data by hand, and in high season that is 40–60 extra minutes of queue." — rules explainer, Tripadvisor Vietnam forum, 2026

Tips from people who already did it

A few practical things that save time and stress, gathered from the Ho Chi Minh City pilot (April–June 2026), where the first few hundred thousand travellers went through PAI.

File exactly 24 hours before departure. At 72 hours it is early (you might get the flight number wrong if you rebook); at 12 hours it is late (no time to refile if something goes wrong). 24 hours is the sweet spot.

Make the PDF available offline. The Wi-Fi at Tân Sơn Nhất gets congested — especially when three flights land in a row. Loading the PDF from your inbox right then may fail. Save it in advance.

Don't close the tab until you get confirmation. The form saves no partial progress. Enter half of it, switch to a chat and come back, and it may ask you to start over.

Save the reference number separately. Jot it in your notes or photograph the screen after Submit. Lose the PDF and you can re-download via Check status with that number. Without it, you re-enter your passport data.

Match the name to the passport exactly. If the passport says JOHN and you write Johnor add a middle name that isn't there, it may pass or it may error. The safest route is to copy from the machine-readable zone (the two bottom lines on the photo page).

Use your hotel for the next 2–3 days as the address. On a long trip with several moves, put your first booking in the form. Nobody checks that you actually stay there — it is a formality for the system.

Carry some cash for the airport. PAI is free, but you may want money for a taxi, a SIM card or insurance on arrival, and cash is the easiest way to cover the first hour before you sort out card payments or an ATM.

If you connect through Doha, Dubai or Istanbul.Transit Wi-Fi is usually free, but by the time you are sitting in the lounge thinking "I'll file PAI now," you already have a boarding pass to Vietnam in hand. Better to file at home: you then have the whole flight to check your inbox and confirm the QR email arrived.

Save the PDF twice — to the cloud and to the phone. Cloud (iCloud, Google Drive) covers a lost or stolen phone. The local file covers no internet in the arrivals hall. A local eSIM may not be active yet and airport Wi-Fi may hang — without a local PDF you can get stuck at the counter.

File on a laptop, verify on the phone. The big screen is easier to type on, but the phone is what you use at the border. After Submit, open the PDF on your phone and scroll through — make sure the QR looks crisp, no grey bands or crops.

Ignore anyone offering to "file PAI for a small fee." Middlemen enter the same data on the same portal and charge you for something you would do yourself in ten minutes. Some steal passport data. The government portal is the only channel.

PAI vs other Asian arrival systems

Vietnam is not the first country in the region to add an electronic arrival card. Its neighbours already run similar systems. If you have flown to Thailand or Malaysia, the concept will feel familiar.

All of these are free. All require a QR code on entry. The fields are alike everywhere: passport, flight, address. If you hit one of these countries in summer 2026, the approach is the same.

The one rule that holds everywhere: file only on the official government domain. A .com or .travel domain is a middleman, not a government.

What to have on the plane — a short checklist

Before you board, make sure you have:

• The PDF from the email opening offline (test it before you leave home)
• A screenshot of the QR saved in your gallery
• A paper printout in case your phone dies
• A passport valid at least six months on your entry date
• A return or onward ticket (you may be asked)
• A hotel booking in Latin script — the same address as in PAI
• Your PAI reference number saved separately (for a re-download)

Planning to stay longer than your visa exemption allows? Sort out an e-visa or an extension well before your days run out — PAI gets you through the door, but it does nothing for how long you can stay.

FAQ — common questions

Do I still need PAI if I already have an e-visa?

Yes. PAI and the e-visa are separate systems. You get the e-visa first on evisa.gov.vn, then file PAI on prearrival.immigration.gov.vn one to three days before departure. One does not replace the other.

I have a connecting flight — when does the 72-hour window start?

From your landing in Vietnam, not from your first departure. If you connect through Doha or Istanbul and spend 18 hours in transit, file when there are fewer than 72 hours left before you touch down in Vietnam.

Can I file on behalf of someone else?

Yes. What matters is that the passport details belong to the person flying. You can use your own email — the PDF comes there, and you can re-download the QR later from Check status if needed.

Does PAI apply to land or sea entry?

As of 17 June 2026, air only. The authorities have said land border crossings will be added later, but there is no firm date. If you arrive by bus from Laos or Cambodia, you do not file PAI.

Is it free or paid?

Completely free. The official portal charges no fee, no tax and no "priority processing." If a site asks for payment, it is a middleman profiting from people who don't know.

Will I be denied entry if I did not file PAI?

No. But the officer will key your data in by hand at the counter, and in high season that adds 30–60 minutes of queue. Filing it at home in five minutes is simpler.

What if I lose the QR code?

Go to the portal, open Check status, enter your reference number or passport details, and the system shows your status and lets you download the PDF again.

How long is the QR code valid?

The QR is single-use. It is valid for one entry, on the arrival date you entered in the form. Once the officer scans it, the code is burned. Your next entry needs a new form.

What if my flight is delayed and I arrive on a different day than in the form?

Within 24–48 hours a delay is not critical — the officer sees the match on flight number and passport. If the delay is over a day (a cancelled flight rebooked to the next day), file a new PAI. The old one stays in the system and does no harm.

Is there an official PAI app or Telegram bot?

No. Vietnam Immigration has no official app or bot. Anyone offering to "file PAI for you" is a middleman or a scam. The only channel is the portal prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.

Details current as of June 2026. Entry rules can change — verify the information on the official portal prearrival.immigration.gov.vn and in your embassy's notices before you travel.