Vietnam is extending its health declaration system to all international travellers from 1st July 2026. Under the new requirement, anyone entering, exiting, or transiting through Vietnam must complete a health declaration within one week before their trip. The change applies regardless of nationality or purpose of travel, and covers all of Vietnam’s international entry points.
What the New Health Declaration Requirement Covers
Starting 1st July 2026, a health declaration is mandatory for:
- All travellers entering Vietnam
- All travellers exiting Vietnam
- All travellers transiting through Vietnam — including those using Vietnamese airports as a stopover on routes to East Asia, the Pacific, or Australia
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health will determine when the declaration is activated and for which health conditions, based on prevailing international health threats and disease outbreaks.
How to Complete the Declaration — Details Still to Come
The Vietnamese government has not yet confirmed whether the declaration will be submitted through a dedicated website, a mobile application, an airline portal, or an airport terminal system. Official guidelines on the submission method are expected to be released before the 1st July start date.
Travellers should monitor announcements from Vietnam’s Ministry of Health and their airline for further details as the launch approaches.
Pilot Programme Already Running at Ho Chi Minh City
The nationwide rollout follows a pilot programme introduced at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport in April 2026. Since the pilot launched, international travellers arriving at the airport have been required to complete a digital health declaration within 72 hours before landing. Vietnamese authorities warned that immigration processing times would be extended during the initial weeks of enforcement as the system beds in.
The July 2026 expansion takes this pilot nationwide, extending the same requirement to all of Vietnam’s international gateways.
What Travellers Should Prepare For
Anyone planning to visit Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, or any other Vietnamese destination — or using Vietnam as a transit hub — should be prepared for:
- An additional pre-departure step that must be completed within one week before travel
- Potential processing delays at Vietnamese airports during the first weeks of enforcement
- New health documentation checks at airport arrival and departure points
- Possible missed connections if the declaration is not completed before boarding — airlines may check compliance at check-in
Conclusion
Vietnam’s health declaration requirement from 1st July 2026 is a manageable but important new pre-travel step. The key risk is timing — submitting the declaration late or not at all could cause delays at immigration or complications at check-in. As the submission platform has not yet been confirmed, travellers should watch for official announcements from Vietnam’s Ministry of Health and their airline in the weeks leading up to the launch, and complete the declaration promptly once the system opens.