Are you planning a stay or stopover in Vietnam in the near future? A new step has been added to your preparations. The Vietnamese authorities have just announced the reintroduction of a compulsory health form for anyone crossing the country's borders, with a strict implementation date set for January 1, 2010. July 1, 2026.
The new Decree no. 165/2026/ND-CP was published on May 21, 2026 by the Government News.
A medical form has been communicated and attached to the Decree. The authorities specify that travelers will be able to use it.
Why this new health requirement?
3 key points:
Effective date : July 1, 2026.
Persons concerned : Absolutely all travelers (Entry, Exit, Transit).
Action time : Must be completed within 7 days before crossing the border.
The Vietnamese government, through its Ministry of Health, has formalized this preventive measure, not to restrict tourism, but to equip itself with a reactive health monitoring tool.
The decree specifies that in the event of a regional or global outbreak of an infectious disease, the Ministry of Health will use this form to issue specific instructions in real time at border crossings. This is a national security measure that has a direct impact on your travel logistics.
Who's concerned?
The rule is universal. Unlike visa exemptions which apply according to your passport (European, African, American, etc.), the health declaration is mandatory regardless of your nationality.
The form is required in three specific cases:
- Inbound: As soon as you arrive in France, whether by air, land or sea.
- Outbound: When it's time to leave the country.
- Transit: Even if you make a simple connection at Hanoi (Noi Bai) or Ho Chi Minh City (Tรขn Sฦกn Nhแบฅt) airport without passing through immigration.
Filling in this form requires a little synchronization with your flight plan. Here's what you need to know before you apply:
- The 7-day rule: The system does not accept advance declarations weeks in advance. You have a strict 7-day window before your entry, exit or transit date to submit your information.
- Language barrier: The Vietnamese Ministry of Health provides this form only in a bilingual version (Vietnamese / English). No official French translation is available on the government platform.
The health declaration form is a formality that does not replace a visa or e-visa. Depending on the entry conditions adapted to each nationality, the authorized periods of stay with exemptions vary from country to country as follows:
- 90 days : Chile and Panama.
- 45 days : Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
- 30 days Belarus, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.
- 21 days : The Philippines
- 14 days Brunei.
All travel formalities for your arrival in Vietnam
Vietnam requires its future travelers to complete various travel formalities, including the electronic visa (e-visa) unless your nationality is exempt, the digital arrival card* and the health declaration (in force as of July 1, 2026).
A mistranslation into English, or a form completed after the deadline, can result in immediate denied boarding by your airline. For help with your e-Visa application, visit the Vietnam page of our website to find out how.
*The authorities have recently announced that, on April 15, 2026, the submission of a digital arrival card: Pre-Arrival Information. This online declaration applies to all travellers arriving by air at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN). โ Ho Chi Minh City. Currently in a test phase, it is due to be rolled out to other airports at a later date.
Our agency will soon be able to help you take charge of this new process.
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