Vietnam's new '72-hour' rule: what every Aussie traveller needs to know
Flying to Ho Chi Minh City? Don't miss this new mandatory entry step.
There is an extra step travellers must now complete before visiting one of Australia's most popular Asian holiday destinations.
Vietnam is rolling out a new digital arrival card in stages, with the first airport being the country's busiest.
Visitors arriving in Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat airport at Ho Chi Minh City must now fill-out the digital arrival card.
Smartraveller says visitors are "encouraged" by the Vietnamese Government to fill-out the card - also called the Digital Pre-Arrival Form - within 72 hours of landing at the airport.
But experts recommend filling out the form before you travel, to make it easier when you arrive at your destination.
Brett Mitchell, managing director ANZ at Intrepid Travel, said if you fill out the form before you fly to Vietnam, your passage through Vietnamese immigration could be smoother.
"Queues at Tan Son Nhat regularly exceed 500 passengers at peak times, with waits ranging from 30 minutes to over an hour," Mr Mitchell told Explore.
"The digital system is designed to cut that down. But if you arrive without having done it, you'll be slower than everyone else while staff help you complete it on the spot."
Mr Mitchell said the process is "straightforward".
Go to prearrival.immigration.gov.vn within 72 hours of your flight, fill in your passport details, flight number and accommodation address, and you'll get a QR code to show at immigration.
"Five minutes, free of charge," he said.
"All information must match your passport and visa exactly. Even a single typo can trigger rejection at the counter. Vietnam has always been strict on this, so double-check everything before you submit."
The arrival card does not replace your visa. If you need an e-visa, that is a separate step. The arrival card is "purely the immigration registration step," Mr Mitchell said.
Vietnamese border control is notorious for stopping Australians at the border if their passport details don't match their visa details.
Smartraveller recommends double checking your visa details before submitting it online, then checking the details again when you receive it, and printing out a copy to show at immigration in case you don't have access to the internet.
Mr Mitchell said Vietnamese airports in Hanoi and Da Nang would likely be next to roll-out digital arrival cards.
"If you're flying into either of those airports right now, you don't need it yet, but that's likely to change later this year so it's worth watching," he said.
My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me.
Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life.
My top travel tip is … Don’t plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what’s within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.
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