Is the Vietnam PAI mandatory?

Official sources differ. Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security calls it optional rather than mandatory, and UK FCDO says it is not currently mandatory at Tan Son Nhat. The US Embassy in Vietnam calls it mandatory at all airports. Check prearrival.immigration.gov.vn before you travel.

When can I submit the PAI?

Within the 3 days before you enter Vietnam, or on arrival.

Which airports use the PAI?

Official sources differ. The pilot started at Tan Son Nhat on 15 April 2026. Notices from the Embassy of Viet Nam in Singapore and the Singapore Embassy in Hanoi add Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc, while the US Embassy says all airports. It is not yet in place at land borders.

Does the PAI cost anything?

No official source states a fee for PAI. The Ministry of Public Security warns that fake sites are used to steal credit card details, so use only prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.

No. PAI only provides travel information. It does not accept visa applications or collect visa fees. If you need a visa, apply separately on the official e-visa site, evisa.gov.vn.

What do I show at immigration?

The QR code the system generates after you submit, on your phone or printed. The immigration officer checks the details already in the system.

How to fill in Vietnam's Pre-Arrival Information (PAI) declaration

The Pre-Arrival Information (PAI) declaration is an online form run by the Immigration Department of Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security for foreign travellers arriving by air. Official sources differ on whether it is mandatory, so read the section on who needs it before you travel. It is not a visa, no official source mentions a fee, and the only official site is prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.

Checked against official government sources on 27 October 2026.

Open the official formprearrival.immigration.gov.vn

What you need before you start

Your passport. The passport details you enter must match it.
Your visa details, if you need a visa for Vietnam.
Your travel details, including your flight number. They must match your airline booking.
A phone or computer with internet access. You can fill it in anywhere, at any time.

Step by step

1Go to prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, or scan the Immigration Department's QR code.
2Choose your language. The site offers Vietnamese, English, Chinese, French and others.
3Choose the option to create and submit a declaration, then enter the CAPTCHA code.
4Enter your personal (passenger) information, your visa information and your travel information, following the instructions on screen.
5Check that everything is accurate and complete, then submit.
6The system generates a QR code. Save it on your phone or print it.
7On arrival, show the QR code to the immigration officer, who checks the details already in the system.

When to submit

Submit within the 3 days before you enter Vietnam. The Embassy of Viet Nam in Singapore, the Singapore Embassy in Hanoi and the US Embassy in Vietnam say you can also complete it on arrival.

No phone or internet before you travel? The US Embassy says you can also complete the declaration at the airport on arrival, using a QR code or a paper form.

PAI is for arrivals by air only. It is not yet in place at land border crossings. The Immigration Department says it will study a similar system for them.

Which airports: official sources differ. The Ministry of Public Security started a pilot at Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) on 15 April 2026. The Embassy of Viet Nam in Singapore and the Singapore Embassy in Hanoi (25 June 2026) name Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Cam Ranh (Nha Trang) and Phu Quoc. The US Embassy (17 June 2026) says all airports in Vietnam. UK FCDO (updated 21 September 2026) still mentions only Tan Son Nhat and says it may be rolled out to other airports with limited notice. Check the official site before you travel.

Cost

No official source states a fee for PAI. The PAI system does not handle visas, so it does not collect visa fees.

The Ministry of Public Security warns that fake websites copying the PAI system are used to steal credit card details. Enter your details only on prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.

If you need a visa, that is a separate process. The official e-visa site is evisa.gov.vn.

Who needs it, and is it mandatory?

PAI is for foreign nationals entering Vietnam by air. The US Embassy says it applies to all international passengers who do not hold a Vietnamese passport, so Vietnamese passport holders do not need it.
Whether it is mandatory: official sources differ, as follows.
Ministry of Public Security (May 2026): "optional rather than mandatory" for international air travellers.
Embassy of Viet Nam in Singapore (July 2026) and Singapore Embassy in Hanoi (25 June 2026): travellers are strongly encouraged or strongly advised to complete it. Neither calls it mandatory.
US Embassy in Vietnam (17 June 2026): calls it a "mandatory pre-arrival declaration" and says it is being extended to all airports.
UK FCDO (updated 21 September 2026): it is "not currently a mandatory requirement" for entry via Tan Son Nhat airport, but this may change with limited notice.
Because official wording differs, check prearrival.immigration.gov.vn before you travel. Completing it helps you through immigration faster and with shorter queues.

Fake websites: how to spot them

The only official PAI site is prearrival.immigration.gov.vn, run by the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security. The ministry warns that several fake websites copying the PAI system have been found, used to scam travellers and steal credit card details.

Check that the address is exactly prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. It sits under immigration.gov.vn and ends in .gov.vn, the Vietnamese government domain.
Lai Chau Provincial Police also warn that scammers have set up fraudulent websites to steal the card details of international visitors.
No official source mentions a PAI fee, so be very careful with any PAI site that asks for your card details.

Common mistakes

A wrong flight number, or flight details that do not match your airline booking. The Ministry of Public Security says this caused some declarations to fail in the pilot: of 161,596 declarations submitted from 15 to 30 April 2026, 119,854 were successful.
Passport details that do not match your passport.
Not checking that your information is accurate and complete before you submit.
Using a fake site. Your card details could be stolen.
Treating PAI as a visa. It only provides travel information. It does not accept visa applications or collect visa fees.

Common questions

Is the Vietnam PAI mandatory?: Official sources differ. Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security calls it optional rather than mandatory, and UK FCDO says it is not currently mandatory at Tan Son Nhat. The US Embassy in Vietnam calls it mandatory at all airports. Check prearrival.immigration.gov.vn before you travel.
When can I submit the PAI?: Within the 3 days before you enter Vietnam, or on arrival.
Which airports use the PAI?: Official sources differ. The pilot started at Tan Son Nhat on 15 April 2026. Notices from the Embassy of Viet Nam in Singapore and the Singapore Embassy in Hanoi add Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc, while the US Embassy says all airports. It is not yet in place at land borders.
Does the PAI cost anything?: No official source states a fee for PAI. The Ministry of Public Security warns that fake sites are used to steal credit card details, so use only prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.
Is the PAI a visa?: No. PAI only provides travel information. It does not accept visa applications or collect visa fees. If you need a visa, apply separately on the official e-visa site, evisa.gov.vn.
What do I show at immigration?: The QR code the system generates after you submit, on your phone or printed. The immigration officer checks the details already in the system.

Official sources

Every fact on this page comes from these government pages and official travel advice.