Vietnam expands mandatory digital pre-arrival declaration to Phu Quoc island

International travelers landing at Phu Quoc International Airport must now fill out online arrival card

International travelers planning a holiday to Vietnam's popular resort island must prepare for an updated entry workflow. According to an official notification from the Vietnam Department of Immigration, a mandatory digital pre-arrival declaration has been implemented for all international passengers arriving at Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC) effective June 1, 2026.

The policy expands the national rollout of Vietnam's Pre-Arrival Information (PAI) framework. The digital system is built to minimize physical document handling, reduce border control backlogs during peak flight hours, and accelerate the identity verification process for incoming vacationers.

Vietnam Arrival Card application window, required details, and submission

The mandatory registration can be completed free of charge at any point within a three-day (72-hour) window before a passenger's scheduled flight departure for Vietnam. To complete the administrative filing, travelers must log on to the official government portal at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn or scan designated QR codes distributed across airline check-in desks.

Before launching the online application questionnaire, travelers must gather several standard items:

• A passport showing a remaining validity of at least six months beyond their arrival date.
• Complete flight itinerary data, including active flight numbers and incoming schedules.
• The explicit local address or name of their booked resort, hotel, or accommodation in Vietnam.
• A valid personal email address to receive tracking updates and automated confirmations from the portal.

The application system issues a personalized QR code immediately upon successful data transmission. Travelers are strictly instructed to download a PDF copy or capture a screenshot of this QR code on their mobile devices to present to border quarantine and immigration officers upon landing at Phu Quoc Airport.

Integration with localized Vietnam visa exemptions

The expansion of the PAI system introduces tailored administrative changes for those utilizing the island's unique travel privileges. Eligible international passport holders who journey exclusively to the destination can take advantage of a specialized entry status. When finalizing the online pre-arrival card, these visitors must navigate to the "Visa Type/Purpose" category and explicitly select the newly added Phu Quoc visa exemption option.

This inclusion ensures that travelers bypass standard visa entry costs while staying completely compliant with the electronic document mandate.

Gradual progression toward a nationwide digital rollout of the Vietnam Arrival Card

The implementation at Phu Quoc represents the second major geographic phase of Vietnam’s overarching digital border transformation. The automated platform was initially launched as a pilot program on April 15, 2026, targeting international arrivals at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City.

By scaling the web infrastructure across multiple major entry points, the Vietnam Department of Immigration intends to replace older paper-based disembarkation cards entirely

After evaluating the integration across both Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc, authorities plan to finalize a comprehensive nationwide deployment across all remaining international airports, seaports, and land checkpoints.

What this means for travelers to Vietnam

Beginning June 1, 2026, completing the online form before boarding is a strict prerequisite for international arrivals at Phu Quoc Airport. While self-service digital kiosks are stationed in the arrivals hall for individuals who fail to register beforehand, utilizing on-site terminals often causes processing bottlenecks and lengthy delays.

Travelers should also be aware of the separate mandatory health declaration for international travelers starting July, as reported earlier by iVisa.

To ensure a smooth transition through immigration, travelers are strongly urged to complete the submission from home, save their confirmation codes offline, and confirm that their flight information matches their passport data exactly.