Short answer: you don't need a Vietnamese visa if you stay inside the international transit area and fly on to another country on a through ticket. You do need a visa, or a visa-exempt passport, the moment you pass through immigration. That includes collecting and re-checking bags, changing to a domestic flight, changing terminals, or leaving the airport during a long layover.
Do I need a visa for my connection?
| Your connection | Visa needed? |
|---|---|
| International to international, same terminal, bags checked through | No |
| Separate tickets and you must collect and re-check bags | Yes |
| International to a domestic flight (e.g. Hanoi to Da Nang) | Yes. You enter Vietnam at the first airport. |
| Changing terminals through the landside area | Yes |
| Long or overnight layover and you want to leave the airport or use a city hotel | Yes |
Hanoi (Noi Bai) and Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat) both have separate international and domestic terminals. Moving between them means passing immigration.
Budget airlines and separate tickets
This catches the most people. If your two flights are on separate bookings, or on airlines without a baggage agreement, you usually have to collect your bags, go landside and check in again. That counts as entering Vietnam, so you need an eVisa or an exempt passport. Check with the airline before you travel.
What to get if you need to enter
- Visa-exempt passport: nothing extra. Enter under the exemption.
- Everyone else: a single-entry eVisa covers a transit entry. If you'll transit through Vietnam twice, on the way out and back, and pass immigration both times, get multiple entry.
- Allow extra connection time for the immigration queue. At busy hours, our fast track can help.
Changing to a domestic flight or re-checking bags?
Get an eVisa that covers the transit. Urgent options if you fly soon.
Start applicationQuick answers
Is there a Vietnam transit visa?
Not as a separate type. If you need to enter during a transit, you use a normal eVisa, or visa-exempt entry.
Can I leave the airport on a long layover without a visa?
Only if your nationality is visa-exempt. Otherwise you need an eVisa.
How long can I stay airside?
Airside transit is meant for same-day connections. For long waits, check the airport's transit facilities with your airline.
This guide is general information. Vietnam visa rules and processing times change — always check the current requirements. evisavietnamexpress.com is a private visa assistance service, not the official government portal.