General regulations etc. of Vietnam is for foreign citizens wishing to enter Vietnam from July 1, 2020

I. Conditions for entry into Vietnam

1. Vietnam’s measures against Covid-19

At present, it is required to take following steps to enter Vietnam

（1） Apply for a visa and then get an permit and visa approval prior to arrival
（2） Submit PCR negative test result certificate issued by competent authorities in Japan, valide withing 3 and 7 days prior to arrival.
（3） Make Medical declaration
（4） Follow 14-day isolation after entry
（5） During isolation period in item (4) above, such person should be taken PCR test several times (usually twice).
In addition, in case result of PCR test after arrival is positive, the person will be isolated and treated by hospitals designated by Vietnamese Government.
Currently there is no commercial air routes reopened between Japan and Vietnam.

2. Who are allowed to entry

As per official announcement, in addition to diplomatic and official passports holders, those allowed entry by the Government of Vietnam are business managers, skilled workers and technical experts. In addition, in such announcement, there are no regulations relating to accompanying relatives, international students and tourists.

3. Importance of individuals and businesses’ making decisions

Currently epidemic situation in the world continues to be complicated, travelling abroad still has many risks such as infection, the isolation period may be longer than expected and it may require to be hospitalized for a long time in Vietnamese hospitals. Therefore, upon arrival, the persons entering the country and the enterprises (legal entities in Vietnam) where the persons entering Vietnam works should be fully aware of these risks, make their own decisions and respond to situations.
In addition, licensing procedures of competent authorities of the Government of Vietnam (*) are quite complicated. At present, the subjects in item (2) are permitted to enter by the Government exceptionally, and upon arrival, they need to strictly abide by the immigration measures and measures to prevent epidemics as per provisions of Vietnam government.
Depending on regulations of local governments where businesses (legal entities in Vietnam) have their headquarters or isolation bases, application of laws may differ. In addition, in Central Government, sometimes the application may  change. Individuals wishing to enter Vietnam should confirm latest information by contacting the local and central governments...
(*) “Competent authorities of Vietnam Government” includes local governments in provinces.

II．How to apply for an entry permit

Organizations, businesses where applicants work in Vietnam, need to arrange air tickets, contact with isolation authority, and apply for visas for business managers, skilled workers, and technical professionals.
Please refer to Official Letter No. 2847/CV-BCD dated 23 May of National Steering Committee on Covid-19 epidemic control (original, translation), and consult with People's Committees of Provinces and Cities where their principal place of businesses and workplaces of professionals, business managers and skilled workers are located.
Furthermore, recently, local authorities have allowed relatives of resident professionals to enter Vietnam also. On the entry of the relatives, please contact local authority that manages the business's headquarters, the organizations where the experts are working, or manages isolation facility.
In case, Prime Minister's approval is required by authority in charge, please submit details of such specific case (full name, title, contact address and details of the request) and contact with the Embassy via email: keizaihan@ha.mofa.go.jp (in Japanese only)

III. Procedures before entering Vietnam

1. Required procedures

(a) Businesses (legal entity in Vietnam) where the apolicants entering the country for working, should apply for permits from competent authorities of the Government of Vietnam. The procedure for applying for such permit may differ in Provinces or Cities where the businesses are located, resident address and the isolation facilities. In any case, it is required to obtain entry permits from Immigration Department under Ministry of Public Security.
(b) Individuals who do not have a valid visa, need to apply for a visa at the Vietnam Embassy in Tokyo or Vietnam Consulate General in the provinces.
(c) After immigration, if PCR test results are positive, the applicant must pay medical expenses on their own. Insuramce on Covid-19 treatment may be considered by the applicants.
(d) Please restrict to go outside within 14 days prior to departure date. In the event of symptoms of fever, illness (sore throat, taste disturbances, etc.), please delay your plan.

2. Perform PCR tests before entry

Vietnamese competent authorities eequire that the person entering the country is obliged to have PCR tests (Real Time - PCR) for a period of 3 to 7 days prior to entry and a certificate showing negative results.
(a) Issuing authority: Such certificate should be issued by Japanese medical facilities listed by the Embassies to the Vietnamese Government. Please find such medical facilities here.
The person entering the country shall contact medical facilities directly for PCR test after confirmation of items b to e below:
(b) type of testing: Real-time PCR
(c) Method of sampling: Tested with oropharyngeal
(d) Kinds of certificate: in paper
(e) Certificate form: Please use certificate form here (This form can also be used for LAMP assay, PCR test and antigen test, however, Vietnam only accept PCR test results with oropharyngeal sampling).
(f) Details of the certificate requested by the authorities of the Government of Vietnam:

• Details of the certificate should be in English or Vietnamese.
• The certificate must specify the full name of the person entering the country, age (date of birth), gender, nationality, passport number, address in Japan, address in Vietnam, name of medical facility certificate, date of sampling, date of test, test method (please select “PCR”), test result, estimated date of arrival.
• The certificate requires a valid seal and signature of the medical facility where the test is performed.

 

3. Medical declaration

The authorities of the Government of Vietnam require that the person entering the country is obliged to make a medical declaration at the airport after entry or make a medical declaration online within 24 hours prior to arrival (at following link). The embassy encourages the person entering the country to make online medical declaration for faster immigration procedures.
Regarding online medical declaration, please refer to the instructions （Noi Bai Airport, Van Don Airport, Tan Son Nhat Airport) for further instructions. Please note that there have been cases with faults in medical declaration after entry during pastime.
https://tokhaiyte.vn/

IV. Post-entry procedures

Below would like to introduce specific examples of post-entry procedures (Van Don Airport) based on information collected from the persons entering the country during past time. Please note that entry procedures may differ in Provinces or Cities where the airport of entry and the isolation facility is located.

1. After entering the airports

(a) Hand baggage’s disinfection
After lading, hand luggage will be sprayed with disinfectant.
(b) Medical declaration
Confirmation of details of medical declaration (Section 4. (3) above). Please present negative-result certificate issued in Japan (Section 4. (2) above).
(c) Immigration check
Confirm details of the application for entry in advance. Please bring your entry permit (Point a, Item 4. (1) above) to present if required by persons in charge.
(d) Taking baggage
Taking your baggage from conveyor belts, put it on a trolley and bring it to a special vehicles waiting at the airport exit after completing the Customs clearance.
(e) Customs clearance
Those who have checked luggage (mainly by sea) are required to present a "Customs Declaration".
(f) Moving to isolation facilities
Moving to a isolation facility by a special vehicle prepared by the isolation facility is required in general. There are cases where special vehicles do not ensure the space between passengers on the vehicle.
(g) Others
Airport support services such as children’s trolley and electric car have not been completed. The procedures at the airport may take about 2 hours.

2. 14-day isolation

(a) Isolation facilities
The isolation facilities are decided by the People's Committees of the provinces or cities. Currently, there are many foreigners wishing to enter Vietnam while the number of isolation facilities is limited. Isolation facilities may request different requirements, of which, some facilties do not accept isolation if the number of persons are small, etc. During the 14-day isolation, the persons are required to not leave their rooms.
In addition, depending on each policy and situation of the Vietnamese government authorities, isolation facilities and period (including extension), isolation methods are subject to change from time to time.
(b) PCR test
The person entering the countries are tested by PCR method (oropharyngeal sampling) twice during the 14-day isolation period.
(c) Upon receipt of a positive test result
When receiving positive PCR test results, the patients will be hospitalized for treatment medical facilities designated by the Government of Vietnam until the disease is cured.
The language used at isolation facilities is Vietnamese. Therefore, there should be support from their employers  entry (providing interpreters, payment of hospital fees etc.).
(d) When there is a health problem
Every day the person in the isolation facilities will be tested their body temperature twice. In case of body temperature above 37.5 degrees, even if the PCR test result shows negative, they will be moved to local hospitals designated by competent authorities in such provinces or cities. Please note that there are cases where the person entering the country cannot stay healty due to long flights and fatigue during isolation period.
The language at the hospitals is Vietnamese. The person entering the country need to seek their interpreters and pay hospital fees etc with their employer’s assistance.
(e) Completion of isolation period
After the results of the 2^nd PCR tests show negative and the 14-day isolation period expires, the authorities of the Government of Vietnam will issue the "Negative Certificate" and the "Certificate of Completion of the isolation period". In addition, after completing the isolation period, within the next 14 days, the person entering the country must monitor his or her own health (temperature check). There are provinces and cities that continue to require them to test PCR two more times after the isolation period. Measures after isolation vary depending on the Provinces or Cities where the persons entering the country lives and works.