Arriving at Ho Chi Minh City Airport: Visa and Entry Guide for Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh

Ho Chi Minh City - still Saigon to most people who live there - is Vietnam's busiest gateway. Until now that has meant one airport, Tan Son Nhat (SGN), about 7 km from the city centre. A second, Long Thanh (LTH), is due to open on 1 December 2026. Both are covered below.

Do you need a visa?

Most travellers do. Citizens of 39 countries can enter Vietnam visa-free for between 14 and 90 days; everyone else needs a visa before boarding, because airlines check at the desk. For almost everyone that means the e-visa: up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, issued online. Check your passport.

Tan Son Nhat (SGN)

International flights use the international terminal (Terminal 2). Domestic flights use Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, which opened in 2025.

The pre-arrival form started here. Since 15 April 2026, foreign passengers landing at Tan Son Nhat have had to complete Vietnam's online pre-arrival form and show its QR code at passport control. It is free on prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. Do it within 72 hours before you land, once your e-visa has been issued. How to complete the pre-arrival form.

Long Thanh (LTH): the new airport

Long Thanh International Airport is in Dong Nai province, roughly 40 km east of the city centre. As of late October 2026:

• It is scheduled to open on 1 December 2026, and Vietnamese media report the final stages are under pressure, so the date could still move.
• Flights will move across from Tan Son Nhat in stages, not all at once.
• The Airports Corporation of Vietnam has proposed that Long Thanh take all international routes longer than 1,000 km - which would include flights from Australia, Europe, India and North America.

What it means for you:

• Check the airport code on your ticket. SGN is Tan Son Nhat; LTH is Long Thanh. Airlines may move a flight you have already booked.
• Put the airport you actually land at on the e-visa form. An airport has to be designated for e-visas before e-visa holders can enter through it. If your flight lands at Long Thanh and the form does not offer it when you apply, message us before you apply.
• Allow far longer for the transfer into the city than from Tan Son Nhat.

We will update this page as the move happens.

What to put on the e-visa application

• Entry port: the airport on your ticket, Tan Son Nhat or Long Thanh. If you clear immigration somewhere else first and connect on a domestic flight, give that first airport.
• Arrival date: the day you land, local time.
• Single or multiple entry: if you will cross into Cambodia - the bus to Phnom Penh crosses at Moc Bai - and come back, you need a multiple-entry e-visa.

From the aircraft to the arrivals hall

1. Visa-on-arrival counter, only if you are arriving on an approval letter. E-visa holders and visa-free travellers go straight on.
2. Immigration. Passport, e-visa (on your phone and on paper) and the pre-arrival QR code in hand. The officer may ask for your onward ticket and your hotel. Check the date stamped in your passport before you leave the desk.
3. Baggage reclaim, then customs: declare more than US$5,000 in cash or VND 15 million.
4. Arrivals hall: ATMs, SIM cards, taxis and ride-hailing pick-up.

Queues are longest when several long-haul flights land together. Have the QR code open on your phone before you reach the desk.

Connecting to Phu Quoc, Da Nang or Hanoi

A domestic connection in Ho Chi Minh City means entering Vietnam here: you clear immigration, collect your bags and check in again at the domestic terminal. Three consequences:

• Your e-visa's entry port is Ho Chi Minh City, not your final destination.
• Phu Quoc's 30-day visa exemption does not cover you once you have entered Vietnam at Ho Chi Minh City. The Phu Quoc rules.
• Leave plenty of time between flights. Separate tickets will not wait for a late connection.

Getting into the city

From Tan Son Nhat, a taxi or ride-hailing car to District 1 takes 20 minutes to an hour depending on traffic, and airport buses run to the centre. From Long Thanh, expect a much longer road transfer until the planned rail links are built.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the pre-arrival form for Ho Chi Minh City?

Yes. It has been compulsory for foreign passengers arriving at Tan Son Nhat since 15 April 2026. It is free and done online before you land.

Which Ho Chi Minh City airport will I land at?

Look at the code on your ticket: SGN is Tan Son Nhat, LTH is Long Thanh. Long Thanh is scheduled to open on 1 December 2026, with flights moving across in stages.

Can I use my e-visa at Long Thanh?

Only once Long Thanh is designated as an e-visa entry point. If your flight lands there and the application form does not list it, contact us before you apply.

Is Saigon airport the same as Tan Son Nhat?

Yes. Tan Son Nhat International Airport is Ho Chi Minh City's airport, code SGN, and is often called Saigon airport.

Do I need a visa to change planes in Ho Chi Minh City?

Not if you stay in the international transit area between two international flights. A connection to a domestic flight means entering Vietnam, so you need a visa.

Can I get a visa on arrival at Tan Son Nhat?

Only with an approval letter arranged before you fly. Most travellers find the e-visa simpler, because it takes them straight to passport control. Visa on arrival compared.