Vietnam Transit Visa: Layover and Stopover Rules (2026 Guide)

Visa-free transit works for layovers under 24 hours in the same airport, in the international zone. As soon as you pass through passport control or your itinerary involves two separate airports, you enter Vietnamese territory and must comply with standard visa rules.

01Visa-free transit: precise conditions

You can transit without a visa if you simultaneously meet these three conditions:

1. Your two flights (arrival and departure) are on the same ticket or on tickets with an interline agreement.
2. You remain in the international zone of the airport, without passing through passport control.
3. Your layover lasts less than 24 hours.

This rule applies to the international airports of Hanoi (Noi Bai), Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat) and Da Nang. You collect your checked baggage at your final destination, not during the layover. Airlines like Vietnam Airlines, VietJet or Bamboo Airways automatically handle baggage transfer if your flights are on the same ticket.

If you have booked two separate tickets, even for a short layover, you must collect your baggage, pass through immigration, then check in again for the second flight. This means you officially enter Vietnam and a visa is mandatory, unless you benefit from the 45-day visa exemption (details in Visa Vietnam pour Français).

02Leaving the airport during the layover

If you wish to leave the airport to visit the city during a long layover (for example 8 hours in Hanoi), you must obtain a visa before departure. The 45-day exemption for French, Belgian, Swiss and Canadian nationals applies in this case: you enter Vietnam like a regular tourist.

You pass through passport control, collect your baggage if necessary, and exit the airport. Upon return, you check in again for your connecting flight. Allow at least 5 hours for a layover if you want to go out: 1 hour for immigration and baggage, 2 to 3 hours in the city, 1 hour to return and check in again.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City airports are respectively 30 and 20 minutes from the city centre by taxi (approximately 350,000 VND, or €13, in 2026 according to observed rates). Da Nang is 10 minutes away (approximately 150,000 VND, or €5.50). If your layover lasts less than 5 hours, staying in the international zone is safer.

03Changing airports: visa required

If your flight arrives in Hanoi and departs from Ho Chi Minh City (or vice versa), you must absolutely obtain a visa, even if the layover lasts only 3 hours. There is no direct connection in the international zone between two Vietnamese airports: you necessarily pass through immigration on arrival, exit the airport, travel to the second airport (by taxi, bus or domestic flight), then check in again.

This case is common on flights with long layovers sold by online agencies (for example Paris-Hanoi then Hanoi-Bangkok the next day with a separate flight). Travellers often discover the problem at the departure airport, when the airline refuses boarding without a valid visa. Always check whether your flights are on the same ticket or whether you need to change airports.

The Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City journey takes approximately 2 hours by plane (flights every hour, from 800,000 VND or €30 in 2026 according to observed rates) or 30 hours by train. If your layover requires this change, allow at least 6 hours between the arrival of the first flight and the departure of the second, plus the visa.

04Separate tickets: why a visa is necessary

When you buy two separate tickets (for example a Paris-Hanoi flight on one airline, then Hanoi-Singapore on another), you are responsible for collecting your baggage and checking in again. Even if both flights depart from the same airport and the layover lasts 2 hours, you must pass through Vietnamese immigration to collect your baggage in the public area.

Airlines do not transfer baggage between two separate tickets, except in rare commercial agreements (interlining). You must therefore officially enter Vietnam, which requires a visa or the 45-day exemption. If you do not have a visa and are not eligible for the exemption (for example because you visited 20 days ago), the airline on the first flight refuses boarding in Paris.

This problem mainly affects travellers who buy separate tickets to save money or who combine low-cost airlines. Before booking, check whether your flights are on the same ticket (one booking number, one confirmation). If you have two separate booking numbers, arrange for a visa.

05E-visa for transit with exit

If you need to obtain a visa for your transit (leaving the airport, changing airports or separate tickets), the 90-day single-entry e-visa is sufficient in most cases. It costs 25 USD (approximately €23) and is applied for online at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, the official portal of Vietnamese immigration, according to information consulted in October 2026.

You receive the e-visa by email within 3 working days under normal circumstances, up to 5 days during high demand periods (summer holidays, Tet). Apply at least 7 days before your flight to avoid stress. The e-visa is valid for a single entry: if you leave Vietnam and then return, you must apply for a new e-visa.

Entry rules depend on your nationality; the official portal is evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. If you prefer someone to handle the application, visa-vietnam.app can do it. visa-vietnam.app is run by the same publisher as this site.

For layovers under 24 hours without leaving the airport, no visa is necessary if your flights are on the same ticket. In this case, you have nothing to prepare: the airline handles the transfer automatically.

06Concrete situation examples

Situation 1: Paris-Bangkok flight with a 3-hour layover in Hanoi, same ticket. You stay in the international zone, no visa required.

Situation 2: Paris-Hanoi flight then Hanoi-Singapore 8 hours later, same ticket, same airport. You want to visit Hanoi during the layover. Visa required (or 45-day exemption if eligible).

Situation 3: Paris-Hanoi flight (ticket 1) then Hanoi-Bangkok (ticket 2) the next day, same airport. You must collect your baggage and check in again. Visa required.

Situation 4: Paris-Hanoi flight then domestic Hanoi-Da Nang flight, same ticket. You enter Vietnam in Hanoi, so visa required (or 45-day exemption).

Situation 5: Paris-Hanoi flight then Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City-Bangkok, same ticket, automatic connection in Ho Chi Minh City. You stay in the international zone at both layovers, no visa required.

These examples show that the main criterion is official entry into Vietnamese territory. As soon as you pass through passport control, you must have a visa or benefit from the exemption.

07What to do if you discover the problem late

If you realise 48 hours before your flight that you need a visa for your transit, the official e-visa is too slow (3 to 5 days). You have two options:

1. Apply for a visa on arrival via an invitation letter issued by a private agency. This system only works at international airports (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc). You receive the letter by email within 24 to 48 hours, then pay the stamping fee (25 USD) on arrival. This is not an official service, but it is widely used.

2. Modify your itinerary to avoid entering Vietnam: buy a new ticket with automatic connection on the same ticket, or cancel the second flight if possible.

If you discover the problem at the departure airport (Paris, Brussels, Geneva, Montreal), the airline refuses boarding. You lose your ticket and must buy a new one. Airlines systematically check visas before boarding for flights to Southeast Asia.

08Special cases and exceptions

Nationals of certain countries (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar) benefit from different visa exemptions, sometimes limited to transit. Check the rules specific to your nationality at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn or on the Conseils aux voyageurs website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consulted in October 2026.

If you transit through Vietnam with a diplomatic or service passport, the rules vary according to bilateral agreements. Contact the Vietnamese embassy in your country before departure.

Children, even infants, must comply with the same visa rules as adults. A 6-month-old baby entering Vietnam (even for a layover with exit) must have a visa or benefit from the exemption.

09What to remember

You do not need a visa for a layover in Vietnam if you stay in the international zone, your flights are on the same ticket and the layover lasts less than 24 hours. As soon as you leave the airport, change airports or travel on separate tickets, you must obtain a visa or use the 45-day exemption.

Always check your itinerary before booking: one booking number means a single ticket with automatic transfer. Two booking numbers mean two separate tickets, so visa required. If in doubt, consult the page Faut-il un Visa pour le Vietnam ? or contact your airline.

To prepare a longer trip to Vietnam after your transit, read the guide Voyage Vietnam which covers visas, budget and itineraries.