Quarantine free entries for entrants with negative COVID-19 tests

The Ministry of Health on March 16 has officially issued the long-awaited COVID-19 protocols for foreign arrivals in Vietnam, which state that visitors with negative COVID tests can enjoy quarantine-free travel from day one.

Accordingly, the regulations require air passengers to have proof of negative SARS-CoV-2 tests using RT-PCR/RT-LAMP method within 72 hours prior to departure, or 24 hours with rapid antigen tests, with the results approved by the countries where the tests are conducted.

No medical isolation requirements set for foreign arrivals -0
No medical isolation requirements set for foreign arrivals

A similar policy also applies to people entering by land and waterways. In the event that a visitor has no a negative test result, a rapid test must be performed within the first 24 hours from their time of entry.

If the test proves to be negative, then the visitor will be permitted to leave their accommodation. If the test comes back positive, they must immediately report to local health authorities for further instructions on timely handling.

Children under the age of two are allowed to enter without any test and can participate in outdoor activities with their parents and relatives.

However, visitors would still need to comply with COVID-19 prevention and control measures that are applicable to people living in Vietnam, like wearing masks, disinfecting hands, keeping a safe distance, making health declarations, and avoiding large gatherings.

The guidelines, released the day after the country fully reopened international tourism activities and reinstated pre-pandemic entry and exit regulations, replace all other previous COVID-19 rules for foreign entries.

The health ministry asked local authorities and State agencies to quickly direct the implementation of the COVID rules to avoid spreading the virus among the travellers and the community.

It is hoped the relaxed regulations will ease concerns from international tour companies who have been desperate to welcome back foreign tourists into the country after two years of severe disruptions caused by the pandemic.

During a meeting held with foreign ambassadors and various representatives of travel businesses in Hanoi on March 15, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam affirmed that foreign visitors would be treated the same as domestic visitors upon arrival.

He also requested that relevant ministries and agencies continue to receive opinions from domestic firms and localities regarding the reopening policy, including expanding visa-free markets, removing restrictions on electronic visas, and extending visitors’ stay.

By NT

Other News

Ta Xua named Asia's leading emerging tourism destination 2026

Ta Xua named Asia's leading emerging tourism destination 2026

In recent years, Ta Xua, dubbed "the paradise of clouds", has emerged as one of the mountainous destinations attracting strong interest from young travellers, particularly for its spectacular sea of clouds stretching across the mountains in the northwestern region.

Digital transformation key to preserving, promoting ethnic cultural values

Digital transformation key to preserving, promoting ethnic cultural values

Training local young people in filming, audio recording, digital storytelling, data preservation and responsible use of AI can help build a new generation of cultural custodians. This, in turn, can help transform cultural heritage into a resource for economic development while contributing to the country’s broader development.

Indigenous culture becomes tourism asset in northern highlands

Indigenous culture becomes tourism asset in northern highlands

With growing recognition of indigenous knowledge, customs and cultural values as unique assets, ethnic communities in the northern mountainous region are shifting from simply providing tourism services to becoming creators and owners of tourism products, confidently telling their own cultural stories

UNESCO ready to work with Vietnam to implement International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development initiative: Representative

UNESCO ready to work with Vietnam to implement International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development initiative: Representative

Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam, noted that the official proclamation of the 2027–2036 period as the "International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development" comes at a particularly important moment. As the international community works to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda while beginning to consider what comes after 2030, the Decade provides a ten-year framework to strengthen the place of culture in development.

Traditional culture finds new life in contemporary Vietnam

Traditional culture finds new life in contemporary Vietnam

Under Resolution 80-NQ/TW, dated January 7, 2026, November 24 was designated Vietnam Culture Day, to be observed annually. The occasion aims to give the public opportunities to participate in, create and enjoy cultural activities, helping spread positive values and foster pride in Vietnamese culture.

Vietnam prioritises MICE tourism as strategic product

Vietnam prioritises MICE tourism as strategic product

For the MICE tourism sector in both Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam, growth can no longer be driven merely by increasing the number of events; instead, the focus must shift to enhancing the value of each event and the competitiveness of each destination.

Potential of ethnic minority women's football

Potential of ethnic minority women's football

Women’s football movements in local communities have been quietly growing, but they’ve now built up enough momentum to inspire organisers to launch the first Vietnam Ethnic Minority Women’s Football – VTV Cup in 2026.

Phong Nha - Ke Bang named among Vietnam's 11 most beautiful destinations

Phong Nha - Ke Bang named among Vietnam's 11 most beautiful destinations

According to the magazine, boat trips into Phong Nha Cave and strolls through Paradise Cave (both family-friendly) offer a tantalising glimpse of their astonishing scale, but the real adventure lies deeper within the park, where cavers wade through underground rivers and weave among stalagmites.

Tourism seeks new growth momentum under Resolution 26

Tourism seeks new growth momentum under Resolution 26

Tourism effectiveness should be measured not only by visitor numbers and revenue, but also by spending, length of stay, repeat visits, job quality, visitor satisfaction and environmental carrying capacity, said experts.

Vietnam welcomes nearly 2 million international visitors in August, up 19.7% from July and 18.4% year-on-year. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Vietnam tourism maintains strong growth, expands international markets

The National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance reported that Vietnam welcomed nearly 2 million international visitors in August, up 19.7% from July and 18.4% year-on-year. The figure represented 63.6% of the tourism sector’s full-year target of 25 million arrivals.

First ladies of Vietnam, Myanmar visit Van Phuc silk village

First ladies of Vietnam, Myanmar visit Van Phuc silk village

Ngo Phuong Ly, the spouse of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, said the two countries share similarities in silk weaving and can enrich their cultural heritage through exchanges and experience sharing.