Since June 22, 2026, every foreigner arriving in Vietnam by air must complete the PAI — Vietnam’s electronic arrival card — before check-in. No PAI, no boarding. It’s free and takes 10 minutes, but you have to do it within the 72 hours before your flight.
I found out about this three days before my flight and had to scramble. Writing this so you don’t do the same. If you need the full visa run picture too, the Vietnam visa run guide covers all your options.
What Is Vietnam’s Electronic Arrival Card (PAI)?
The PAI (Pre-Arrival Information) is Vietnam’s digital arrival declaration that replaced the old paper immigration card. Required from June 22, 2026 for all air arrivals, it’s a short form you fill out on the official immigration portal — the system then generates a QR code you show at check-in and at immigration.
Vietnam rolled the system out gradually across its airports starting in April 2026. The PAI is an air-only requirement. Land border crossings — Lao Bao, Moc Bai, Ha Tien, Prek Chak — are not affected. If you’re doing a visa run overland, you don’t need a PAI for re-entry.
Who Needs to Complete the PAI?
Every foreign national arriving by air needs one — including:
- Visa-free travelers (Russians have 45-day visa-free access to Vietnam as of 2026)
- E-visa holders (both single and multiple-entry)
- Sticker visa holders
- Expats and long-stay residents returning by air
- Children — every passenger gets their own separate PAI form, including infants
Exempt: Transit passengers who stay in the international transit zone without clearing immigration. Diplomats and official delegations are also exempt.
If you’re entering Vietnam via a land border on a visa run, the PAI doesn’t apply to you — it’s strictly for air arrivals.
The PAI itself is free and takes ten minutes — the part that trips people up is the e-visa sitting behind it, where foreign cards keep getting rejected at payment. I fill that form, pay the $25 fee with a card that clears, and walk you through the PAI on the same call — message me on Telegram with your arrival date and I’ll handle both.
How to Fill Out the PAI: Step-by-Step
- Open the official portal — evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. Navigate to the PAI / Pre-Arrival Information section. The interface is available in English.
- Enter your passport details — document number, expiry date, nationality. These must exactly match the bio-data page of your passport.
- Select your visa type and enter details — choose visa-free entry, e-visa (paste the approval number), or sticker visa. If you have an e-visa, you’ll need the reference number from your approval letter.
- Enter your flight information — airline, flight number, date of arrival, time, and which Vietnamese airport you’re landing at: Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang International, Phu Quoc, or another.
- Submit and save your QR code — the portal generates a QR code instantly. Screenshot it or save the PDF. You’ll present it at airline check-in and again at Vietnam immigration.
The whole form takes about 5-10 minutes. You can only open it within 72 hours of your scheduled arrival time — not earlier.
What Happens If You Forget the PAI?
Airlines are required by Vietnamese immigration authorities to verify PAI status at check-in, the same way they verify e-visa approvals. No QR code means no boarding pass.
The check-in agent scans your QR in seconds. If you don’t have one, you’ll find out at the counter — not in Vietnam. At that point, you’re racing to fill out the form on airport Wi-Fi, potentially during your check-in window. Not a situation you want.
There’s no reported fine for missing the PAI, but you can realistically miss your flight if you show up to check-in without one. The 72-hour submission window doesn’t compress well at departure.
Is the PAI the Same as an E-Visa?
No — they’re separate documents that serve different purposes.
Your e-visa gives you the legal right to enter Vietnam. It costs $25 for a single-entry or $50 for multiple-entry, takes at least 3 working days through evisa.gov.vn, and is valid for up to 90 days. You apply weeks before travel.
The PAI is a pre-departure information form. It’s free and takes 10 minutes, submitted in the 72-hour window before your flight — after you already have your visa sorted. Think of it as the digital version of the paper immigration card, submitted before you board instead of after you land.
If this is your first time to Vietnam and you need both: get the e-visa approved first (at least 5 days out), then complete the PAI three days before departure.
One note: even if you’re entering Vietnam visa-free (no e-visa needed), you still need the PAI. Visa-free status doesn’t exempt you from the arrival card requirement.
Questions about e-visa, visa runs, or the PAI? Here’s where to reach me:
- Telegram @learnx1000 — fastest response, message directly
- WhatsApp +84 368 214 520 — if you’re not on Telegram
- Website danangvisarun.com — full service details and booking
