Do you need a Vietnam visa for a layover?
Not if you stay in the international transit area. Article 25 of Vietnam's immigration law says air transit passengers need no visa and must stay in that area until the connecting flight. (Law 47/2014, Art. 25, 2014 text) If you have to pass immigration, because of separate tickets with bags to collect, a domestic connection or a trip into town, plan on needing a visa or an exemption that fits your passport.
Your connection, and whether a visa comes into it
The law covers the first row of this table. The others are our reading of it: if the connection takes you through immigration, you are entering Vietnam, and the normal entry rules apply. We found no government page that spells out separate tickets, so treat those rows as practical advice and confirm with your airline.
| Your connection | Immigration and visa |
|---|---|
| One ticket, international to international, bags checked through | You stay airside. No visa, under Article 25 |
| Two separate tickets, bags to collect and recheck | You pass immigration. Plan on needing a visa |
| International flight, then a domestic flight in Vietnam | You pass immigration. You are entering Vietnam, so yes |
| Leaving the airport during the wait | You pass immigration. Yes |
| Connecting through Hanoi or Saigon to Phu Quoc only | See below. The 30-day Phu Quoc exemption can cover this |
Separate tickets and budget airlines
This is the case that catches people out, because the first airline checks you in only as far as Vietnam. If its staff read your ticket as ending there, they will look for a visa before you board. We found no official wording on this, and no airline wording we could open. A forum reply and two commercial pages say the same thing: bags to collect means passing immigration.
At Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat the international and domestic terminals are separate buildings, so a change of terminal is a change of side. Before you buy two cheap tickets through Vietnam, ask each airline in writing whether it can connect you without leaving the transit area. If either says no, price in an eVisa at US$25 and the time it takes.
How long can the layover be?
The 2014 text of the law we read sets no limit in hours. The 24-hour figure you will see elsewhere comes from secondary sources. We did not confirm whether later amendments in 2019, 2023 or 2025 changed these articles, so check with your airline if your wait runs overnight.
Article 23 also asks transit passengers to hold a passport, an onward ticket and a visa for the next country unless that country is visa-free. Vietnam Airlines runs a separate transit tour program for passengers on its own tickets (738 prefix), and asks for 8 days' notice if a transit visa is needed. (Vietnam Airlines transfer service)
Transit to Phu Quoc
Vietnam's foreign ministry lists a 30-day exemption for foreigners entering Phu Quoc, and it includes people who transit through a Vietnamese international gate on the way there. (MOFA exemption list) The airport operator says the exemption covers the island only, and that the rest of Vietnam needs a visa. (Phu Quoc airport operator) So you can connect through the mainland, but you cannot stop there. Ask your airline how it handles the connection and your bags, because we could not confirm airline conditions.
If you turn out to need a visa
Some passports need no visa for short stays, so check Vietnam visa-free countries and the 45-day exemption first. Everyone else can apply at evisa.gov.vn, or use Compare urgent eVisa tiers and ICT cut-offs if the trip is days away. InTimeVisa is a private agent, and the airline decides who boards.
The pre-arrival form does not apply if you stay in transit and do not pass immigration, according to Viet Nam News. If you do pass immigration, see Vietnam pre-arrival form.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for a 6-hour layover in Hanoi?
Not if your connection stays in the international transit area. Article 25 of Law 47/2014 says air transit passengers need no visa and must stay there until the connecting flight. If you must collect bags or change to a domestic flight, you pass immigration and should plan on needing a visa.
I have two separate tickets. Can I stay airside?
Ask both airlines before you buy. We found no government wording on separate tickets. The first airline may treat your journey as ending in Vietnam and ask for a visa at check-in.
Is there a 24-hour limit?
The 2014 text of the law we read sets no limit in hours. The 24-hour figure comes from secondary sources.
Can I leave the airport on a layover without a visa?
No, unless your passport is visa-exempt. Leaving means entering Vietnam, so you need a visa or an exemption.
Do I need to file the pre-arrival form in transit?
Viet Nam News says transit passengers who do not pass immigration are excluded.
Your connection takes you through immigration?
InTimeVisa is an independent private agent. The airline and Vietnam Immigration decide; we cannot promise boarding.