Traveling to Vietnam during the Covid 19 season is a bit complicated. Before the pandemic, all you need to do is book your ticket, get a visa, and fly to Vietnam. But nowadays, there are several requirements that you must fulfill before you will be allowed to enter the country. It’s also important to know that not all foreign visitors are eligible to enter Vietnam at the moment. To ensure that the country remains safe from the deadly virus, the Vietnamese government is still not allowing the entry of tourists. Right now, the only persons who can enter Vietnam are those with “essential reasons”.
Yes, all travelers who are going to Vietnam this Covid 19 season will be quarantined for 14 days upon their arrival in the country. The only exemption is for foreign entrepreneurs on short-term business trips.
So, if you are one of those persons who are eligible to enter Vietnam, one of the things that you need to prepare for your trip is your quarantine. You must arrange your quarantine facility before your trip because you will not be granted entry if you do not have this. Depending on the type of traveler that you are, you can choose to quarantine at a centralized government facility or a designated hotel.
If your travel to Vietnam is sponsored by a Vietnamese company, it is the sponsor company that will arrange for your quarantine facility. In most cases, they will book a hotel for your quarantine. There are various hotels in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh that have been authorized by the government authorities to be used as a quarantine facility. Your sponsor company must book the hotel for 14 days. The voucher for the booking must be presented when applying for your visa. Without the voucher, you could be denied entry into the country.
Aside from the hotel booking, your sponsor company must also pre-arrange the vehicle that will pick you up from the airport going to the designated quarantine facility. You are not allowed to take public transportation going to your hotel. If you are paying for the entire trip yourself, then you should book the hotel for your quarantine. There’s a list of designated hotels online so you can choose from any of these hotels, depending on which city you intend to stay. You can also ask help from a local agency to help in arranging your quarantine facilities.
After undergoing formalities at the airport upon your arrival, you must proceed directly to the vehicle that will take you to your designated quarantine facility. You will be checked by local health officials to ensure that you are not showing any symptoms of Covid-19. If you are showing symptoms, you will immediately be tested.
If you tested positive, then you will be transferred to a local health facility for treatment. You will remain in isolation until such time that you test negative for Covid-19. Upon discharge, you will be asked to undertake a period of self-isolation before you will be allowed to freely move around. The cost of treatment and all other costs involved in your quarantine and testing must be paid by your sponsor company if you have one.
Aside from undergoing quarantine, there are several other requirements that visitors to Vietnam must comply with when visiting during this Covid 19 season. Before your flight, you must undergo a PCR test for Covid-19. The test should be conducted 3 to 5 days before your flight and it must confirm that you are negative of the virus. It should be in English and must be taken by a competent healthcare agency.
You will also be required to fill out a Medical Declaration form. And upon arrival at the airport, you will undergo a medical assessment, such as the taking of body temperature. Anyone showing symptoms will be tested for Covid-19. If your result returns negative, you can proceed to your designated quarantine facility.