SIM Card in Nha Trang: Registration Rules for Foreigners
To register a mobile SIM as a foreign national, show a passport still valid for your stay in Vietnam, or an electronic identity account. Register in person at a carrier point or an authorised point, or online in the carrier's own app. Service starts only after registration is complete. Viettel takes the original passport, never a photo of it.
On this page
What do you show to register a SIM in Nha Trang? A foreign national registering a mobile SIM must present a passport, or an electronic identity account,.
Đối với người có quốc tịch nước ngoài: Hộ chiếu còn thời hạn sử dụng ở Việt Nam theo thị thực nhập cảnh hoặc theo thời hạn lưu trú tối đa với các nước được miễn thị thực hoặc tài khoản định danh điện tử theo quy định của pháp luật.
For a foreign national: a passport still valid for use in Vietnam under the entry visa or for the maximum stay allowed to visa-exempt countries, or an electronic identity account as provided by law.
Nghị định 163/2024/NĐ-CP, Điều 17 khoản 1 điểm b
Which document the carrier will accept
The law asks for a passport that is still valid for your stay. For a visa holder, that means valid under the entry visa. For a visa-exempt visitor, it means valid for the maximum stay your nationality allows.
Check the passport expiry date before you buy. Stay lengths are covered in visa exemption in Nha Trang and the e-visa guide.
The carrier’s duty is to serve users whose subscriber information is complete and matches the identity document shown at signing. Your duty is to give complete and accurate information when you sign. You must not use your own identity document to sign a contract on behalf of someone else, unless telecom law allows it.
Two carrier rules go beyond the decree text:
- Viettel needs your physical passport with the photo page, and it cannot accept digital copies or pictures of it.
- VinaPhone’s retail site, in an article dated 13 April 2024, asks a foreign buyer for a valid guarantee letter. The letter comes from an embassy, or from the agency or organisation where the buyer works. The decree names only the passport or the electronic account. Ask the shop whether the letter is still asked for.
The same VinaPhone article calls SIMs sold without registration in the buyer’s name “junk SIMs” that go against carrier rules.
Where you can register
Mobile subscriber information may be registered in only one of three ways:
- In person at a point the carrier owns and sets up.
- In person at a fixed-address point another business has set up under an authorisation contract with the carrier.
- Online through the carrier’s own app.
Online registration applies only to the first 3 subscriber numbers on one identity document. If the app cannot authenticate the subscriber information, register in person at one of the first two kinds of point.
How many numbers one passport can hold
For the first 3 numbers, you show your documents and sign a paper or electronic subscriber-information confirmation form. From the fourth number onward, you sign a standard-form contract in person with the carrier. That signing must happen at a fixed-address point the carrier set up itself.
MobiFone gives a practical check. A customer can text TTTB_ followed by the ID number to 1414 to see how many numbers are registered. To register a new number past the limit, the customer must first cancel or transfer an existing number. A visitor who bought SIMs on earlier trips should run this check before landing.
Buying a SIM at Cam Ranh airport
Viettel says a visitor can buy and activate an eSIM at Vietnam’s international airports. Its page says official counters and kiosks give on-the-spot setup and English support. Its airport table lists Cam Ranh in Nha Trang among the “other international airports”, with counters typically in the arrival hall of the terminal. Viettel quotes a process that usually takes under 10 minutes.
Official counters carry the red-and-white Viettel branding and show bilingual price boards with data allowances and validity. Viettel warns against unofficial sellers inside terminals, whose SIMs may already be activated under someone else’s name and can be deactivated within days. A pre-registered SIM is also an offence for the seller, covered under fines below.
Viettel gives no counter number or opening hours for Cam Ranh. A visitor can also buy a Viettel eSIM online before arrival, or in a store. Viettel’s hotline on the page is 18008098.
For the road into town, see Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang. For immigration before the SIM counter, see Cam Ranh Airport arrival.
Plans and prices
Viettel’s English eSIM page, dated 1 November 2025, lists six tourist plans. The page prints the package fee only, and says the fee does not include the SIM price.
| Plan | Validity | Package fee | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5G60T | 7 days | VND 60,000 | 5GB a day |
| 5G80T | 15 days | VND 80,000 | 5GB a day |
| 5G150T | 30 days | VND 150,000 | 5GB a day |
| 5G60H | 7 days | VND 60,000 | 15GB in total |
| 5G120H | 30 days | VND 120,000 | 1.5GB, 30 minutes on-net and 15 minutes off-net calls |
| 5G180H | 30 days | VND 180,000 | 5GB a day, 30 minutes on-net and 15 minutes off-net calls |
The same page separates two kinds of eSIM. A data-only eSIM gives internet without a phone number. An eSIM with a Vietnamese number adds calls and SMS, and receives one-time codes for banking, Grab and delivery apps. A visitor who needs a Vietnam-based code should buy the second kind.
Payment depends on the sell point. Viettel lists cash in VND, Visa and Mastercard, bank transfer, e-wallets and QR codes, with Alipay+ and WeChat Pay at select locations.
MobiFone’s page shows no visitor plan, but it prints eSIM fees. A new prepaid eSIM subscriber pays 100,000 VND, including the eSIM price and the connection fee. Swapping an existing line to an eSIM costs 25,000 VND.
Picking a plan by trip length
For a trip of up to 7 days, 5G60T costs 60,000 VND for 5GB a day. For 15 days, 5G80T costs 80,000 VND. For 30 days of data, 5G150T costs 150,000 VND.
Two plans add calls. 5G120H gives 1.5GB of data with call minutes for 120,000 VND. 5G180H keeps 5GB a day and adds the same call minutes for 180,000 VND. Remember that the SIM price comes on top of every package fee.
eSIM or physical SIM
An eSIM needs a compatible phone that is not locked to one carrier. Dial *#06# to check: a 32-digit EID number means the phone supports eSIM.
Viettel lists iPhone XR and later among compatible phones. It also lists Samsung Galaxy S20 and later. MobiFone lists iPhone XS, XS Max and XR or later.
MobiFone’s FAQ adds four points a long-stay visitor should know:
- One eSIM QR code works for one device only. Moving to another phone needs a new QR code.
- A QR code expires no more than 2 years after the sale date.
- A phone can hold several eSIMs, but only one eSIM of one carrier can be used at a time.
- A number left switched off for a long time may be locked under the carrier’s rules, so switch rarely used eSIMs on once or twice a month.
Keeping your home number
MobiFone says the eSIMs on one phone can belong to several carriers, including a foreign carrier. An iPhone today can hold fewer than 10 eSIMs. Only one eSIM of one carrier is in use at a time. A phone can run 1 physical SIM together with 1 eSIM.
A visitor can therefore keep a home SIM in the tray and add a Vietnamese eSIM.
If the eSIM is lost or deleted
A deleted eSIM can be reinstalled from the same QR code while it is still valid, or a store can issue a new one. A lost QR code needs a store visit, and the old code reinstalls only on the phone that used it. A new phone needs a new QR code.
SIM stores in Nha Trang
Carrier points and authorised shops are the legal registration places. The table lists stores found on Google Maps on 12 October 2026. Hours come from Maps and can change.
| Carrier | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Viettel Store | 193 Le Hong Phong Street | 7:30 AM to 9:30 PM daily |
| Viettel Store | 595 2/4 Street | 7:30 AM to 9:30 PM daily |
| Viettel Store | 1035 Le Hong Phong Street | 7:30 AM to 9:30 PM daily |
| Viettel Telecom direct store | 69 Quang Trung Street | 7:30 AM to 8 PM daily |
| VNPT (VinaPhone) | 01 Hung Vuong Street | Differs between two Maps listings |
| VNPT VinaPhone | 50 Le Thanh Ton Street | 7 AM to 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM to 6:30 PM, Monday to Friday; 5 PM close on weekends |
| MobiFone Khanh Hoa building | 21 Hai Ba Trung Street | 8 AM to 8 PM daily |
| MobiFone Nam Nha Trang | 176 Le Hong Phong Street | Hours not confirmed |
Bring the original passport to any of them. MobiFone also lists partner retail chains and authorised shops for eSIM registration.
What the carrier must check
A carrier may provide service only after you have completed registration and it has authenticated and stored your information in full. Give complete and accurate information when you sign the contract.
If you register with a passport valid for your stay, the carrier must fully apply its authentication measures for every number you register. Those measures include these:
- A one-time code sent to the earlier registered SIM, when you register or activate your second or later SIM.
- A recorded video call that shows both the staff member and you.
The 2026 re-check of passport-registered numbers
A ministry circular on authenticating mobile subscriber information took effect on 15 April 2026. Within 60 days of that date, each carrier had to notify and re-authenticate every number a foreign national had registered with a passport.
A number that was not re-authenticated, or was done incompletely, lost outgoing calls and SMS. After the deadline, a number still not fixed lost two-way service. The contract was then ended 5 days later if the subscriber still had not acted.
Changing phones triggers a face check
The circular’s rule on changing devices took effect on 15 June 2026. Within at most 2 hours of a number appearing on a different phone, the carrier must suspend outgoing calls and SMS and ask for a new face check. The rule covers any number that appears on a different phone from the one it used before.
The carrier can check the live face photo in two ways. One is against the national population, identity or entry-exit databases, or the chip data of a police-issued identity card. The other is against biometric data the carrier already lawfully holds.
For a person-to-person number, the subscriber has 30 days from the outgoing suspension to finish the face check. After that the carrier suspends two-way service, and ends the contract 5 days later if nothing is done. The rule covers any number that appears on a different phone from the one it used before.
If your registration is flagged
When a carrier finds your information does not comply, it sends notices and then cuts the line in stages:
| Step | Timing | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Notice | At least once a day for 5 days | The carrier asks you to re-sign with correct information |
| One-way cut | 15 days after the first notice | The line can only receive incoming calls |
| Two-way cut | 15 days after the one-way cut | The line can neither make nor receive calls |
| Contract ends | 5 days after the two-way cut | The carrier ends the contract and stops service |
Fines to know about
The fines apply to foreign organisations and individuals as well as Vietnamese ones. Decree 174/2026/NĐ-CP, which sets them, took effect on 1 July 2026. The amounts below are the organisation fine, and an individual who commits the same act pays half.
| Act | Fine |
|---|---|
| Signing a subscriber contract with inaccurate papers or another person’s identity document, 1 to 10 numbers | VND 200,000–500,000 per number |
| Selling, renting out or circulating a SIM with subscriber information already entered, when not a telecom enterprise or agent | VND 30,000,000–40,000,000 |
Register at a carrier point or an authorised point. Do not sign a contract with another person’s identity document.
Which rules sit behind this page
| Rule | What it sets | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Decree 163/2024/NĐ-CP | Passport or electronic account, three registration routes, 3-number online limit | Quoted article by article above |
| Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN | Carrier authentication checks, 60-day re-check, face check on a device change | 15 April 2026; Article 8 from 15 June 2026 |
| Decree 174/2026/NĐ-CP | Fines for false registration and pre-registered SIM sales | 1 July 2026 |
The registration rules apply to every carrier. Carrier counters add their own paperwork on top, such as Viettel’s physical passport rule.
Checklist before you go
- Check that the passport is valid for your stay.
- Take the original passport, not a picture of it.
- Go to a carrier store or an authorised point.
- Ask for a Vietnamese number if you need bank or app codes.
- For an eSIM, check the phone is unlocked and shows an EID with *#06#.
- Keep the first 3 numbers on one passport in mind.
- After a phone swap, finish the face check when asked.
For the passport and visa side of your stay, see Cam Ranh Airport arrival. For banking, see opening a bank account in Nha Trang.
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Viettel Store, 2/4 Street, Nha Trang on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Cam Ranh International Airport on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by @Viettel Store, @iTravel, @Robert Le.
Step by step
- Bring your passportBring a passport still valid for your stay in Vietnam, or an electronic identity account. Viettel needs the physical passport.
- Register at an official pointRegister in person at a carrier point or an authorised point, or online in the carrier's own app.
- Complete the checksThe carrier must fully apply its authentication measures for every number you register.
- Keep the line activeRe-do the face check if the carrier asks after a phone change, because outgoing service is suspended first.
Not confirmed: Viettel lists Cam Ranh in a general airport row with no counter detail; staffing and hours were not found. No VinaPhone or MobiFone visitor SIM plan was found. Store hours are as listed on Google Maps on 12 October 2026.
Common questions
Can I register a SIM online?
Online registration is done through the carrier's own app and applies only to the first 3 subscriber numbers on one identity document.
What if the app cannot verify me?
Where the registration app cannot authenticate the subscriber information, you must register in person at a carrier point or an authorised point.
Does Viettel accept a photo of my passport?
No. Viettel says it needs the physical passport and cannot accept digital copies or pictures of it.
Do I need an unlocked phone for an eSIM?
Viettel says a phone restricted to a single carrier cannot install and use its eSIM. Dialling *#06# shows a 32-digit EID number on a compatible phone.
How much does a Viettel tourist eSIM cost?
Viettel's page lists six tourist plans from 60,000 VND for 7 days to 180,000 VND for 30 days, and the package fee does not include the SIM price.
Can I use one eSIM on two phones?
MobiFone says one eSIM QR code works for one device only, and a second phone needs a new QR code.
What happens if I swap phones?
A circular in force from 15 June 2026 requires the carrier to suspend outgoing calls and SMS within 2 hours of a device change and ask for a face re-check.
Can a friend register a SIM in my name?
Using another individual's identity document to sign a subscriber contract is fined 200,000-500,000 VND per subscriber number, where 1 to 10 numbers are involved.
Is a pre-registered SIM from a street seller safe?
Selling a SIM with subscriber information already entered, by someone who is not a telecom enterprise or agent, is fined 30,000,000-40,000,000 VND. Viettel warns that such SIMs can be deactivated within days.
Does an unused eSIM expire?
MobiFone says a number left switched off for a long time may be locked under the carrier's rules, and advises switching rarely used eSIMs on once or twice a month.
Read next
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
Spotted an error? Report it.