Cam Ranh Airport Arrival: E-visa, Exemption, Passport Rules
Cam Ranh airport is a listed gate for e-visa entry. Citizens of a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally get 45 days at the border. Their passport must be valid at least 6 months. Declare cash above US$5,000 or VND 15,000,000 to customs.
On this page
Which entry document you hold decides your stay: an e-visa, or a visa exemption for your nationality. Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) is a listed gate for e-visa entry. Check the document and your passport before you fly.
Which case are you?
- You hold an e-visa: it is valid for a maximum of 90 days. Show it to immigration officers at the border.
- You are a citizen of a Resolution 44/NQ-CP country: the stay is 45 days from entry, for any purpose. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
- You are a citizen of a Resolution 229/NQ-CP country: the stay is 45 days, for tourism only.
- You hold a Philippine or Singaporean ordinary passport: carry a return or onward air ticket.
- You booked a tour programme and hold an approval letter: a visa at the gate is issued only in listed cases, and the letter must come before the trip.
- None of these fit: an e-visa is open to citizens of all countries and territories.
Entry-day checklist
| Item | Who needs it |
|---|---|
| Passport valid for at least 6 months | Unilateral-exemption entrants |
| Electronic file code, to check and print the result | E-visa holders |
| Return or onward air ticket | Philippine and Singaporean ordinary-passport holders |
| Approval Letter from the Immigration Department | Anyone seeking a visa at the gate |
| Cash declaration above US$5,000 or VND 15,000,000 | Any individual entering with a passport |
After entry, a foreigner must carry the passport and residence papers and show them when an authority asks. Failing to show them is fined VND 500,000 to 2,000,000.
E-visa or visa exemption
If you hold an e-visa
Resolution 127/NQ-CP grants e-visas to citizens of all countries and territories. The Cam Ranh airport gate is item 3 of its list of air gates. The e-visa portal’s own list of air gates names it as item 2. The two lists number it differently.
- An e-visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days, for single or multiple entries.
- The fee is US$25 for a single-entry visa and US$50 for a multiple-entry visa.
- An online application is processed in no more than 3 working days from a complete application and the fee.
Resolution 389/NQ-CP (2025) added more border gates to the Resolution 127/NQ-CP list. Read your e-visa’s approved gate before booking. The portal’s list names 15 designated international air border gates. More in the Vietnam e-visa guide.
An e-visa’s validity must end at least 30 days before the passport expires. You show valid residence documents, such as the e-visa, to immigration officers at the border.
If you are visa-exempt
Citizens of a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally get 45 days of temporary stay. Two resolutions set exemption lists.
- Resolution 44/NQ-CP covers 12 countries, with a 45-day stay from entry, from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028.
- Resolution 229/NQ-CP covers a separate list of 12 European countries for 45 days for tourism purposes, from 15 August 2025 to 14 August 2028.
Resolution 44/NQ-CP names Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. It applies for any passport type and any purpose.
Resolution 229/NQ-CP names Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. It applies for tourism. The entry conditions include not falling into the cases where entry is refused. To stay longer, see extending your visa in Nha Trang and the overstay fines.
If you arrive on a visa on arrival
A visa at an international border gate is issued only in listed cases, including a tour programme run by an international travel company in Vietnam. You must obtain the Approval Letter from the Vietnam Immigration Department before the trip. It is not an e-visa.
Other exemptions
Some nationalities have separate exemptions. Check the Foreign Ministry’s directory, which states it is updated to 14 March 2025.
| Passport | Visa-free stay |
|---|---|
| Cambodia, Laos, Thailand | Up to 30 days |
| Singapore, Indonesia | Up to 30 days; passport valid at least 6 months |
| Philippines | Up to 21 days |
| Brunei | Up to 14 days |
| Chile, Panama | Up to 90 days, not for paid activity |
Phu Quoc island has its own rule: visa-exempt for up to 30 days.
Fake e-visa and approval-letter sites
The Ministry of Public Security runs the official e-visa system on evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. Type the address yourself rather than following an advert.
A cybercrime officer says fraudsters build sites that closely resemble official portals, register misleading domain names or pay for online advertisements. They promote “instant visas”, “urgent processing” or “guaranteed approval”.
The Embassy of Vietnam in Canada says look-alike sites have no authority to issue visas. It takes no responsibility for applicants denied boarding or entry after using an unofficial service. Report signs of fraud to the police at once.
An e-visa holder uses the electronic file code to check and print the result on the official portal. An e-visa holder must meet the same entry conditions and use a gate the Government has designated.
Is an onward ticket required?
The general entry rule names a passport or travel document and a visa, unless the traveller is exempt. Two nationality-specific exemptions add a ticket condition.
- Philippine ordinary passports get up to 21 days if the passport has at least 6 months left and the holder has a return or onward air ticket.
- Singaporean ordinary passports get up to 30 days with at least 6 months left, a return or onward ticket and the means to pay for the stay.
The country-by-country terms for the rest are in the table above.
If entry is refused
Entry can be refused when the entry conditions of Article 20, clause 1 are not met. In the cases of Article 21, clauses 1 to 6, the head of the immigration control unit decides.
A foreigner deported from Vietnam less than 3 years ago is also refused entry. A forced exit carries a 6-month refusal from the date the decision took effect.
Passport validity
The rule below is quoted for unilateral-exemption entrants. The sources used here state no passport-validity rule for e-visa holders.
Người nước ngoài nhập cảnh theo diện đơn phương miễn thị thực thì hộ chiếu phải còn thời hạn sử dụng ít nhất 06 tháng
A foreigner entering under a unilateral visa exemption must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months. Law 51/2019/QH14, Điều 1 khoản 11 (replacing Điều 20)
The replacement text keeps only the 6-month passport condition for these entrants.
Cash declaration
An individual entering Vietnam through an international border gate with a passport must declare cash to border-gate customs above these amounts.
| Cash | Declare above |
|---|---|
| Foreign currency | US$5,000 or the equivalent in other foreign currencies |
| Vietnamese dong | VND 15,000,000 |
The thresholds do not cover travellers cheques, bank cards, savings books or securities.
When you leave with more than the threshold, or more than you declared on your latest entry, show customs a bank certificate or a State Bank approval. If the amount is no more than the customs-stamped entry declaration, that declaration is enough and no bank certificate is needed.
The stamped declaration only works for your next exit within 12 months. To pay foreign cash into your own foreign-currency account, use it within 60 days.
Steps after you land
The airport operator’s arrival-procedure page, posted on 2 May 2018, lists these steps. They cover aircraft exit, baggage and transfers. No official source used here describes the passport-control desk. The page dates from 2018, so check signs on arrival.
- Leave the aircraft and enter the terminal by bus or by jet bridge.
- Have your baggage claim tag ready to collect checked baggage at the arrival-hall carousel.
- If a bag is lost, contact airline staff at the Lost Baggage counter at the arrivals exit.
- Transfer passengers complete procedures at the transfer counters near the arrivals exit.
ACV lists these amenities on its Cam Ranh page: free Wi-Fi, free drinking water, medical service, a children’s play area, a commercial area and a food and beverage area. The same page gives the telephone number (84.258)3989956.
The airport is at Bac Cam Ranh Ward, Khanh Hoa Province.
Nguyen Tat Thanh, Bac Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
After the stamp
Your temporary-residence period at the border equals the visa’s validity. A DL visa valid for more than 30 days is the exception, with 30 days granted first. Overstaying is a violation from the first day.
Your first-night address must be declared through the accommodation, to the local police. A paper declaration reaches the police within 12 hours of arrival, or 24 hours in remote areas. See temporary residence registration in Nha Trang.
Carry your passport and residence papers, and show them when an authority asks. For the ride into town, see Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang. The first week in Nha Trang checklist covers the rest.
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Cam Ranh International Airport on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by @Minh Hiếu Lê, @Winne Chen, @Side quests ni A, @Thần Thoại, @ธูปหอมมั่งมี, @Michael Hoang, @sun 9.
Step by step
- Leave the aircraftYou enter the terminal by bus or by jet bridge.
- Collect your baggageHave your baggage claim tag ready for the arrival-hall carousel.
- Report lost baggageGo to the Lost Baggage counter at the arrivals exit and speak to airline staff.
- Declare cash if neededDeclare more than US$5,000 or VND 15,000,000 in cash to border-gate customs.
Not confirmed: The airport operator's pages do not name the terminal for international arrivals or describe the passport-control step, so ask your airline which documents to have in hand. Whether the 6-month passport rule also applies to e-visa holders is not confirmed: check your airline or the e-visa portal before you fly.
Common questions
Can I enter through Cam Ranh Airport on an e-visa?
Yes. The airport is on the e-visa portal's list of air border gates and in Resolution 127/NQ-CP.
How long can I stay without a visa?
Citizens of a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally get 45 days of temporary stay. Check that your nationality is on a current exemption list.
How long is an e-visa valid?
An e-visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days, for single or multiple entries.
How much cash can I carry in?
Above US$5,000 or VND 15,000,000 you must declare it to border-gate customs.
Where do I collect my bags?
At the carousel in the arrival hall, with your baggage claim tag ready.
What if my bag is lost?
Contact airline staff at the Lost Baggage counter at the arrivals exit.
Does my e-visa have to match the gate I fly into?
E-visa holders may only enter and exit through the designated border gates. They need not leave through the same gate they used to enter.
Which countries get the visa exemption?
Resolution 44/NQ-CP names 12 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and South Korea. A separate 12 European countries are exempt for tourism.
Can I extend a visa-free stay?
Under the Vietnam-Indonesia agreement the visa-free stay cannot be extended. For others, see the extension guide: the person may be considered for a visa or an extension.
How long does an e-visa take to issue?
No more than 3 working days from a complete application and the fee.
Read next
Places in this guide
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.