With certain travel limitations, Vietnam intends to reopen to all passengers, including Americans, on March 15, well ahead of the initial June deadline.
At the start of the pandemic, the country instituted one of the tightest border controls in the world; since spring 2020, just a few people have been allowed access. Starting in November 2021, international tourists will be able to visit specific sites under a vaccinated passport program, but this will be the first time the country is fully reopened to unrestricted travel.
Although the country expects to open early, it will not do so completely. There are still a few conditions for admission. To travel to Vietnam, you will need the following items:
Vaccination documentation
Visitors aged 12 and up must provide proof of vaccination, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. The latest dose must have been administered within 14 days of the previous one, but no more than 6 months ago. Those who had their first dosage in spring 2021 but did not obtain a booster vaccine would be considered inadequately vaccinated.
Visitors can also submit a “certificate of recovery from COVID-19 disease, or equivalent documents certifying that they have recovered from COVID-19 disease, issued by a competent authority in the country of treatment within a period of not more than 6 months,” or a “certificate of recovery from COVID-19 disease, or equivalent documents certifying that they have recovered from COVID-19 disease, issued by a competent authority in the country of treatment within a period of not more than 6 months.”
Testing is required, and there is a one-day quarantine period.
All passengers above the age of two must have a COVID-19 test that is negative. Two options are an RT-PCR/RT-LAMP test performed within the preceding 72 hours or a fast test performed within 24 hours of departure.
When arriving in Vietnam, visitors must go straight to their hotel and perform a quick exam. (Whether or not such a test can be self-administered has yet to be determined.) If their test results are negative after 24 hours, they are allowed to travel around the country. If the results are positive, travelers must be “medically segregated at the accommodation or treated according to Ministry of Health requirements.”
Travel insurance
Each traveler must also carry medical or travel insurance that covers treatment costs associated with COVID-19 with a minimum liability of $10,000.
Book your flights at www.philippineairlines.com.
