Your Vietnam Scouting Trip: E-Visa, Health Cover and Three Cities to Try

A few weeks in Vietnam before you move will tell you more than any guide, this one included. This post covers the paperwork for the trip, what to sort out for health cover, and a plan for trying three cities on a single e-visa. Step 3 of our step-by-step guide puts the trip in the wider plan.

Get the right e-visa

E-visas are issued for up to 90 days, for one entry at US$25 or multiple entries at US$50. ^{1 2} The law caps an e-visa at 90 days. ³ If you might pop over to a neighboring country to compare (Thailand, say), get the multiple-entry one, so you can come back in on the same visa.

• Where to apply: since November 11, 2024, the Immigration Department's e-visa portal has run on two addresses, evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. ⁴ The U.S. Embassy's e-visa link goes to evisa.gov.vn. ¹ Type the address in yourself rather than clicking a search ad.
• Paying: you pay the fee online through the portal's payment gateway. It isn't refunded if your application is refused. ⁴
• Conditions: the portal lists a valid passport and not being barred from entry. You apply from outside Vietnam. ⁴
• Where you can enter: e-visa holders can enter and leave through 42 designated border gates, including all international airports. ¹

More about visas, including the longer routes for families and Việt Kiều, is on our visa page.

Before you fly

The State Department's advisory for Vietnam (issued June 24, 2026) sets out these entry rules: ⁵

• Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the day you arrive.
• If you arrive by air, fill in the pre-arrival form within the 3 days before you land.
• Declare cash of more than 15 million dong, or foreign currency worth more than US$5,000.

Two more things before you go:

• Enroll in STEP. The State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program is a free service that lets you register your trip so the department can contact you in an emergency. ⁶
• Check vaccines. The CDC's Vietnam page lists the vaccines it recommends. ⁷ Go over it with your doctor well before the trip.

Health cover for the trip

Medicare usually doesn't cover health care while you're traveling outside the U.S.; in most cases, you pay all of the costs. ⁸ Medicare drug plans don't cover prescription drugs you buy outside the U.S. ⁸ Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) policies may cover emergency care when you travel outside the U.S. ⁸ Check what yours says before you rely on it. Our Medicare Part B post covers the bigger decision for after you move.

The U.S. Embassy says: "medical care in Vietnam generally falls below U.S. standards. Sometimes, even routine injuries or conditions may require medical evacuation to a regional medical center with higher standards." ⁹ The State Department's security office (OSAC) advises visitors to "strongly consider purchasing medical evacuation insurance before visiting Vietnam." ¹⁰

We don't name or price travel insurers here, because their pages are sales pages, not official sources. Before you buy a policy, ask the insurer:

• Is there an upper age limit, and what does the price come to at your age?
• Are your existing health conditions covered, and on what terms?
• Does it pay for medical evacuation, and to where?
• Does it cover the whole trip, including side trips to other countries?
• Does it pay the hospital directly, or do you pay first and claim later?

Write down the emergency numbers before you land: police 113, fire 114, ambulance 115. ⁹

Three cities, one trip

A single 90-day e-visa is long enough to live for a while in more than one place. ¹ One way to split it: big city, beach city, small town.

• Ho Chi Minh City: the big-city option in the south. Our Ho Chi Minh City guide covers neighborhoods, safety and things to do.
• Da Nang: the beach-city option on the central coast. See our Da Nang guide.
• Hoi An: the small-town option, close to Da Nang. See our Hoi An guide.

Book places that let you live as you would after the move: a serviced apartment or a monthly rental, not just hotels. In each city:

• Live your normal week. Shop for groceries, take the bus or a ride-hailing car, find a café you'd return to. Our getting-around guide covers apps and taxis, and its airports section covers flying between cities.
• Visit the hospital you'd use, before you need it. Our healthcare guide lists hospitals by city.
• View flats, and get the deposit and lease terms in writing. Our housing guide explains renting.
• Check the weather for the months you'd live there. Each city guide has a climate table.

Wherever you stay, the hotel or landlord must declare your stay to the local police: on paper within 12 hours of arrival (24 hours in remote areas), or online. ³ Ask your host whether they've done it, especially at a private rental.

To price the move once you're back, run each city through the calculator, or compare them on our cities page.

Money on the trip

Bring a card that works abroad and a little cash. Declare cash of more than 15 million dong, or foreign currency worth more than US$5,000. ⁵ For how to move larger amounts later, see our post on sending money to Vietnam and the banking guide.

Scouting-trip checklist

• Passport valid for 6 months beyond arrival, with a blank page, and not a 12-page emergency passport. ⁵
• E-visa from evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn (multiple entry if you'll leave and come back). ^{4 2}
• Pre-arrival form within 3 days before you land, if you fly in. ⁵
• Travel medical insurance that includes evacuation, checked against the questions above. ¹⁰
• Trip registered in STEP. ⁶
• Emergency numbers saved: 113, 114, 115. ⁹
• A list of what to test in each city, and our free move checklist for afterward.

General information, not legal, tax or medical advice. Rules change; confirm with the official source.