Identification

Vietnamese law requires that non-Vietnamese citizens carry their passport at all times. If questioned by Vietnamese officials, proof of Australian citizenship is therefore readily available. Make photocopies of your passport, credit card and traveller’s cheque numbers, and any other valuable documents. Keep these separate from the originals as you may need to refer to the copies if the originals are stolen or lost.

All non-Vietnamese citizens are required to register their presence in Vietnam with the local authorities. Depending upon the purpose of the visit to Vietnam, the registration may be undertaken by your sponsor or another party. For example, if you are a tourist and stay at a hotel or guesthouse in Vietnam, Reception will normally register your stay at their premises with the local police and the information will automatically be reported to the relevant Immigration Office. If you have been invited to Vietnam by a Vietnamese organisation, that office will usually manage your stay in accordance with current national administration/immigration regulations. If you intend to work with foreign offices/companies in Vietnam, details of your stay need to be reported by your employer to the local People’s Committee and the relevant Immigration Office both for the approvals and necessary permits. In Hanoi, this would be the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Hanoi Immigration Office. In Ho Chi Minh City, you should contact the Immigration Department and the Office of Labour, Disabled Soldiers and Social Affairs. Similar arrangements exist in other major cities and towns in Vietnam.