Vietnam Pre-Arrival Form for Canadian Citizens (2026)

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Canadian citizens planning a trip to Ho Chi Minh City must complete two separate immigration requirements before boarding their flight. You need an approved Vietnam e-visa and you must submit the mandatory Pre-Arrival Declaration Form within 72 hours of your scheduled arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN).

This guide covers everything Canadian passport holders need to know about the vietnam pre arrival form for Canadian citizens. We walk through the e-visa process, the exact declaration steps, and the most common mistakes Canadians make on the form.

Do Canadians Need a Visa for Vietnam?

Canada does not have a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam. This means Canadian passport holders cannot enter Vietnam visa-free. You must secure an approved e-visa before submitting the Pre-Arrival Declaration Form.

Apply for your e-visa at the official evisa.gov.vn portal. The standard processing time is three to five business days. Apply at least two weeks before your departure to avoid any last-minute complications.

Your e-visa grants a single entry stay of up to 90 days. Once your visa is approved, download the official PDF certificate. You will need the visa number, issue date, and expiry date to complete the declaration form.

The Pre-Arrival Declaration Form — What Canadians Must Know

Starting April 15, 2026, all foreign passport holders arriving at SGN must submit the Pre-Arrival Declaration Form at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. This step is completely separate from your e-visa application and is not optional.

The form only opens 72 hours before your scheduled arrival at SGN. Do not attempt to submit it earlier — your flight will not appear in the system. If you have a connecting flight through a hub like Tokyo, Seoul, or Taipei, your departure country on the form is that transit hub city, not Canada.

The process is free of charge and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Step-by-Step — Completing the Form as a Canadian

Open the official portal within the 72-hour submission window. On Step 2, when asked for your visa type, select "Electronic Visa (E-Visa)" from the dropdown menu.

Enter your visa number exactly as it appears on your approved PDF certificate. The number begins with the letter N and is exactly 9 characters long. Copy and paste it directly from your PDF to avoid typos. Enter the issue date and expiry date as shown on the official document. For the "Issued Place" field, type "Online".

On Step 3, select your flight from the dropdown menu. If you are on a codeshare flight, use the operating carrier code rather than the marketing airline code. Look for the phrase "operated by" in your booking confirmation to identify the correct carrier.

After submission, take a clear screenshot of the Step 4 confirmation screen. Your airline will check this at check-in and immigration officers will verify it at SGN.

Connecting Flights Through Asia — Important Rule for Canadians

There are no direct flights from Canada to Ho Chi Minh City. Most Canadian travelers connect through Tokyo (NRT/HND), Seoul (ICN), Taipei (TPE), Doha (DOH), or Dubai (DXB).

On the Pre-Arrival Declaration Form, your departure country must reflect your final departure point before landing at SGN. If you fly Air Canada to Tokyo and then Vietnam Airlines to Ho Chi Minh City, your departure country is Japan, not Canada.

Always use the flight code for your final leg into SGN only. Do not enter your Canadian departure flight code.

Common Mistakes Canadians Make on the Form

The most frequent error is selecting the wrong visa type. Canadian citizens must always choose "Electronic Visa (E-Visa)" — never select "Visa exemption" as Canada has no such agreement with Vietnam.

Confusing the departure country with the country of origin is another common problem. Canada is your country of residence, but your departure country is wherever your last connecting flight departs from.

Submitting the form too early causes the flight dropdown to show no results. Always wait until you are inside the 72-hour window before you start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer: This article is an independent expert guide. vietnamprearrival.com is not affiliated with the Government of Vietnam or the Vietnam Immigration Department. Always verify current requirements at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn before travel.