🇻🇳 Entry & transport
Vietnam’s 45-day visa-free stay, and avoiding the airport Grab scam
Korean passport holders can stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa for tourism.
This one is about Entry & transport — something worth settling before departure so you are not spending local time on it. Work through the 3 checkpoints below in order.
Key checkpoints
- Your passport must have at least six months of validity left on the day of entry, or you will not be allowed to board
- Anyone approaching you outside the arrivals hall in Da Nang, Nha Trang or Ho Chi Minh City claiming to be a Grab driver is running a scam — the meter is rigged
- Always book through the Grab app on your own phone and check the number plate before getting in
What to do before departure, in order
Two rules decide the order. First, anything with a deadline — pre-registration, bookings, documents to be issued: miss the cut-off and there is no substitute. Then whatever also works locally, which costs little to postpone.
Most of the items above can only be done before you leave. After arrival, patchy connectivity and opening hours make them harder, so finish what you can while you are still at home.
What to pay attention to in Southeast Asia
Visa-free stay lengths and entry conditions differ country by country in Southeast Asia, so the region as a whole tells you nothing — check each country. A passport valid for at least six months is a frequent condition.
Tap water is not drinkable in many areas, so decide how you will get drinking water before you go.
Also worth checking for this destination
For this destination it is worth reading these as well.
💡 Add a payment card to the Grab app before you travel and there is no argument about change on the ground.