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Entry may be refused to anyone traveling on a passport of less than one month after the expiry date of a visa, if a visa is required. Otherwise passports should have six months validity, except for nationals of Denmark, Finland, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Norway and Sweden, who require three months validity. All visitors must have sufficient funds for the duration of their stay. Visitors should hold a spare passport photograph on arrival in Vietnam for use on the immigration form that must be filled out. You should retain the yellow portion of your immigration Arrival-Departure card on entry to Vietnam,
as this is required for exit.
Americans: US passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
UK nationals: UK passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
Canadians: Canadian passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
Australians: Australian passport holders must have a valid passport and a visa is required.
South Africans: South Africans require a valid passport and a visa.
Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a valid passport and a visa.
New Zealanders: New Zealand nationals require a visa and a valid passport.
Health
An outbreak of bird flu in 2004 claimed numerous human lives; recent outbreaks have also resulted in human fatalities. Avian flu in poultry has now spread to numerous provinces and cities across Vietnam. All care should be taken to avoid contact with live poultry and visitors are advised to exercise caution when eating poultry dishes, particularly raw or undercooked poultry products. Other health risks in the country include Hepatitis A and E, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, bilharzia, plague, diarrhoea and HIV/AIDS. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for travel outside the main cities and towns, the Red River delta and north of Nha Trang. There has been an increase in the amount of deaths relating to dengue fever over the past year, and visitors should take care to protect themselves from mosquito bites during the day, especially just after dawn and just before dusk, particularly in the southern Mekong Delta region. Travelers should seek medical advice about vaccinations at least three weeks before leaving for Vietnam and ensure they have adequate insect protection. Typhoid can be a problem in the Mekong Delta. Those arriving from an infected area require a yellow fever vaccination certificate. A cholera outbreak was reported in November 2007 in Hanoi and quickly spread to surrounding provinces. Water is potable, but visitors usually prefer to drink bottled water. Decent health care is available in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with English-speaking doctors, and there is a surgical clinic in Da Nang, but more complicated treatment may require medical evacuation. Pharmacies throughout the country are adequate, but check expiry dates of medicines carefully. Health insurance is essential.
Safety
Travel in Vietnam is generally safe and violent crime is uncommon. Pick-pocketing is rife, and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) drive-by purse snatching is a common trick. When transferring from airports only use pre-arranged hotel pickups or licensed taxis to avoid theft from opportunists. It is best to leave valuables in a secure hotel safe and avoid obvious displays of wealth. During the monsoon season (usually between June and October) the country is prone to serious flooding and typhoons (until December), particularly the Mekong Delta and Central Region, and has resulted in isolation of areas and damage to infrastructure; severe flooding in central Vietnam in October and November 2007 left over 170 people dead, and affected the main tourist areas of Hue and Hoi An.
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