Onward Ticket for Vietnam Visa (2026)

While the Vietnam e-Visa application does not require flight bookings, airlines will check for a return or onward ticket at departure. Vietnamese immigration may also ask on arrival. A dummy ticket covers both checkpoints without committing to expensive flights.

Immigration at Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City sometimes checks onward tickets, though it is not as systematic as in the Philippines or Thailand. The bigger risk is at airline check-in, where you will be denied boarding without proof of departure.

Having a valid visa does not exempt you from onward ticket checks by airlines. Even with a pre-approved visa on arrival or e-Visa, airline staff at your departure airport will verify you have a confirmed booking leaving Vietnam.

If you are flying into Vietnam, airlines typically want to see a flight booking as proof of onward travel. Bus tickets to Cambodia or Laos may not be accepted at airline check-in, even if Vietnamese immigration would accept them at land borders.

Your dummy ticket should show a departure date within your permitted stay, whether that is 45 days (visa-free), 90 days (e-Visa), or the duration of your tourist visa. The ticket validity of 48 hours covers your travel and arrival day.