Welcome to Vietnam! Your adventure in the vibrant and captivating Ho Chi Minh City, often still called Saigon, begins the moment you touch down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN). As Vietnam’s busiest airport, it’s your gateway to incredible food, rich history, and dynamic culture.
Imagine this: You step off a long-haul flight, dreaming of pho and the bustling streets of Saigon, only to be met by a sprawling, slow-moving immigration queue. This is a common reality for weary travelers. This guide is designed to give you a clear picture of what to expect and how you can prepare. More importantly, it will introduce you to a seamless solution: using an Expedited Entry at Saigon City’s Int’l Airport to bypass the lines and start your Vietnamese journey without stress or delay.
Let’s walk through the entire process, ensuring you feel confident and prepared for a smooth arrival.
A smooth arrival begins long before you board your flight. Proper preparation can save you from significant headaches. Here’s your essential checklist:
Ensure your passport is valid for at least six months from your date of entry into Vietnam. This is a strict requirement, and you will be denied entry if your passport has less validity. Check your passport’s expiration date now.
Have the name, address, and phone number of your first night’s accommodation readily available. You may need to write this on your arrival card.
Keep a copy of your flight itinerary, including your return or onward ticket, accessible.
To avoid delays at the final checkpoint, be aware of what you can and cannot bring into Vietnam.
Tan Son Nhat International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Vietnam, serving as the main gateway to Ho Chi Minh City and the southern region. Knowing its layout can make your arrival much smoother.
The airport has two main terminals:
SGN is conveniently located just 7 kilometers (about 4 miles) from the city center (District 1). However, due to the city’s notorious traffic, the journey can take anywhere from 25 to 60 minutes.
Once you exit the terminal, you have several options:
If you arrive with a valid e-visa or are a citizen of a visa-exempt country, your process is relatively straightforward. However, this is also the path where you are most likely to encounter long immigration queues.
Here is your step-by-step journey:
After disembarking from the plane, follow the signs for “Immigration” (Xuất Nháºp Cảnh). All passengers are funneled into a large hall with numerous immigration counters.
This is the most significant bottleneck. You will need to join the queue for “Foreigners.” During peak hours, the wait time can be anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour and a half. Present your passport and printed e-visa (if applicable) to the officer. They will stamp your passport, and you can then proceed.
After clearing immigration, head down the escalators to the baggage claim area. Look for your flight number on the overhead screens to find the correct carousel.
With your luggage in hand, you will proceed to the final checkpoint: customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can walk through the Green Channel. If you have items that exceed the duty-free allowance or require a declaration, you must go through the Red Channel.
Congratulations! You are now officially in Vietnam. You will walk out into the arrivals hall, where you can find currency exchange counters, SIM card kiosks, and the exits to taxi and bus services.
This queue is the single biggest hurdle between you and the start of your vacation. After a long, cramped flight, the last thing you want is an unpredictable and exhausting wait in a crowded hall. It’s a frustrating start to what should be an exciting adventure. This is precisely the problem that our Expedited Entry at Saigon City’s Int’l Airport solves, allowing you to bypass this queue entirely.
For those using a Visa on Arrival (VOA), there is an extra—and often time-consuming—step you must complete before you even get to the immigration checkpoint.
Here is your step-by-step journey:
As soon as you enter the main hall and before you reach the immigration queues, look for the “Landing Visa” or “Visa on Arrival” (Cấp Thị Thá»±c Tại Chá»—) counter. Do not join the main immigration line yet.
At the VOA counter, you need to submit the following:
After submitting your paperwork, you will need to wait for your name to be called. The processing time can vary from 15 minutes to over an hour, depending on how many flights have arrived at once. Once called, you will pay the stamping fee and receive your passport back with the visa sticker inside.
With your new visa in hand, you now join the “Foreigners” queue at the main immigration checkpoint for the final entry stamp. This means you may face a second long wait.
The final steps are the same: collect your bags and pass through the customs check.
The VOA process can feel like a test of patience, often involving two separate, lengthy waits. The last thing anyone wants after a long flight is to be scrambling for a missing photo or the exact USD cash for the stamping fee, with no ATM or photo booth in sight. It’s a stressful bottleneck that can sour the very start of your trip.
This is where our Expedited Entry Service becomes invaluable. Our team can handle the entire VOA process for you, including paying the stamping fee and dealing with any missing paperwork, while you relax.
The single most effective way to avoid the queues and start your trip with ease is by using a fast-track service. Our Expedited Entry Service at Saigon City’s Int’l Airport is designed to eliminate waiting time and procedural confusion.
Instead of navigating the crowded halls on your own, you are met by a dedicated agent who personally escorts you through a priority lane, bypassing the long public queues entirely.
The process is simple and seamless:
Booking is easy. You can arrange the service online before your trip through our website, vietnamimmigration.org. Simply provide your flight details (flight number, arrival date and time) and the names of the passengers. Our team will handle the rest and confirm your booking.
Absolutely. Your trust and security are our top priorities. Here’s why you can book with complete confidence:
Whether you use an expedited service or not, these final tips will help ensure your arrival is as smooth as possible:
Your arrival in Ho Chi Minh City should be an exciting start to an unforgettable trip. By being prepared and considering an Expedited Entry at Saigon City’s Int’l Airport, you can bypass the stress and dive straight into the magic of Vietnam.
Infographic: Navigating SGN Airport & Fast Entry Services Navigating Saigon’s Int’l Airport (SGN) Your Deep Research Report on a Seamless Arrival Experience The Arrival Bottleneck: A Universal Traveler Pain Point Your journey to the vibrant heart of Vietnam is almost complete. But first, you face the final hurdle: airport immigration.
Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam! As you prepare for your exciting journey, the last thing you want is to start your trip feeling stressed and exhausted by long airport queues. Navigating any international airport can be daunting, and Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is no exception.
Infographic: A Smooth Arrival at Saigon’s Airport Arrive in Saigon, Not in a Queue An essential guide to navigating Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport and bypassing the lines with Fast Entry Service. The Post-Flight Hurdle: Immigration Queues After a long flight, the last thing you want is a lengthy wait.