The plane lands, the phone has no signal yet, and the immigration queue is longer than expected. For a patient due at the clinic the next morning, those first two hours decide how the rest of the trip feels.
Arriving in Vietnam for dental treatment comes down to three steps: completing the digital arrival card before you fly, clearing immigration with your documents ready, and having a confirmed ride from the terminal to the clinic. Each step is simple on its own. Problems start when one of them is left until the airport.
Since April 2026, foreign travelers landing at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat airport have been asked to submit a pre-arrival declaration online. The same system was extended to Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport in June 2026. Patients who still picture a paper form handed out on the plane are often caught off guard.
This guide follows the arrival day in order, from the 72 hour window before landing to the car ride to the clinic. It covers both airports where Delia Dental Clinic patients land, Tan Son Nhat for Ho Chi Minh City and Noi Bai for Hanoi.
Quick Answer
Before flying, submit Vietnam’s free digital arrival card on the official portal within 72 hours of landing and save the QR code. After landing, clear immigration, collect your bags and meet your pickup at arrivals. Tan Son Nhat is a short drive from the Ho Chi Minh City clinic. Noi Bai is about 30 km from central Hanoi.
What to Complete Before You Fly
The digital arrival card, officially called Pre-Arrival Information, is an online declaration that collects your passport details, visa or exemption details, flight and accommodation address before you reach the immigration counter. It is not a visa and does not replace one. You still need an e-visa or a valid exemption, which is covered in the guide to what you need to travel to Vietnam for dental treatment.
The form is free and is submitted only on the official government portal, prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. It accepts submissions within 72 hours of your scheduled arrival, not earlier, so a form filled in a week before the trip will not be accepted. Once the declaration is submitted, you receive a QR code. Take a screenshot, save it to your phone’s offline storage and, if possible, print a copy, because airport Wi-Fi and mobile data are unreliable right after landing.
Two details catch patients out. The form asks for an exact address in Vietnam, so your first night’s accommodation needs to be confirmed before you submit. And several lookalike websites charge a fee for the same form. The official portal charges nothing, and the domain ends in immigration.gov.vn.
Airport coverage has been expanding, and travel sources disagree on which airports are included beyond Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai. Check the portal shortly before departure to confirm the rule for your arrival airport. If you connect to a domestic flight after entering Vietnam, the declaration is generally needed only for your first international arrival.
Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai Compared
Both airports use Terminal 2 for international flights, but the ride to the clinic differs a great deal. Tan Son Nhat sits close to the city center, so distance is small and traffic is the variable. Noi Bai is much farther out, so the drive is longer even when roads are clear.
| Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) | Noi Bai (Hanoi) | |
|---|---|---|
| International terminal | Terminal 2 | Terminal 2 |
| Distance to city center | About 7 km | About 30 km |
| Typical drive | 20 to 30 minutes on clear roads, 30 to 60 minutes or more at peak hours | 40 to 60 minutes |
| Delia Dental Clinic branch | Vo Van Tan Street | Ton Duc Thang Street |
| Main variable | Traffic | Distance |
Drive times are typical figures from airport and transport guides, not guarantees. Allow extra time on Friday evenings, public holidays and around Tet.
Landing in Ho Chi Minh City
Tan Son Nhat is the only commercial airport serving Ho Chi Minh City, so there is no risk of landing at the wrong one. The short distance can be misleading. A trip that takes 20 minutes late at night can take an hour at 6 pm. For a patient arriving on an evening flight, the ride is usually quick. For a patient arriving at rush hour, the first hour is spent in traffic, not on the road.
Landing in Hanoi
Noi Bai is the only commercial airport in Hanoi and sits in Soc Son district, north of the city. The drive crosses the river by bridge and follows an expressway for most of the way, which makes the time more predictable than in Ho Chi Minh City. A patient arriving after a long flight should expect a drive of close to an hour before reaching the hotel or clinic. The differences between the two branches go beyond arrival, and the comparison of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for dental treatment explains how to choose between them.
From the Aircraft Door to the Pickup Point
The sequence is the same at both airports. Follow signs to immigration, have your passport, e-visa approval and the arrival card QR code ready, and present them at the counter. An officer scans the QR code, checks the passport and visa, and stamps you in. Some travelers use an automated gate where one is available.
Immigration can be slow at peak times, particularly when several long haul flights land together, so do not book a pickup or a first appointment on the assumption that you will be through in 15 minutes. Baggage can also take 20 to 40 minutes to appear. A realistic window from touchdown to the arrivals hall is one to two hours.
Patients who forgot to submit the declaration before flying can usually still complete it on their phone after landing, since a QR code for the portal is displayed in the arrivals area at Tan Son Nhat. This is slower than doing it at home, and a phone without data makes it harder, so treat it as a fallback.
Outside the arrivals hall, look for your driver rather than choosing a taxi. At both airports there are taxi queues and ride hailing pickup areas, and fares and meters vary. A pre arranged pickup removes that decision at the end of a long flight. Send your flight number and terminal to the coordinator before you leave home, so the driver can track the flight if it lands early or late.
Planning Your First Day After Landing
Plan to arrive at least one day before the first appointment. A long haul flight leaves most patients tired and often a little dehydrated, and a consultation, scan or examination goes better after a night of sleep. Landing in the late morning and resting until the next day is a better plan than landing at 6 am and heading straight to the chair.
For patients crossing many time zones, the first day is less about sightseeing and more about letting the body settle. The guide to jet lag before long haul dental implant surgery explains how to handle the first days, including when to schedule the first appointment around the flight time.
A light first day usually works best: check in, eat a normal meal, drink water, sleep, and keep the evening clear. Save the sightseeing for after the clinical plan is confirmed.
When a Flight Is Late or Plans Change
A delayed flight is a minor reshuffle when the clinic already knows your plan. Message the international patient team as soon as you know the new arrival time. The pickup can be moved, and if the delay pushes arrival past the first appointment, the appointment can be rescheduled in advance rather than missed.
The same applies if you land at a different airport than planned, or if a connecting flight changes your arrival from morning to night. Tell the team before the new flight lands, not after. If the delay is long enough to affect your visa dates or return flight, the guide on changing your flight when dental treatment runs late covers what to check first.
How Delia Dental Clinic Coordinates Your Arrival Day
Delia Dental Clinic arranges airport pickup for international patients at its Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi branches, and the international patient team coordinates the details before the flight. Patients send their flight number, arrival time and terminal through WhatsApp or Messenger, together with the accommodation address they used for the arrival card. The team then confirms the pickup and the timing of the first appointment so the two do not collide.
This coordination matters most on the day itself. A patient arriving at Noi Bai after a 20 hour journey has a different first day from a patient arriving at Tan Son Nhat on a short regional flight, and the schedule is set around that difference. The team can also tell you how far your hotel is from the clinic and suggest a realistic time for the first visit.
Delia Dental Clinic does not complete the arrival card or process visas on a patient’s behalf. Those steps are between the traveler and Vietnamese immigration. What the team can do is tell you early what to prepare, so nothing needs to be solved at the airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Complete the Vietnam Digital Arrival Card After I Land?
Often yes, but it is the slower route. A QR code linking to the portal is displayed in the arrivals area at Tan Son Nhat, which lets you fill in the form on your phone before reaching immigration. The problem is that this depends on having mobile data or Wi-Fi after a long flight, and you will still need your accommodation address and flight details to hand. Completing it at home within the 72 hour window is faster and avoids standing at an immigration queue typing passport numbers on a small screen.
What If I Lose the QR Code or My Phone Dies?
Keep more than one copy. Take a screenshot, save the confirmation email and print a copy if you can. If the QR code cannot be shown, immigration officers may be able to look up your submission using your passport details, but this depends on the airport and the officer, so do not count on it. A printed copy in your hand luggage is the simplest backup, and it costs nothing.
Do I Need the Arrival Card If I Am Only Connecting Through Vietnam?
Transit passengers who stay airside and do not clear immigration are generally not required to submit it. If you enter Vietnam and then connect to a domestic flight, for example landing in Ho Chi Minh City before flying on to Hanoi, you generally submit the declaration only once, for your first international arrival. Rules can change and apply to specific airports, so confirm your own route on the official portal before you fly.
Is a Separate Health Declaration Required for Arrivals?
Not at the moment. Some travel sites reported that a health declaration would become mandatory for all travelers from 1 July 2026, but Vietnam’s Ministry of Health later clarified that it is not required unless it is activated in response to a specific health threat. The digital arrival card is a separate immigration requirement. Because the situation could change, check the official immigration and health ministry notices close to your travel date.
Should I Take a Taxi or Use the Pickup Delia Dental Clinic Arranges?
For most patients arriving after a long flight, the arranged pickup is the easier choice. The driver already has your flight details and the clinic or hotel address, so there is no need to negotiate a fare, find the right queue or give directions in a language you may not speak. Taxis and ride hailing apps work well in both cities, but they add a decision at the point when you are least inclined to make one. If you prefer to travel independently, tell the coordinator so the pickup is cancelled and the first appointment time is still confirmed.
Can I Go Straight to the Clinic From the Airport?
It is possible, but it is rarely the best plan. The first appointment usually involves an examination, imaging and a discussion of the treatment plan, and all of that goes better after rest. A patient who lands in the late morning after a short flight may be comfortable visiting the same afternoon, particularly if the case is straightforward. After a long haul flight, a night of sleep first is usually the better choice. Ask the coordinator which option fits your flight, and keep the first appointment flexible until you know how you feel.
Getting the Rest of the Trip Right
Once the arrival day is planned, the next questions are what the visa requires, how much the clinic can arrange for you and what to do if the trip changes.
- What Do You Need to Travel to Vietnam for Dental Treatment?
- What Delia Dental Clinic Offers to Reduce Dental Travel Stress
- Changing Your Flight When Dental Treatment Runs Late
- Dental Bone Grafting in Vietnam: Planning Your Return Flight
Final Thoughts
Arrival day goes smoothly when the form is filed, the ride is confirmed and the first day is kept light. The airport is the least important part of the trip clinically, but it sets the tone for everything after it.
Send your flight number, arrival time, terminal and accommodation address to Delia Dental Clinic via WhatsApp or Messenger before you leave home, so the pickup and your first appointment can be confirmed for Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
