Vietnam’s e-visa port expansion: read the 83-entry-point list carefully
Understand Vietnam’s December 2025 e-visa port expansion, conditional airport entries and why an eligible border gate does not confirm a transport service.
Cat Ba Connect3 min read
The short answer
Resolution 389/NQ-CP of 2 December 2025 added 41 international border gates to Vietnam’s e-visa list, bringing the listed total to 83. The additions include air, land and sea entry points. Long Thanh and Gia Binh airports are expressly conditional on coming into operation. For visitors, this expands legal routing possibilities, but a listed name alone does not confirm an operating flight, passenger ferry, cross-border train or permission to enter the neighbouring country.
Start from the expansion date
The government’s December 2025 announcement and Vietnam’s embassy in Tanzania both connect the expansion with Resolution 389/NQ-CP dated 2 December. The embassy explains that the new entries supplement the earlier list under Resolution 127/NQ-CP, rather than replacing it with only the additions. When comparing a recent list with an older travel guide, check whether you are reading the complete combined list or merely the newly added gates before rejecting an otherwise established arrival route.
Notice the airport conditions
Government News explicitly attaches an operational condition to Long Thanh and Gia Binh in its list of additional airports. This is important when an airport name appears on a legal list before a traveller can book a normal arrival there. Do not infer an opening date, available airline or suitable transfer from the inclusion alone. Check the operating airport on the ticket and the current immigration selection before paying for a journey built around a newly named gateway.
Distinguish the type of crossing
A railway border gate is not interchangeable with a nearby road gate, and a seaport entry is not a general invitation to arrive at any pier in the same province. Record the full official gate name from the intended service. For an overland journey, ask the carrier which checkpoint it actually uses in both countries. This turns a vague city-to-city route into an identifiable border movement that can be compared with the e-visa list and your issued document.
Confirm transport and the other country separately
The expansion concerns Vietnam’s acceptance of e-visas at named gates. It does not publish passenger timetables, guarantee that a border excursion operates, or settle the neighbouring country’s visa rules. Before arranging a connection, obtain confirmation of an actual passenger service and the entry conditions on the other side. A vehicle transfer to the border may end before immigration; ask whether assistance, walking between checkpoints and onward transport are included in the quoted journey.
Recheck the issued permission before travel
Use the expanded list when researching a route, then inspect the permission actually issued to you. If the proposed crossing is absent from the application choices or differs from your approved document, seek an official answer before committing to a non-refundable transfer. Keep the carrier’s written gate name and the relevant government list together. This is more useful at the planning stage than assuming that every published expansion automatically updates an already issued visa or every commercial booking system.
Questions travellers ask
Does 83 mean 83 currently bookable airport arrivals?
No. The list combines air, land and sea gates; two newly named airports have an operational condition.
Does an eligible gate confirm a cross-border train runs?
No. Check the passenger service and both countries’ entry requirements separately.
