Health and Travel Alert – U.S. Embassy Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (May 4, 2020)
Location: Vietnam
This is a daily update from the U.S. Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City to assist U.S. citizens in remaining informed during the evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Vietnam.
Daily COVID-19 Numbers:
As of May 4, Vietnam has reported 271 confirmed cases of COVID-19 within its borders since the virus first became known. To date, 219 people have recovered and have been released from the hospital.
Important Information for U.S. Citizens:
As of May 4, the Government of Vietnam has not lifted the suspension of entry for foreigners, including people with a Vietnamese visa exemption certificate. Vietnamese authorities have not announced a potential date to allow foreigners to enter Vietnam again. This policy, which went into effect on March 22, has limited exemptions for diplomatic, official duty, and special cases, including experts, business managers, high-tech workers, and other essential categories as determined by the Government of Vietnam. U.S. citizens may read the original announcement here. Additional health restrictions still apply for any foreign travelers in an exempted category allowed to enter Vietnam by local immigration authorities, including a mandatory two-week quarantine period and potential COVID-19 testing. U.S. Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City remind U.S. citizens that the U.S. Department of State’s Global 4 Health Advisory still applies, and U.S. citizens are advised to avoid all international travel unless absolutely necessary.
U.S. citizens within one of Vietnam’s designated special categories that have immediate need to travel will need to work through their employer to request assistance from the appropriate provincial People’s Committee and local Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs (DOLISA) office to coordinate authorization for entry from Vietnamese immigration authorities. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate are not involved in this process and cannot intervene in Vietnamese immigration and entry procedures or assist U.S. citizens to bypass the quarantine rules established by the Vietnamese government. More information on what the Embassy and Consulate can and cannot do is available on our Flight and Other Departure Assistance Frequently Asked Questions page.
We recommend U.S. citizens check the Embassy’s COVID-19 page daily for information, and register or update their information in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
