Do Vietnam passport holders need a visa for China?
Vietnam passport holders need a visa for China, and the application starts online. Depending on your passport this may still involve biometrics, an in-person appointment and several weeks of processing, so apply early. Passport validity required: valid for period of stay. Separately from any visa, China requires Arrival Card before or on arrival.
🇻🇳 Vietnam → 🇨🇳 China
Visa needed, apply online
The application starts online. Depending on your passport this may still involve biometrics, an appointment, and several weeks, so start early.
Maximum stay
Not specified
Passport validity
Valid for period of stay
Pre-registration
Arrival Card
Do I need a visa for China from Vietnam?
Yes. The rule follows the passport, not the departure airport: flying from Vietnam makes no difference on its own. Vietnam passport holders need a visa for China, and the application starts online. Depending on your passport this may still involve biometrics, an in-person appointment and several weeks of processing, so apply early. Passport validity required: valid for period of stay. Separately from any visa, China requires Arrival Card before or on arrival.
The requirement runs both ways: China passport holders need an e-visa to travel to Vietnam, so neither side of this corridor is visa-free.
Check a different pair
Another passport, or somewhere else entirely.
This is the pair you are reading. Change either side to check another.
What to do next
The part most visa checkers leave out: what actually needs doing before you fly.
Confirm with the official source
Rules change without notice, and only the immigration authority of China can tell you where you stand. Search for its official site before you travel.
Check your passport
Passport validity required: valid for period of stay. Renew first if you are close, because this is the most common reason travellers are turned away.
Arrival Card required
Separate from any visa: China requires this registration before or on arrival. Do it even if you need no visa.
Common questions
Vietnam passport, China border — answered from the same rule the verdict shows.
Yes. Vietnam passport holders need a visa for China, and the application starts online. Depending on your passport this may still involve biometrics, an in-person appointment and several weeks of processing, so apply early. Passport validity required: valid for period of stay. Separately from any visa, China requires Arrival Card before or on arrival.
Yes. The rule follows the passport, not the departure airport: flying from Vietnam makes no difference on its own. Vietnam passport holders need a visa for China, and the application starts online. Depending on your passport this may still involve biometrics, an in-person appointment and several weeks of processing, so apply early. Passport validity required: valid for period of stay. Separately from any visa, China requires Arrival Card before or on arrival.
Valid for period of stay. Renew before you travel if you are close to that, because it is one of the most common reasons travellers are refused boarding.
No. China does not issue a visa at the border for a Vietnam passport. The application starts online and must be approved before you travel.
Yes. China requires Arrival Card. This is separate from a visa and applies even to travellers who need no visa, so complete it before you travel.
No. This is guidance based on data from Travel Buddy, last checked 2026-09-17. Entry rules change without notice and the final decision rests with border officials. Always confirm with the official government source before booking or flying.
Other passports for China
The same destination on a different passport. Rules differ sharply by nationality, so check the one you will actually travel on.
All China entry rules by passport