Visa Free (Exemption) Entry to Phu Quoc, Vietnam (?)

I spoke with a local Phu Quoc travel agent today, who confirmed the Visa Free/Visa Exemption immigration rules to enter Phu Quoc, Vietnam.

She stated that one must arrive by air, with Phu Quoc as the final destination, hold an onward ticket (by air) departing Phu Quoc to a foreign nation no more than 30 days after the arrival date, valid passport with two blank pages and passport expiration date a minimum of 6 months past the arrival date. That's it.

What she was unsure of was whether one could enter VN on an international flight, and then switch to a domestic flight to Phu Quoc. As an example, arrive Saigon from Bangkok on int'l flight, disembark and walk over to the domestic terminal to fly on a domestic route to Phu Quoc. I suspect that this would not be permitted even with an air ticket in one's possession, as this would require passing/clearance through the immigration checkpoint at Saigon airport which itself requires a visa.Various sites have indicated that connecting flights are permitted provided one does not leave the departure area(I read this to mean remaining in the terminal's gates access areas).

Please ensure you check with your airline prior to purchase/departure for confirmation of details.

Should an expat.com member take this visa free/exempt option to visit VN, we would very much appreciate hearing from you of your experience

@Aidan in HCMC Thanks for the info on this. I decided some years ago to try this from Kampot Cambodia but ran into a few issues. I have friends in Can Tho so it would be fun to reach Phu Quoc and have my friends visit. Many of the flights are not direct but transit through HCMC. I saw my answer in your second post so am editing this to remove the question.

I was looking at flights from Phnom Penh and there are no direct flights. It appears there is one from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. I guess it's a good excuse to go play in Malaysia first :-).  Just will need the return flight somewhere from Phu Quoc then but not into Vietnam since then I would need a regular evisa. I guess the same would apply to leaving Phu Quoc if the flight stopped in HCMC? Going from a domestic flight to an international carrier to exit the country. I would then need the evisa to exit the country since I would be transiting from a domestic terminal to international.

Just a guess, but maybe routing through Singapore is a better option for many travelers?

Just a guess, but maybe routing through Singapore is a better option for many travelers?
-@OceanBeach92107

You've got me scratching my head, and I'll probably kick myself for asking, but how would going through Singapore help?

Just a guess, but maybe routing through Singapore is a better option for many travelers?
-@OceanBeach92107

You've got me scratching my head, and I'll probably kick myself for asking, but how would going through Singapore help?
-@Aidan in HCMC

My bad.

I assumed there were nonstop flights to Phu Quoc from Singapore, since there are NS flights from there to Phuket, Thailand.

A quick Google Flights search indicates that the only major eastern Pacific connection from the United States with NS flights to Phu Quoc (other than Vietnam domestic flights) is Korea.

I'm also wondering if some sort of transit visa can be arranged, but maybe that would simply be an evisa?

Another thought (these are all questions/hypotheticals):

IF it's possible for a person on a regular evisa (let's say 21 days of validity remaining) to fly on a domestic flight into Phu Quoc, and they only stay for 14 days, is their evisa still valid for reentry to the mainland?

I assumed there were nonstop flights to Phu Quoc from Singapore, since there are NS flights from there to Phuket, Thailand.

None from Singapore, but right next door from Kuala Lumpur there is.

A quick Google Flights search indicates that the only major eastern Pacific connection from the United States with NS flights to Phu Quoc (other than Vietnam domestic flights) is Korea.

The flights directly in to Phu Quoc which I could find, are from the cities...

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL)

Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)

New Dehli, India (DEL)

Mumbai, India (BOM)

Seoul, Korea (ICN)

I'm also wondering if some sort of transit visa can be arranged, but maybe that would simply be an evisa?

I think you're right. If you have to pass through Customs/Immigration, anywhere other than at Phu Quoc as the final destination, then yes, an eVisa would be required.

Another thought (these are all questions/hypotheticals):
IF it's possible for a person on a regular evisa (let's say 21 days of validity remaining) to fly on a domestic flight into Phu Quoc, and they only stay for 14 days, is their evisa still valid for reentry to the mainland?
                                                                 -@OceanBeach92107

Yes, absolutely still valid, for as we know the eVisa grants the holder permission to travel to all regions of VN for up to 30 days. Visiting the visa free/visa exempt "sandbox" of Phu Quoc will not negate a valid eVisa. (on a purely personal note, I so dislike that marketing term sandbox). It is also possible to enter Phu Quoc, visa free, and apply directly to Phu Quoc immigration for a visa allowing one to leave the island and visit other destinations within VN (this would be a non-eVisa).

From what I've been able to glean from my readings of various sites, it should be possible to travel to Phu Quoc visa free by way of a non-direct routes provided that during the layover one did not have to leave the int'l flight departure area. So for example, one arrives via Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh, then transfers to the final leg of another airline's int'l route flying from HCMC to Phu Quoc. This itinerary, with tickets purchased, should be arranged prior to one's departure to VN.

Any expat.com members, or potential expat.com members (c'mon, stop sitting on the fence and join expat.com today! ) reading this should check with their prospective airline(s) for up-to-date guidelines.

Please let us all know of your experience should any of you opt for the visa free/visa exemption route to visit Vietnam.

What would be the value of going visa free if it would require an extended travel route just to find a connecting flight from someplace that you aren't in today?  E Visa isn't hard to get or expensive so what's the point of running all over SEA to get a connecting flight?  Get E-Visa, go to HCMC and hop there at your convenience.

What would be the value of going visa free if it would require an extended travel route just to find a connecting flight from someplace that you aren't in today?

There would be none.

E Visa isn't hard to get or expensive so what's the point of running all over SEA to get a connecting flight? Get E-Visa, go to HCMC and hop there at your convenience.
-@SteinNebraska

But why go to HCMC if one wishes to visit Phu Quoc?

As the title of the thread suggests, this is for the benefit of people wishing to visit Phu Quoc, hassle free. Have passport, will travel (just like the good old days ).

Once here, and having decided one likes it here, there is then the option of applying directly to Phu Quoc immigration for an in-passport visa/stamp (not an eVisa)  to leave the island to visit other regions of VN.

Our current expat.com members, by country, number;

Thailand : 55706 members (with a potential membership of 70,230,134)

India : 53448 members (potential membership of 1,493,947,974)

Malaysia : 58,840 members (potential membership of 33,411,358)

South Korea : 17,823(potential membership of 51,377,103)

These are the countries where I have determined direct flights to Phu Quoc are available (there may be more).

Many expat.com members, as well as casual readers of this forum, may find value in this visa free / visa exempt option to visit VN. It is not offered as an alternative to an eVisa by VN Immigration, nor would many find it suitable in terms of a border run.

You lost me at "but"...

Once here, and having decided one likes it here, there is then the option of applying directly to Phu Quoc immigration for an in-passport visa/stamp (not an eVisa) to leave the island to visit other regions of VN.
-@Aidan in HCMC

I reread your post a couple of times, and I get where you are coming from now.

But is this type of visa really a thing now?

Is there anyone who has successfully applied in country (while on Phu Quoc on a visa free exemption for 30 days) and had a tourist visa approved (not an evisa)?

of course there's nothing stopping anyone from applying for anything at immigration.

I just haven't heard anything about anyone being able to do this, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

I just haven't heard anything about anyone being able to do this, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened.
-@OceanBeach92107

Yes, and I was wondering the same thing.

  Any members try this? Apologies in advance if I missed the post(s). -@Aidan in HCMC

I can tell you, for certain, that on my two (or three?) trips to deliver my friend to the Ha Tien ferry that prior to boarding they insisted upon seeing his passport. I found it strange, even for VN. Now I understand that they were probably checking to see whether he was permitted to leave the island.

Would be great to hear from members who've gone the visa free/exempt route.

Phu Quoc is extremely boring, especially at the outskirts where locals *love* to burn trash in the evenings..that is just my own experience.

Phu Quoc is extremely boring, especially at the outskirts where locals *love* to burn trash in the evenings..that is just my own experience.
-@narcrepellant2525

Sorry to hear of your bad experience in Phu Quoc.

When were you here?

What would be the value of going visa free if it would require an extended travel route just to find a connecting flight from someplace that you aren't in today? E Visa isn't hard to get or expensive so what's the point of running all over SEA to get a connecting flight? Get E-Visa, go to HCMC and hop there at your convenience.
-@SteinNebraska

I agree 100 percent plus PQ is soo boring.

Phu Quoc is extremely boring, especially at the outskirts where locals *love* to burn trash in the evenings..that is just my own experience.
-@narcrepellant2525

Sorry to hear of your bad experience in Phu Quoc.
When were you here?
-@Aidan in HCMC

I was there 4-5 months ago.

What would be the value of going visa free if it would require an extended travel route just to find a connecting flight from someplace that you aren't in today? E Visa isn't hard to get or expensive so what's the point of running all over SEA to get a connecting flight? Get E-Visa, go to HCMC and hop there at your convenience.
-@SteinNebraska
I agree 100 percent plus PQ is soo boring.
-@narcrepellant2525

The trick to not being bored is to not be boring.

What would be the value of going visa free if it would require an extended travel route just to find a connecting flight from someplace that you aren't in today? E Visa isn't hard to get or expensive so what's the point of running all over SEA to get a connecting flight? Get E-Visa, go to HCMC and hop there at your convenience.
-@SteinNebraska
I agree 100 percent plus PQ is soo boring.
-@narcrepellant2525

I'm not sure what you 100% agree with. Perhaps you missed my response to SN?

Specifically...

But why go to HCMC if one wishes to visit Phu Quoc? As the title of the thread suggests, this is for the benefit of people wishing to visit Phu Quoc, hassle free. Have passport, will travel (just like the good old days ).

This just in

International flights to Phu Quoc suspended due to low demand

By Hoang Phong  May 4, 2023 (link to VNEXPRESS Int'l)

The number of foreign tourists visiting Phu Quoc has been falling sharply, forcing some airlines to cancel flights to the island.

Charter flights from Taiwan and Hong Kong have been canceled.

Flights from South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand continue to operate.

(presumably continuing from India?)

Phu Quoc eyes 6-month visa waiver to lure overseas tourists

Authorities in the southern province of Kien Giang, home to Phu Quoc, have proposed extending visa-free stay on the island from the current 30 days to six months. (link)

Phu Quoc eyes 6-month visa waiver to lure overseas tourists
Authorities in the southern province of Kien Giang, home to Phu Quoc, have proposed extending visa-free stay on the island from the current 30 days to six months. (link)
-@Aidan in HCMC

Just as in México! 😎👍

Phu Quoc eyes 6-month visa waiver to lure overseas tourists
Authorities in the southern province of Kien Giang, home to Phu Quoc, have proposed extending visa-free stay on the island from the current 30 days to six months. (link)
-@Aidan in HCMC
Just as in México! 😎👍
-@OceanBeach92107

I think, though I'm not sure, that Mexico is currently for one year visa free, all nations. Canadians and Americans have never needed a visa, have we?

Last time I was in Mexico, I spent 3 months camping in a pup-tent, up and down the Yucatan. Many years ago now, back when Corona meant something entirely different

edit: right you are, OB. 6 months, renewable

edit: right you are, OB. 6 months, renewable
-@Aidan in HCMC

Renewing the 6 months Multiple Migratory Form - FMM (not technically a Visa; known as a "tourist card“) while remaining in Mexico is extremely problematic.

It's not impossible, but nobody wants to jump through the hoops of going to one particular City and having to justify your presence in the country (with added documentation) to remain longer, keeping in mind that they don't want people to come and work illegally anymore than Vietnam does.

So every foreigner I knew there without temporary or permanent resident status (when I was in Mexico from August of 2021 until spring of 2022) would exit the country before their tourist card expiration date and then turn around and reenter (after spending a day in the USA) on a new 6 month tourist card, IF they were smart enough to specifically ask for it.

Over the past few years, Mexican authorities have begun issuing shorter tourist cards based on info provided by the visitor.

So if you show them you have a 30 day hotel reservation somewhere, you might be granted only a 30 day card.

What would be the value of going visa free if it would require an extended travel route just to find a connecting flight from someplace that you aren't in today? E Visa isn't hard to get or expensive so what's the point of running all over SEA to get a connecting flight? Get E-Visa, go to HCMC and hop there at your convenience.
-@SteinNebraska
I agree 100 percent plus PQ is soo boring.
-@narcrepellant2525

The trick to not being bored is to not be boring.
-@Aidan in HCMC

What is so interesting on Phu Quoc, maybe I missed that since I am boring person?

What is so interesting on Phu Quoc, maybe I missed that since I am boring person?
-@narcrepellant2525

(Red) Starfish Beach

Rạch Vẹm

on the north shore across from Cambodia

Bãi đá mũi Gành Dầu

Lookout point on the northwest corner of the island and...

Bãi biển Gành Dầu

just south of Bãi đá mũi Gành Dầu

A cool little fishing village with great tide pools and the "Love Hotel" 😍

Bãi san hô Gành Dầu

beautiful park with nice snorkeling when tides are not too high

VinWonders Phú Quốc &

Vinpearl Discovery Wonderworld Hotel

Thủy Cung Vinpearl Land Aquarium

Vinpearl Safari

eat lunch with a 🦒

Drive the loop up the west coast and around Vườn Quốc gia Phú Quốc (national park) returning on the DT973.

About halfway up the coast, be sure to complete the usual expat pilgrimage to Rory's Beach Bar and treehouse hotel...

Unfortunately the Phú Quốc Organic Bee Farm is temporarily closed (but still has products available online) as that place was a real trip, with a bee whisperer who had bees crawling in my hands without stinging me.

Ong Lang Beach, Cửa Dương is really nice.

The Night Market was somewhat depressed during COVID, but we still had some awesome, fresh cá mú (grouper) at one of the restaurants there, and we could definitely see how an upturn in the economy after the pandemic would probably result in the place thriving again.

it was fun when our driver took a shortcut a few times, leaving the central city and   across the old Sân bay Dương Đông (a defunct airfield still used for large outdoor events such as carnivals & fairs sometimes). No idea how long that's going to be an alternate route but we had him stop so we could check out the derelict terminal building and control tower that are still there, before we headed out to the runway and turned right and went down to the next road off of the airfield and continued north.

I really enjoyed the area around the little Dinh Cậu Temple shrine above the channel at the mouth of the main harbor, where we were able to have great views in all directions, especially enjoying watching the ships entering and leaving the harbor.

The Cheeky Traveler English Pub has almost always got a band or jam session going on.

King Kong Mart is a pretty cool independent supermarket plus coffee shop plus restaurant plus deli that's worth at least one visit, especially when you run short of western products.

We were intent on avoiding anything that had a sign saying "pearl" as we had been warned about a tourist trap pearl shop owned and promoted by a famous former Vietnamese beauty queen.

However, our driver whom we had come to trust suggested that we might want to visit the Ngoc Hien Pearl Farm and we were definitely not disappointed.

It's also a very large jewelry store, but it's been woven into a great museum of sunken treasure and amazing coral that's been brought up on numerous dives.

As we exited the museum and had to walk out through the really beautiful and diverse jewelry store, there was no hard pressure from anyone to buy anything and we even stopped in the cafe there for some delicious coffee at what was a pretty reasonable price.

We didn't check out any of the golf courses but we heard that they have been recovering after covid.

The whole area of An Thới is full of interesting distractions, not the least of which is the old city area, the first permanent settlement on the island, according to a guide.

The harbor there is a great walking area and as I mentioned before in another thread, the old market has a really cool alleyway that at times seems to be entirely closed overhead by the surrounding buildings and the market itself has an underground feeling, and it makes for what seemed to me like a trip through a Vietnam casbah.

Over in the new section of town, the departure terminal for the aerial tramway to Sun World Hòn Thơm Island Nature & Amusement Park is surrounded by a very modern neighborhood with all kinds of conveniences and distractions in a very beautiful setting there above the water.

That aerial tramway (one of the longest in the world) is such an amazing experience, traveling over the ocean and skipping over Islands, that I would probably do that even when I wasn't interested in visiting the amusement/nature park, because there's such an awesome beach with crystal clear water there on Hòn Thơm.

Kem Beach & Sao Beach are both very interesting and attractive in their own ways.

Sao Beach is probably the better option if you're looking for things such as jet skis.

Finally, if you are feeling super spoiled and in need of entertainment to snap you out of your doldrums, I highly recommend a visit to Nhà tù Phú Quốc history museum on the grounds of a former POW camp that was run by the former South Vietnamese government with advisory assistance by the US Army.

Since I'm not a heavy drinker or partier I left out the many places around the island where you can party to your heart's content.

Not sure what else it would take to meet your entertainment needs...

Here's that beach at Sun World Hòn Thơm Island Nature & Amusement Park

TBH all this can be achieved in maximum 3 days or bit more. I went to shore facing Cambodia and sadly the beach there was royally stuffed with garbage. Defunct RWY in the middle of the PQ town was interesting sight, initially I was thinking such a wide road was another funny and unfortunately abandoned project, but then I saw runway markings, taxiways and heading together with extended threshold markings and old terminal building together with tower left to own devices. Former Phy Quoc concentration camp was disturbing thing to see, reminder of the undeed forces from the opposite ideological spectrum did. Missed cablecar experience. TBH PQ island is not that bad, but for me the showstopper was some dudes burning trash every night in the vicinity of my bungalow. Stayed around one month there and my own opinion about the place is like one Greek dude said about the Dubrovnik "You go there once and never come back".

We flied with Vietnam Airlines from TPE-SGN-PQC couple months, the visa free was applied to basically. There will be ground staffs of Vietnam Airlines nearby the Visa on arrival counter to gather those tourists (on their list) who are going to transit to PQC. Then the ground staffs will collect all the passports to submit to the Visa counter for processing and stamp. After then you can process the the visa and passport checking and then claim your luggage. And then their will be another ground staffs of Vietnam Airlines who help to gather the luggages again before you walk to the domestic airport building. Lastly, it takes 5 minutes walk from Intl to domestic airport building and then check in the SGN-PQC route.

I am sure if you take Vietnam Airlines to PQC, transiting either in HCM or Hanoi, visa is not needed. However, if you take other carriers, no one can guarantee that. (As i am still looking for other solutions, if any)