Ho Chi Minh City landing checklist: the first 72 hours for FDI engineers
Most arrival problems in Ho Chi Minh City are small and avoidable: a SIM that was never registered to your passport, a hotel that did not file your residence declaration, a taxi receipt your finance team cannot reimburse. This checklist is ordered the way the first three days actually happen — airport, hotel, office — and assumes you are here to work at a plant, lab or project office rather than to sightsee.
Before you leave the airport
- Know your terminal. International arrivals use Tân Sơn Nhất T2. Since 19 April 2025 most domestic flights (Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo, Pacific, VASCO, Vietravel) use the new T3; Vietjet domestic stays at T1. Long Thành, 40 km east, takes long-haul international flights from 1 December 2026 — check which airport your onward tickets use.
- Photograph your entry stamp / e-visa page. HR, the landlord and the bank will all ask for it; the immigration police want the exact entry date for your temporary residence declaration.
- Cash. Withdraw 3–5 million VND from an ATM in the arrivals hall (fees 20,000–50,000 VND per withdrawal are normal). Airport exchange counters are fine for USD 100–200; better rates are in the city.
- SIM. Buy at an official Viettel, Vinaphone or MobiFone counter, not a kiosk. Registration to your passport is mandatory and takes five minutes with a photo of you and your passport. Tourist packages cost roughly 100,000–300,000 VND for 15–30 days; ask for a plan you can convert to a monthly postpaid later. Travel eSIMs give data but no Vietnamese number — you need the number for Grab, banking and Zalo.
- Ride. Book Grab or Xanh SM in the app and walk to the marked app pick-up lane. Card taxis at the rank (Vinasun, Mai Linh, Xanh SM) are also fine. Fares and tiers are on the airport-to-industrial-parks page.
Day one — hotel or serviced apartment
- Temporary residence declaration. Every foreigner must be declared to the local police within 24 hours; hotels and serviced apartments do it online for you. If you go straight into a rented flat, the landlord must file it (Form NA17 via the immigration portal) — ask for a screenshot of the confirmation. Your work permit and residence card applications depend on it.
- Install the apps. Grab (rides, food), Xanh SM (EV taxis), Zalo (every Vietnamese colleague, landlord and supplier chats on it), Google Maps with offline HCMC, a bank app once you have an account, and Be or Gojek as a back-up ride app.
- Learn the address format. Since 1 July 2025 the district tier is gone: addresses read “number, street, ward, Ho Chi Minh City”. Drivers still say “District 1” or “Thảo Điền”; leases and invoices must use the new ward name (see each district page).
Day two — office and HR
- Confirm your immigration route. Business visa, work permit, or the intra-company-transfer exemption under Decree 219/2025 — each needs different documents from your home office (legalised degree, criminal record, health check). Details on the visas and work permits page; verify with HR or a lawyer.
- Get the company tax code and invoice details in writing. Vietnamese finance teams reimburse only expenses backed by a VAT e-invoice (hóa đơn điện tử) issued to the company’s tax code (mã số thuế). Keep the code, legal name and address in your phone; you will read it out at hotels, restaurants and shops.
- Company shuttle or Grab account. Plants in VSIP, Amata and the Hi-Tech Park usually run shuttles from Thảo Điền, District 1 and Thủ Đức; ask for the timetable. Many FDI companies also give a Grab for Business account so airport and site rides are invoiced centrally.
- Site access. Industrial parks require gate registration for visitors and vehicles; send your passport scan to the plant admin a day ahead.
Day three — the practical set-up
| Task | What you need | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Bank account | Passport, valid visa or residence card, employment contract or work permit, Vietnamese number; in-person biometric check | HSBC, Standard Chartered, UOB, Shinhan, Vietcombank, Techcombank — see banking page |
| Health cover | International policy card, list of direct-billing hospitals | FV, Vinmec, AIH, Family Medical Practice, Raffles — healthcare page |
| Housing viewings | Budget in USD, commute target, school district | Housing page |
| Transport decision | 1968-Convention IDP or a Vietnamese licence before any motorbike | Transport page |
| Test equipment for the site | Instrument list, start date, gate details | Rental from HCMC stock, delivered to every major park |
What to carry every day
- Passport (or a certified copy plus residence card once issued) — police and banks ask for the original.
- 200,000–500,000 VND in small notes: street food, parking (5,000–10,000 VND), motorbike taxis.
- A card that works contactless; VietQR bank transfer is now accepted almost everywhere, including market stalls.
- Rain jacket from May to November; afternoon storms flood streets in Thảo Điền, Bình Thạnh and District 7 within 30 minutes.
FAQ — landing in Ho Chi Minh City
Do I have to register my address with the police?
Yes. Every foreigner’s stay must be declared within 24 hours of arrival at each address. Hotels and serviced apartments do it automatically; for a private rental the landlord files it online. Ask for proof — later immigration steps depend on it.
Can I use my home SIM with roaming instead of a local SIM?
For data, yes. But Grab, Vietnamese banks, Zalo and e-invoice portals send OTPs to Vietnamese numbers, so buy a registered local SIM or eSIM on day one.
Will a normal receipt be enough for my expense claim?
Usually not. Vietnamese companies reimburse against VAT e-invoices issued to the company’s tax code. Ask for “xuất hóa đơn” with the tax code before you pay.
How much cash do I need in the first week?
About 3–5 million VND (USD 120–200) covers taxis, food, SIM and small deposits. Hotels, malls and most restaurants take cards; markets and street stalls take cash or VietQR transfer.
Is the water safe, and what about vaccinations?
Drink bottled or filtered water. No vaccinations are required for entry; hepatitis A/B, typhoid and up-to-date tetanus are commonly advised. International clinics in Thảo Điền and District 1 can update them in one visit.
Landing in Ho Chi Minh City with a factory or lab to equip?
Lost in HCM rents calibrated test equipment, supplies tools and instruments with VAT e-invoices, and helps FDI teams get a site running. Send your equipment list or your start-up date.
Request rental quote Talk to an FDI advisor · Phone / Zalo 0902 327 669
