Vietnam has become the latest country to eliminate pre-departure COVID-19 testing, with effect from 15 May 2022.ย This applies to all travellers, regardless of vaccination status.
Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have already eliminated COVID-19 testing (albeit for fully vaccinated travellers only) which leaves Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines as the only ASEAN countries still requiring travellers to test.ย
Vietnam scraps pre-departure testing
Currently, travellers to Vietnam are required to present a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test result, which can be any of the following:
- ART: 24h before departure
- RT-PCR: 72h before departure
- RT-LAMP: 72h before departure
Testing is required regardless of vaccination status, but those aged below two are exempt.
From 15 May 2022, the testing requirement will be lifted for all travellers.ย IATA TIMATIC and Singapore Airlines’ travel advisory page have already been updated to reflect the latest regulations.ย
Vietnam previously scrapped the requirement to submit a health declaration form within one day of arrival, which means that the only red tape remaining is to download the PC-COVID contact tracing app (Androidย |ย iOS).
While TIMATIC does not list travel insurance as a mandatory requirement, Vietnam’s official tourism website states that travellers must have at least US$10,000 coverage for COVID-19 treatment. Regardless of the official requirement, you shouldn’t be travelling without insurance anyway.ย
| ๐ป๐ณ Checklist: Vietnam Travel (From 15 May) |
Which other ASEAN countries have scrapped testing?
With Vietnam’s decision to scrap pre-departure testing (PDT), only 4 out of 10 ASEAN countries will require fully vaccinated travellers to test before departure.ย
| Testing Regime for Fully Vaccinated Travellers |
||
| Country | PDT | On-Arrival |
| ๐ง๐ณ Brunei | ART (1 day) or PCR (2 days) | ART |
| ๐ฐ๐ญ Cambodia | N/A | N/A |
| ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia | PCR (48h) | N/A |
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Laos | N/A | N/A |
| ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia | N/A | N/A |
| ๐ฒ๐ฒ Myanmar | PCR (72h) | ART |
| ๐ต๐ญ Philippines | ART (24h) or PCR (48h) | N/A |
| ๐ธ๐ฌ Singapore | N/A | N/A |
| ๐น๐ญ Thailand | N/A | N/A |
| ๐ป๐ณ Vietnam | ART (24h) or PCR (72h)ย -scrapped from 15 May- |
N/A |
Rumour has it that Indonesia will be the next to scrap PDT, or at the very least downgrade it to antigen testing (which is already possible for travellers from Singapore to Batam/Bintan). Fingers crossed it happens soon!
For a list of the cheapest places to do a pre-departure ART or PCR test in Singapore, refer to the article below.ย
Cheapest pre-departure COVID-19 ART and PCR tests in Singapore
Conclusion
Vietnam will be eliminating pre-departure testing for all travellers from 15 May 2022, which means that mandatory travel insurance aside, entry will return to pre-COVID conditions (you don’t even need to be vaccinated to visit!).
It’s high time I started looking at redeeming my Banyan Tree Lang Co voucher…
At the moment, Brunei on arrival ART is Day 1, 2 & 3 and must use the ART kits supplied on arrival with the QR code on the ART kits.
To upload results on the local Bruhealth contact tracing app.
Strictest requirement in region I think.
correct- not that they were a big tourist hotspot before covid either!
Indonesia PDT PCR requirement is 48hrs atm ๐
thanks! have fixed that.
I have been avoiding Indonesia like a plague, for a country that hasn’t been very honest about covid numbers and poor in its vaccination campaign, asking for the nonsensical PCR is just too much.
And from today, Indon lifts all testing for fully vaxxed travellers
The Singapore Airlines website also says health insurance is not required, but I can’t find any official confirmation for that.