In this guide
The Short Version: Install a travel eSIM before you fly and you have data the moment you land. Sailyad and Nomadad sell Vietnam data plans that need no registration in Vietnam, and Klookad lists a 5G eSIM on the Viettel network. For a Vietnamese number, use Viettel’s counter in the Terminal 2 arrival hall at Noi Bai Airport, immediately after passport control: tourist eSIM plans start at 60,000 VND for 7 days at 5 GB a day. Local SIMs need your physical passport and a face check, and your phone must be unlocked. MobiFone gives each passport one free eSIM with 10 GB for 24 hours.
Travel eSIM or local SIM
| Travel eSIM | Local SIM or eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Sellers | Sailyad, Nomadad | Viettel, Vinaphone, MobiFone |
| Where you buy | Online, before you fly | Noi Bai Airport, operator stores, MobiFone’s website |
| Registration | None in Vietnam | Passport and face check |
| Phone number | Data only | Vietnamese number |
| Price | Nomad lists Vietnam plans from US$4 | From 60,000 VND for 7 days at Viettel |
Choose a travel eSIM for a short stay. Choose a local plan if you need a Vietnamese number for bookings and deliveries, or a large data allowance for a longer stay. Klookad lists a Viettel 5G eSIM you can buy before you fly.
Some websites and social media are blocked in Vietnam from time to time; most are normally available (UK Foreign Office).
Check your phone first
- Unlocked: the phone must not be tied to one network. Put another SIM in to test it.
- eSIM-capable: on the phone’s settings, About page, look for an EID number next to the IMEI. If there is one, the phone supports eSIM (Viettel).
- Install: go to Settings, then Mobile Data or Cellular, then Add eSIM, and scan the QR code the seller sends you.
- Roaming: keep data roaming off on your home line and on for the Vietnamese eSIM.
Buying at Noi Bai Airport
International arrivals use Terminal 2. Counters sit in the arrival hall; the airport guide covers the rest of the journey into the Old Quarter.
- Viettel: the counter is in the arrival hall, immediately after passport control. Real Viettel booths show red-and-white branding and a price board in English and Vietnamese. Viettel says that unofficial sellers can hand over pre-activated SIMs that stop working within days (Viettel).
- Vinaphone and MobiFone: both sell tourist SIMs to arriving visitors. Vinaphone also sells at its stores in Hanoi.
- Bring: your physical passport and an unlocked phone.
Registration
- Passport and face check. The seller registers the SIM to your passport and scans your face. This applies to every new Vietnamese SIM.
- Do not swap the SIM. If you move a registered physical SIM into another phone, outgoing calls and messages are locked until you complete the face check again. An eSIM stays on the phone it was installed on.
The arrivals terminal hall at Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: Shyamal, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Viettel tourist eSIM plans
These are the prices Viettel prints. They exclude the cost of the SIM or eSIM.
| Plan | Days | Price | Data and calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5G60T | 7 | 60,000 VND | 5 GB a day |
| 5G60H | 7 | 60,000 VND | 15 GB in total |
| 5G80T | 15 | 80,000 VND | 5 GB a day |
| 5G120H | 30 | 120,000 VND | 1.5 GB a day, 30 minutes to Viettel numbers, 15 minutes to other networks |
| 5G150T | 30 | 150,000 VND | 5 GB a day |
| 5G180H | 30 | 180,000 VND | 5 GB a day, 30 minutes to Viettel numbers, 15 minutes to other networks |
Viettel says its 4G network covers 98.6% of Vietnam’s population, and names Sa Pa, Ha Giang and Phu Quoc among the places its network reaches. That matters for the Sapa trip and the Ha Long Bay cruises.
MobiFone’s free eSIM
MobiFone gives each valid passport one free eSIM for international visitors, with 10 GB of data for 24 hours. It carries data only, not calls or texts.
- Register on mobifone.vn/travel before you land, with your email, passport number and e-visa file number. If you have no e-visa, scan the QR code at the immigration area of a major international airport and verify online there. Upload a photo of your passport and a portrait.
- Install the eSIM from the QR code.
- Call 900 as soon as you land. The 24 hours start from that call.
Finish the registration before you call 900. An unregistered eSIM gets temporary data, and 24 hours after the call to 900 it is locked until you register.
The eSIM stays valid for 90 days from issue. Two paid top-ups are on the same site:
| Top-up | Days | Price | Data and calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR10 | 10 | 150,000 VND | 50 GB, 70 minutes of calls in Vietnam |
| FR30 | 30 | 250,000 VND | 150 GB, 200 minutes of calls in Vietnam |
MobiFone takes Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express for top-ups.
What next
Read money in Hanoi, is Hanoi safe? and Hanoi etiquette. The public transport guide covers Grab and the metro, and the Hanoi guide has the rest of the planning.
Common questions
Should I buy a travel eSIM or a local SIM for Hanoi?
A travel eSIM is bought and installed at home and needs no registration in Vietnam. A local SIM or eSIM from Viettel, Vinaphone or MobiFone gives a Vietnamese number and is sold at Noi Bai Airport, but needs your passport and a face check. Your phone must be unlocked for either.
Do I need my passport to buy a SIM in Vietnam?
Yes for a local SIM or eSIM. Take the physical passport to the counter. Registration includes a face scan, and a registered physical SIM moved into another phone has its outgoing calls and messages locked until you verify again.
Where do I buy a SIM at Noi Bai Airport?
Viettel's counter is in the Terminal 2 arrival hall, immediately after passport control. Look for the red-and-white Viettel branding and a bilingual price board. Vinaphone and MobiFone also sell to arriving visitors.
How much is a Viettel tourist eSIM?
Viettel's tourist eSIM plans run from 60,000 VND for 7 days at 5 GB a day to 180,000 VND for 30 days at 5 GB a day plus 45 minutes of calls. The prices do not include the cost of the eSIM or SIM itself.
Is there a free eSIM for visitors to Vietnam?
MobiFone gives each valid passport one free data eSIM with 10 GB for 24 hours, registered on mobifone.vn/travel and activated by calling 900 after landing. The eSIM stays valid for 90 days from issue, and paid top-ups can be added.
