By Sumer. Checked against official sources on 2026-10-21. A few points are still open; they are listed under Sources.
Every foreigner staying in Vietnam has to be declared to the police at the place where they stay. Hotels do this quietly at check-in, so many visitors never notice. If you rent an apartment, stay with friends or move house, it matters more. This guide is based on the Ministry of Public Security's published procedure and the immigration law it cites.
Vietnam's law on the entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners (Law No. 47/2014/QH13) requires a foreigner's temporary residence to be declared to the local police. The Ministry of Public Security lists it as an administrative procedure called declaring temporary residence for foreigners, with no fee. The procedure page cites the 2014 law as amended in 2019 and a 2016 ministry circular (No. 53/2016/TT-BCA) on how declarations are made and received.
The duty sits with the person who runs the place you stay. For a hotel, guesthouse or serviced apartment, that is the accommodation business, which normally declares you at check-in using your passport. For a rented flat or a private home, the landlord or the host who manages the accommodation is responsible. In practice you should hand over your passport details promptly and ask your landlord or host to confirm the declaration has been made.
The law gives 12 hours from the foreigner's arrival at the accommodation, or 24 hours in remote areas. The ministry's online procedure says the declaration should be made immediately when the foreigner arrives. If you move to a new address, a new declaration is needed for the new place, so tell your next landlord when you are arriving.
The ministry lists the procedure as fully online. The accommodation manager registers an account on the immigration declaration website (kbtt.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn), the National Public Service Portal or the Ministry of Public Security public service portal, logs in, enters or uploads the guest's passport information, checks it and submits. Provincial immigration addresses such as haiphong.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn now forward to the same national site. A declaration can also be made on paper with the local police, according to the law.
When you sign a lease, ask who will make the declaration and when, and keep a photo of your passport, visa or temporary residence card and entry stamp ready to send. If you stay with friends, the host is the person who declares. If you are unsure whether you have been declared, ask the local commune or ward police office. We have not stated fine amounts because the sources we found disagree; check the current rules with the police if you are worried.
No. The hotel or other accommodation business declares its foreign guests.
The law gives 12 hours from arrival, or 24 hours in remote areas.
The Ministry of Public Security procedure lists no fee.
Yes, the new accommodation must declare you at the new address.
Checked 2026-10-21. Items still open: Whether the 2023 and 2025 amendments to Law 47/2014 changed the deadline or the form of declaration; Current fines for late or missing declarations; Whether your province still accepts paper declarations at the commune police.
Related: Hai Phong living dashboard