Long Thanh Airport 2026: What Changes for Your Visa

Long Thanh International Airport (LTH) is Ho Chi Minh City’s new airport, about 40 km east of the city centre in Dong Nai province. It is scheduled to open for commercial flights on 1 December 2026.

About Long Thanh International Airport

Long Thanh is Ho Chi Minh City’s new international airport, in Dong Nai province about 40 km east of the city centre. It was built because Tan Son Nhat, located inside the city, already handles far more passengers than it was designed for and has no room to expand.

For visa applicants, the opening brings three practical points:

• Visa rules stay the same. Eligibility, visa types and processing times do not change.
• A new entry gate. Long Thanh is added to the e-visa entry list, so travelers landing there must select it when applying.
• Two airports serving the city. The airport code on the ticket, LTH or SGN, decides which entry gate goes on the e-visa.

Flights Moving to Long Thanh

Most flights into Ho Chi Minh City will still use Tan Son Nhat in December 2026. Only a small first group of routes moves to Long Thanh at opening.

Confirmed for the opening phase:

• Vietnam Airlines: four international routes, to and from Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Manila.
• Vietjet: a proposed base with 18 daily domestic flights to Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa and Vinh.

Not yet confirmed: foreign airlines. Korean Air has inspected the airport and is studying a route from Incheon, but nothing is scheduled.

Tan Son Nhat keeps its domestic network and most short and medium-haul international routes. Your booking is the only reliable answer: the airport code on your ticket tells you where you land.

What Changes For Vietnam Visa At Long Thanh?

E-Visa Application

Long Thanh is an approved e-visa entry point. Resolution 389/NQ-CP of 2 December 2025 added Long Thanh to the list of border gates where e-visa holders can enter, effective once the airport is officially in operation. It is one of 83 e-visa entry points nationwide.

What this means in practice:

• New e-visa applications: select Long Thanh as your entry gate if your flight lands at LTH.
• E-visa already issued for Tan Son Nhat, but your flight moved to Long Thanh? Officers check your entry gate against your e-visa.
• Leaving Vietnam: you can usually exit through any international gate, regardless of where you entered.

More on entry gates in Vietnam eVisa Ports of Entry.

Visa on Arrival Application

Visa on arrival currently works at eight international airports, and Long Thanh is not yet one of them. Until immigration confirms a landing visa counter at LTH, do not plan to use visa on arrival there.

Our advice: flying into Long Thanh in its first months? Get an e-visa. It is the only route confirmed for this airport.

If you are short on time, see Vietnam Emergency Visa Application. For airports that do stamp visas on arrival, see Vietnam Visa On Arrival Application.

PAI and Arrival Formalities

The PAI pre-arrival declaration already applies at Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc, and the Immigration Department plans to cover all international airports. Long Thanh is expected to join, but no date has been announced.

Until it is confirmed, check your airline’s arrival information a few days before you fly. How PAI works: Vietnam PAI Pre-Arrival Declaration.

A new terminal often means slower immigration in its first weeks, while staff and systems settle in. Build in extra time for onward plans, or add Airport Fast Track.

Transfers to Ho Chi Minh City

The airport links to Ho Chi Minh City via the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay expressway and National Highway 51. A metro or rail link is planned but not expected before the 2030s.

Every transfer into the city is by road for now. The airport links to Ho Chi Minh City via the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay expressway and National Highway 51. A metro or rail link is planned but not expected before the 2030s.

• Taxi and ride-hailing: Expected at opening. Fares have not been published yet.
• Private airport transfer: Expected at opening. Pre-booking ensures a driver is waiting at arrivals.
• Shuttle bus: Not confirmed. A bus link has been approved, but schedules have not been announced.
• Metro or rail: Not available. A rail link is planned for the 2030s.

No official travel time has been published yet; it depends heavily on traffic. Book a pick-up in advance through Airport Transfer to avoid negotiating at the kerb.

Long Thanh International Airport is nearing completion,
with commercial operations expected to begin on December 24, 2026.

Choosing the E-Visa Entry Gate

Your e-visa names the gate where you will enter. Pick it from your actual flight, not your destination city.

> Step 1: Check the airport code on your booking. LTH means Long Thanh; SGN means Tan Son Nhat.

> Step 2: Select that airport as your entry gate when you apply.

> Step 3: Recheck before you fly. If your airline moves your flight to the other airport, contact us straight away.

Split tickets warning: arriving at one airport and departing from the other on the same day carries a real risk of missed connections. Leave a large buffer, or avoid the combination.

Apply With Simple Vietnam Visa

Simple Vietnam Visa is a private visa service company. We check that your entry gate matches your flight, handle urgent requests, and update you if Long Thanh’s arrangements change. Our service fee is shown separately from the government fee.

Whether you are applying for the first time, dealing with an urgent situation, or unsure which visa type suits your trip. Our team is available 24/7 to assist with any visa-related query, from standard applications to emergency processing.

• Phone/WhatsApp: (+84) 856 598 868
• Email: info@simplevietnamvisa.com

Frequently Asked Questions