Connectivity — Vietnam
What travelers need to know about connectivity in Vietnam. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Connectivity in Vietnam: allowed only under specific conditions.
Moving your Vietnamese SIM into a different handset can get the line suspended within two hours. From 15 April 2026, under Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN, operators must detect a device change within a maximum of two hours, suspend outgoing service, and require facial biometric re-authentication. You then have 30 days to complete the face check, or the line goes to full two-way suspension; after a further 5 days the provider terminates the contract and discontinues service. Every newly registered SIM also requires facial biometric verification cross-checked against national databases, capturing personal identity number, full name, date of birth and facial biometric data. Verification runs through the VNeID app, the operator's own app, or an authorised telecom service point. The ministry announcement does not state how a foreign visitor without a Vietnamese personal identity number verifies, so treat a local SIM as unlikely to survive a handset swap and consider roaming or an eSIM.
No fine on the subscriber is stated. The stated consequences are suspension of outgoing service within a maximum of two hours of a detected device change, full two-way suspension after 30 days without facial verification, and contract termination with service discontinued 5 days after that.
§ Viet Nam Ministry of Science and Technology (mic.gov.vn) - Biometric verification required for mobile device changes from April 15 (Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN)Verified Sep 17, 2026