Checklist · 2026
Medical travel to Vietnam: a checklist of questions to ask
Medical travel to Vietnam is easier to plan when you ask the same short list of questions of every provider. Put them in writing before you book a flight. Clear answers are a good sign. Vague answers are a reason to keep looking. This guide covers six areas: licence, quote, language, follow-up, insurance and visa length.
1. Is the facility and the doctor licensed?
Vietnam's Law on Medical Examination and Treatment (Law No. 15/2023/QH15) took effect on January 1, 2024. It says a facility must hold an operation license from a competent Vietnamese agency. It also says a practitioner needs a valid practising license.
Ask for the facility's license and the doctor's license. Ask for the doctor's name, specialty and the department that will treat you. A real provider will answer without fuss. The law also lets patients receive information about their condition, the methods used and the charges, so you are entitled to ask.
Older practising certificates are being converted into licenses on a government schedule. A certificate issued before 2024 is not automatically a problem. Ask how the provider is handling the change.
2. Do you have a written quote?
Ask for a written quote that lists each item: the consultation, tests, the procedure, the room, medicines and any implants. Ask what could raise the price and how you will be told.
The same law says patients may receive information about service charges. It also sets out how charges are built: the cost of the service, any expected profit and legal obligations. Use that as your reason to ask for a breakdown, not a single total.
Ask about payment, too. Ask which payment methods the provider takes and when payment is due.
3. Who will speak your language?
By law, the language used in medical care in Vietnam is Vietnamese. There are exceptions. A foreign practitioner may use another language when the patient shares the practitioner's native language. A foreign practitioner may also use another language when the patient is a foreigner. In that second case, the law requires an interpreter.
Do not assume staff speak your language. Ask who will explain the treatment plan and the consent form, and in what language. Ask whether an interpreter is present for the whole visit or only some of it. Ask for key documents in a language you read.
4. What happens after you go home?
Care does not end when you leave the clinic. Ask who you can contact if a problem appears after you return, and how fast they reply. Ask how long the provider advises you to stay in Vietnam before flying, and who decides when you may travel.
Ask for your records before you leave. The law treats a medical record as the collected data on a patient, including test results and the course of treatment. Request a copy of yours, and ask which parts are translated. Your home doctor will need them.
Ask what the provider does if a complication arises. Ask whether any extra treatment would be billed to you. Get the answer in writing.
5. Does your insurance cover this?
Do not assume your home plan pays for care abroad. Plans differ on planned treatment overseas. Call your insurer and ask three things: whether the planned treatment is covered, whether you need prior approval, and what paperwork they want.
Ask whether the policy also covers a medical flight home if something goes wrong. A policy with evacuation cover is worth pricing before you commit.
Keep every invoice and receipt, and ask the provider what documents it issues for claims.
6. How long is your visa, and can it be extended?
Match your visa to your treatment and recovery time, with room to spare. Vietnam's e-visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days, single or multiple entry, according to the national tourism authority. Citizens of some countries are exempt from visas for shorter stays, so check which rule applies to your passport.
The U.S. Department of State notes that Vietnam does not allow renewal or extension of an e-visa from within the country. Officials have been issuing visas valid only for the period requested. Travelers who stay past that date may face overstay fines and delays in getting permission to leave. It also says your passport must be valid for six months beyond your planned stay.
So choose your dates with a buffer. Check the rules on the official government portal, not a third-party site.
Before you decide
None of this replaces advice from your own doctor. Talk to them before you plan treatment abroad. Then send your list of questions to each provider and compare the written replies side by side. Choose the one that answers clearly, gives a written quote and names a person to contact after you leave.