eSIM Providers in Vietnam: Viettel, MobiFone, VinaPhone and Travel eSIMs

Yes, Vietnam has eSIM. Viettel, MobiFone and VinaPhone all offer it, and Apple lists all three for eSIM on iPhone, including prepaid plans for international travelers. A local eSIM gives you a Vietnamese number but means registering with ID. If you only need data for a trip, a travel eSIM you install before you fly is the simplest route.

Here is what each option gives you and who it suits:

• Viettel eSIM: Apple lists Viettel for eSIM activation by QR code or carrier app, and for prepaid plans for travelers.
• MobiFone eSIM: sold in the My MobiFone app and in MobiFone stores, with an ID check. A new prepaid eSIM line costs VND 100,000.
• VinaPhone (VNPT) eSIM: VNPT says you can buy and activate one fully online in the My VNPT app.
• Travel eSIM: sold online by providers like SimOptions. Data only, installed before you leave, no local sign-up.

The local operators give you a Vietnamese number and minutes. A travel eSIM gives you data and nothing else, so you keep your home number for WhatsApp and calls. Want a comparison by trip length? See our guide to the best eSIM for Vietnam.

Viettel eSIM

Viettel is one of Vietnam's big mobile operators. Apple's list of eSIM carriers shows Viettel for eSIM activation by QR code or carrier app. It also lists Viettel among the carriers with eSIM prepaid plans for international travelers.

Viettel's website didn't load for us when we checked, so we can't confirm its eSIM plans, prices or ID rules for visitors. If you want a Viettel number, check on Viettel's own site or ask at a Viettel store when you arrive, and bring your passport.

MobiFone eSIM

According to MobiFone's eSIM page (in Vietnamese):

• Where to get it: you can open a new eSIM line yourself in the My MobiFone app, at authorized dealers or in a MobiFone store.
• Cost: a new prepaid or postpaid eSIM line is VND 100,000, which includes VND 25,000 for the eSIM and VND 75,000 for activation. Swapping an existing SIM for an eSIM is VND 25,000.
• ID: to switch a physical SIM to eSIM, you need your original citizen ID card (CCCD) or passport. In the app, you upload a photo of your ID and verify your identity.
• Plans: MobiFone says eSIM works on all its plans, prepaid and postpaid.
• QR code: each QR code works on one device only.

Apple lists MobiFone for eSIM activation by QR code or carrier app and for prepaid plans for travelers. The page doesn't say whether a tourist can open a line in the app, so a MobiFone store with your passport is the safer bet. Prices change, so check the page first.

VinaPhone (VNPT) eSIM

VinaPhone is the mobile brand of VNPT. Its website now sends you to vnpt.vn, which links to an eSIM section at esim.vnpt.vn. VNPT says in a news article (in Vietnamese) that you can buy and activate an eSIM fully online in the My VNPT app:

1. Open My VNPT and choose to buy a new SIM.
2. Pick a number, the eSIM type and a plan.
3. Pay online and register your subscriber details in the app.
4. Scan the QR code to activate the eSIM.

The article doesn't list fees, ID rules or whether foreign visitors can sign up. Apple lists VinaPhone for eSIM activation by QR code or carrier app and for prepaid plans for travelers. Check in the app or ask VNPT before you count on it.

Vietnam travel eSIM: data without a local SIM

A travel eSIM is a data plan you buy online. You get a QR code by email, install it on Wi-Fi before you leave, and it activates automatically when you reach Vietnam. According to their plan details on our Vietnam eSIM page, the SimOptions Vietnam plans:

• Go from 1 GB for 3 days up to 100 GB for 180 days, with 7, 15, 30 and 90 day options in between.
• Are data only. There is no Vietnamese number, calls or SMS.
• Can be topped up if you run out.
• Need no local paperwork. No store visit and no ID check in Vietnam.

For a week of maps, messages and photos in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, 5 GB is a good start. For two weeks from Ha Long Bay to Hoi An with video calls and uploads, look at 20 GB. Staying a month? Take 50 GB.

Vietnam 5GB (7 days) · Vietnam 20GB (15 days) · Vietnam 50GB (30 days) · See all Vietnam eSIMs · All destinations

How to set up an eSIM for Vietnam

1. Check your phone. It must support eSIM and be unlocked. See our guide to checking eSIM compatibility and our list of eSIM supported devices.
2. Buy your plan and wait for the QR code by email.
3. Install it on Wi-Fi before you leave. On iPhone, follow Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone. Step by step for iPhone and Android: how to install an eSIM.
4. Label the line "Vietnam" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
5. When you land, make the travel eSIM your data line and turn on data roaming for it. If data doesn't start, check that the APN is set to "plus", as the plan details say. More in what an APN is.

Not connecting after you land? Go through our eSIM activation fixes. Continuing to the Philippines? See eSIM providers in the Philippines.

Local eSIM or travel eSIM: which one is right for you?

A Viettel, MobiFone or VinaPhone eSIM fits if

• You live in Vietnam or stay for months.
• You need a Vietnamese number for local calls, deliveries, ride apps or banking.
• You're fine registering with your passport in a store or an operator app.

A travel eSIM fits if

• You're on a short trip and want data the moment you land.
• You want to sort it out at home, with no queue at the airport.
• You want to keep your home number on your phone at the same time. See how to set up a dual eSIM.
• You're also visiting Cambodia, Laos or Thailand. See our Southeast Asia eSIM page, or the Cambodia and Laos eSIM pages.

New to eSIM? Read what an eSIM is first. Going on to Cambodia or Thailand? See our guides to eSIM providers in Cambodia and eSIM providers in Thailand.

FAQs

Does Vietnam have eSIM?

Yes. Viettel, MobiFone and VinaPhone all offer eSIM, and Apple lists all three for eSIM on iPhone. Travel eSIMs for Vietnam are also sold online.

Can tourists get a Viettel eSIM in Vietnam?

Apple lists Viettel among the carriers with eSIM prepaid plans for international travelers. We couldn't load Viettel's site to confirm the plans and ID rules, so ask at a Viettel store and bring your passport.

Should I get an eSIM or a physical SIM in Vietnam?

If your phone supports eSIM, an eSIM saves you swapping cards and keeps your home SIM in place. A travel eSIM also means no store visit at all. Take a local line only if you need a Vietnamese number.

How much does a MobiFone eSIM cost?

MobiFone lists VND 100,000 for a new prepaid eSIM line, including the eSIM and activation, and VND 25,000 to swap a SIM for an eSIM. Plans are on top, and prices can change.

Do I get a Vietnamese phone number with a travel eSIM?

No. The SimOptions Vietnam plans are data only. For a Vietnamese number and local minutes, get a Viettel, MobiFone or VinaPhone line.

Can I install a Vietnam eSIM before I fly?

Yes. Install the QR code on Wi-Fi at home. A SimOptions travel eSIM then activates automatically when you reach Vietnam.

Can I use a Vietnam eSIM on an iPhone?

Yes, if your iPhone supports eSIM and is unlocked. Add the eSIM under Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM, or follow Apple's eSIM setup guide.