SIM Cards and eSIMs in Hanoi: How to Get Online

Getting a SIM card in Hanoi is straightforward, but Vietnam now has strict verification rules for every mobile number. If you know what to bring and where to buy, you can be online soon after you land. If you buy from the wrong place or swap phones later, you may find your number stops working.

The short answer

• Bring your passport. It is the document foreign visitors use to register a Vietnamese number. The table near the top of this guide has the exact wording of the rule.
• Expect a face check. A new number only works once your ID details and a live photo of your face have been verified.
• Buy from an official source: a mobile operator’s own shop or an authorised counter, such as those in the arrivals area at the airport.
• Decide on SIM or eSIM before you buy, and set the number up in the phone you will actually use.

The details

What the rules require

Since April 2026, a Ministry of Science and Technology circular requires mobile operators to verify four details for every new number before it gets service: your identification number, full name, date of birth and a live image of your face. For foreign nationals, operators check these electronically against Vietnam’s national immigration database. Where that is not possible, the checks must be done in person at the operator’s own shop or at a point it has authorised.

This is why buying a pre-activated SIM from an unofficial seller is a poor idea. A number that has not been verified in your name is not supposed to be in service, and you have no way to fix it on the spot.

Changing phones

Since June 2026, operators must also react when a number appears in a different phone. Outgoing calls and text messages are suspended until the subscriber verifies their face again, and a number that is never re-verified can eventually be cut off. For travellers, the practical point is simple: insert or install the number in the phone you will use for the whole trip, and avoid moving it between devices.

Where to buy

Vietnam’s main operators include Viettel, VinaPhone and MobiFone; Vietnamobile also sells prepaid SIMs. You will find official counters at the airport and operator shops around the city. We do not rank operators or packages; compare what each shop offers on the day, and ask staff to confirm the data allowance, the validity period and whether calls are included.

SIM or eSIM?

• A physical SIM works in any phone that is not locked to another network. It is the simplest choice if you are not sure about your phone.
• An eSIM from a Vietnamese operator is installed by scanning a QR code or through the operator’s settings. Viettel, VinaPhone and MobiFone all support eSIMs. Your phone must be eSIM-compatible (not every version of a model is), and you need an internet connection to activate it. The same registration and verification rules apply, and an eSIM is harder than a physical SIM to move to another phone.
• An international travel eSIM is bought online from a foreign provider before you leave home. These are sold under each provider’s own terms, so check what is included (data only, or a local number too), the network it uses in Vietnam, and how to get help if it does not connect.

Do and don’t

• Do keep your passport with you when you buy, and check that the name and number on the screen match it.
• Do test data, calls and text messages before you leave the counter.
• Do note the number and keep the SIM card holder or eSIM QR details until you leave Vietnam.
• Don’t buy a SIM that is already activated in someone else’s name.
• Don’t move your Vietnamese number into a different phone mid-trip unless you are ready to verify your face again.
• Don’t rely only on hotel and café Wi-Fi if you need ride-hailing apps or maps on the move.

Where to check official, current information

The rules above come from Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN, published on the Vietnamese Government’s legal portal. Operators’ own websites and shops are the best place to confirm current packages and how they carry out verification. If you are staying for a long time or using a number for banking, ask the operator directly how the rules apply to your situation.