Internet in Vietnam for Tourists: SIM, eSIM, Telegram
Internet in Vietnam for tourists, 2026: Viettel, VinaPhone or MobiFone SIM with passport and face check, or a travel eSIM. Telegram status explained.
Contents
Internet in Vietnam for tourists means either a local SIM from Viettel, VinaPhone or MobiFone, registered to your passport with a face check since April 2026, or a travel eSIM installed before the trip. Telegram was blocked in mid-2025 and has worked again since July 2025. Matrimix sells data-only eSIMs for Vietnam in its Telegram wallet, paid from the balance without a bank card or passport.
Key facts (October 2026)
- Three main operators: Viettel, VinaPhone (part of VNPT) and MobiFone.
- Passport registration: under Decree 163/2024, in force since 24 December 2024, operators may serve a mobile number only after the subscriber's documents are verified; foreigners register with a passport valid for their stay.
- Face check since 15 April 2026: Circular 08/2026 adds facial biometrics; for foreigners the data is checked against the national immigration database, number by number.
- Telegram: ordered blocked in May 2025; OONI measurements show the block lifted on 10 July 2025. At the time of writing there is no nationwide block.
- Travel eSIM: no counter and no documents; current plans and prices: eSIM Vietnam.
Mobile operators in Vietnam
The main mobile operators are Viettel, VinaPhone (the mobile brand of the state group VNPT) and MobiFone. All three sell tourist SIM cards and plans; Viettel, for example, runs tourist eSIM counters on the arrivals floor of Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Cam Ranh and other airports.
Viettel's own guide says its tourist eSIMs can only be activated after you arrive in Vietnam, after a passport photo and a selfie are checked. That is the main difference from a travel eSIM bought abroad, which you install at home.
SIM registration rules: what changed in 2024β2026
Vietnam has been tightening SIM ownership checks to fight scams and SIM cards registered to the wrong person.
- Decree 163/2024/ND-CP (from 24 December 2024): a mobile number may only be served once the operator has verified the subscriber's documents. Foreigners use a passport that is valid in Vietnam under their visa or visa-free stay. Registration includes video-call style verification.
- Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN (from 15 April 2026): verification covers four fields, including facial biometric data. For foreigners, the operator matches the passport and face against the national immigration database for each registered number. Foreigners who had registered SIMs with a passport were given 60 days to re-verify, Viet Nam News reported.
- Moving a SIM to another phone (from 15 June 2026): the operator detects it and asks for a new face check; if it is not done, outgoing calls and SMS are suspended first.
For a short trip this mostly means: bring the original passport, expect a selfie or camera check, and do not swap a local SIM between phones. A travel eSIM from Matrimix does not ask for a passport or ID.
Local SIM or travel eSIM
| Vietnamese SIM or eSIM (Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone) | Travel eSIM from Matrimix | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Airport counter or operator shop after arrival | In Telegram, before the trip |
| Documents | Passport plus face verification | None |
| Local number | Yes | No, data only |
| When it works | After registration in Vietnam | As soon as you land and switch data to it |
| Payment | Cash or card locally | Wallet balance in USDT/USDC; other coins are swapped automatically |
| Phone requirement | Unlocked phone | eSIM support and no carrier lock |
A local SIM makes sense for long stays or if you need a Vietnamese number for local services. For a holiday with maps, ride-hailing, messengers and bookings, a travel eSIM saves the counter and keeps your home SIM free for bank SMS.
Telegram in Vietnam
On 23 May 2025 Reuters reported that Vietnam's technology ministry had ordered telecom providers to block Telegram, citing the app's failure to cooperate against crimes committed by its users. OONI measurements show blocking from 25 May 2025 on the Viettel, VNPT and FPT networks, and that the block was lifted on all affected networks on 10 July 2025.
On 8 September 2026 Telegram users in Vietnam lost connection for several hours, but the outage hit Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries at the same time and was reported as a regional service failure, not a new block. Telegram's status can change, though, and the Matrimix wallet and eSIM store live in Telegram. So buy and install the eSIM before you fly: once installed, the eSIM itself works without Telegram.
Before you go
- Check the phone. Dial
*#06#: an EID line means eSIM support. The phone must be carrier-unlocked. Models: compatible phones. - Buy the eSIM in @MatrimixBot β Mini App β Services β Travel SIM cards; Vietnam is under Popular, or use the search. If you also visit Thailand, Cambodia or Laos, look at Regions: regional plans cover several countries, so check the list.
- Pay from the wallet. The price in USD is shown before you confirm; USDT/USDC pay directly, another coin is swapped automatically at the quoted rate.
- Install at home over Wi-Fi with the QR code, manual entry (SM-DP+ address and activation code) or one tap on iPhone with iOS 17.4+. The order stays under Profile β Purchases.
- Download offline maps for mountain loops and boat trips, where signal can be patchy.
Validity starts when the eSIM first connects to a network in Vietnam, not when you buy or install it. Use it on the trip you bought it for.
On arrival
Switch mobile data to the eSIM line and turn on data roaming for it. You can leave the home SIM on for calls and bank SMS with its data off. Data left is shown on the order page. Hotspot usually works, but on some networks it can be limited.
Good to know
- Data only. No Vietnamese number, calls or SMS; call through apps.
- Need more data? Buy another plan in the same menu in a couple of taps.
- One installation. Keep the eSIM profile until the trip is over; a bought eSIM cannot be returned, a failed order is refunded to the balance automatically.
- Buy in Telegram, use anywhere. The store lives in Telegram, so buy before the trip; the installed eSIM does not need it.
- Your balance, kept for you. Matrimix holds the coins for you β no seed phrases, everything opens in Telegram.
- Phone compatibility. The phone needs eSIM support and no carrier lock;
*#06#tells you in a second.
Sources
- Reuters: Vietnam orders Telegram blocked, 23 May 2025
- OONI: Vietnam blocked Telegram, block lifted 10 July 2025
- Yahoo News Singapore: Telegram outage across South-east Asia, 8 September 2026
- Kenh14: Telegram outage for users in Vietnam, 8 September 2026 (in Vietnamese)
- Vietnam Government portal: documents for SIM registration under Decree 163/2024 (in Vietnamese)
- Ministry of Science and Technology: Circular 08/2026 on subscriber verification (in Vietnamese)
- Viet Nam News: unverified mobile users face SIM suspension from 15 April
- Viettel: how to activate a tourist eSIM in Vietnam
Read also
- Travel eSIM guide: how it works
- Internet in Thailand for tourists
- eSIM or local SIM card
- Crypto wallet in Telegram
FAQ
Is Telegram blocked in Vietnam?
Not at the time of writing. Vietnam ordered a block in May 2025, and OONI measurements show it was lifted on 10 July 2025. Rules can change, so set up anything you need in Telegram before the trip.
Do I need a passport for a SIM card in Vietnam?
Yes. Local SIMs are registered to a passport valid for your stay, and since April 2026 registration includes a face check. A travel eSIM from Matrimix needs no passport or ID.
Can I activate a Vietnamese tourist eSIM before the trip?
Viettel says its tourist eSIMs can only be activated after you arrive. A travel eSIM from Matrimix is installed at home and starts its validity when it first connects in Vietnam.
Will I have a Vietnamese phone number?
No. Our eSIM is data only. Keep your home SIM on for SMS codes and call through messengers.
