Do you need to fill out the Vietnam PAI pre-arrival registration form and get a QR code before arrival?

A traveler transiting through Chengdu to Cam Ranh airport could not complete the PAI QR registration because the website was down for several days. The check-in desk in Chengdu strongly recommended getting it, but upon arrival in Cam Ranh no one asked for the QR code. An information stand about it exists in the airport, but the system is effectively non-functional.

The Russian Embassy in Vietnam confirmed that the PAI (Pre-Arrival Information) system is currently operating in test mode. Filling out the online form and obtaining a QR code is not mandatory and is not a requirement for passing border control at Vietnamese airports.

Vietnamese authorities clarified that PAI registration will eventually become mandatory, primarily at the country's major international airports: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Cam Ranh, and Phu Quoc. Travelers should be prepared to fill out an electronic declaration if requested by immigration officers. An official announcement will be made when the new rules take effect.