Foreign visitors need a border-area permit to enter Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac, the northern half of the Ha Giang Loop along the Chinese border. Ha Giang city itself needs none. The permit is issued by the immigration department of the provincial police, and the official fee is US$10 per person.
Almost nobody applies in person. Your hotel, hostel or tour company in Ha Giang city sends in a copy of your passport and visa and hands you the permit, usually for about 260,000 VND. On a tour it should be included.
Permit sorted before you arrive
We arrange the border permit for every guest on our trips, along with the car, the driver and a licensed local guide.
★Ha Giang Loop by Private Car — 3 DaysThree days around the Ha Giang Loop in your own car, from Ha Giang city — Heaven Gate, Lung Cu, the Sky Path on Ma Pi Leng and a private boat on the Nho Que. · 3 days, 2 nightsSee the tour →Ha Giang Loop from Hanoi — 4 Days by Private CarDoor to door from Hanoi: four days on the Ha Giang Loop with your own car, a licensed local guide and a good hotel every night. · 4 days, 3 nightsSee the tour →Who needs the permit, and where
The rule applies to foreign nationals entering the border zone. Vietnamese citizens do not need it. The zone covers the four former districts on the frontier, which since the July 2025 reorganisation are a set of communes in Tuyen Quang province; the old names are still what everyone uses, as our guide to Ha Giang, Vietnam explains.
| Place on the loop | Permit needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ha Giang city | No | Buses, hotels and bike rental; where most people get the permit |
| Quan Ba (Heaven Gate, Twin Mountains) | Yes | The first border-zone area, about 48 km north |
| Yen Minh, including Du Gia | Yes | Du Gia lies in the old Yen Minh district |
| Dong Van (old quarter, Sung La, Vuong palace, Lung Cu) | Yes | Checks are most common here |
| Meo Vac (Ma Pi Leng, Nho Que River) | Yes | Includes the Sky Path and the boats |
In practice that means the whole loop beyond the first climb out of town. Every route on our Ha Giang Loop map needs it.
What the permit is, legally
Vietnam restricts access to its land border areas, and foreigners need permission from the provincial police to enter them. The national procedure is called a permit to enter restricted and border areas for foreigners. It is handled by the immigration department of the provincial police, which for Ha Giang now means Tuyen Quang.
| Item | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Immigration department, provincial police |
| Official fee | US$10 per person |
| Standard processing time | Up to 5 working days |
| Who applies | Normally a sponsoring organisation, such as a tour company or hotel, on your behalf |
That last line is why the process runs through hotels and tour companies. Operators in Ha Giang city apply for guests every day and are usually much faster than the official maximum, often within a day.
How to get it, step by step
1. Send your documents
A clear photo of your passport photo page and of your Vietnam visa or entry stamp, plus your travel dates. If you ride yourself, some offices also ask for the bike’s number plate.
2. Your hotel or operator applies
They submit it to the immigration office and pay the fee. You do not need to go anywhere.
3. Carry it with your passport
Keep the permit, or a copy of it, with your original passport for the whole trip. A photo on your phone is useful as a backup, not a replacement.
| Way to get it | Typical cost in 2026 | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Included in a tour | In the tour price | Easy rider, car and group tours |
| Through your hostel or hotel in Ha Giang city | About 260,000 VND; quotes run from roughly 200,000 to 300,000 VND | Self-riders renting a bike in town |
| Through a rental shop | Similar, often bundled with the bike | Self-riders |
The licence to ride a motorbike is a separate matter entirely; the permit does not replace it. The rules are in our comparison of car, easy rider and motorbike.
What gets checked on the loop
There are two kinds of check. Police sometimes stop foreigners at points on the main road, especially in the Dong Van and Meo Vac areas, and ask for passports and permits; self-riders may also be asked for their licence and bike papers. And every hotel and homestay has to register guests’ passports with the police, which is how the local authorities know who is in the border zone.
In June 2026 the province ran a week of inspections across 17 border communes, checking passports, visas and guest registrations at hotels and homestays and the paperwork of transport companies. The approach was mostly to explain the rules to visitors and businesses rather than to fine them, but it shows the permit is not a formality.
Timing: night buses and early starts
The common problem is not the permit itself but the clock. Many travellers reach Ha Giang city on a sleeper bus between about 4 and 6 in the morning and want to be on the road by 9. Applications go in during office hours and take time to process, so an application started that morning can hold you up.
The simple fix is to send your passport and visa photos to your hostel, rental shop or tour company a day or two before you travel. They can then apply in advance and give you the permit when you arrive. If you only book on arrival, allow for a later start or an extra night in town. On a private trip, you send us a passport photo on WhatsApp after booking and we apply before your start date.
Rules while you are in the border zone
The permit covers ordinary tourism on the loop. It does not let you cross into China; the frontier can only be crossed at official border gates, and none of the loop’s viewpoints is one. Stay on public roads and at the known sites, and take the police at their word if a road is closed.
For what each stop on the route is like, see the complete Ha Giang Loop guide.
The permit on our trips
Foreign visitors need a border-area permit for Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac. We arrange it for every guest on our tours — send a photo of your passport on WhatsApp after booking. The fee is part of the tour price for both the three-day loop from Ha Giang city and the four-day trip from Hanoi, and your guide carries the paperwork on the road.
Leave the paperwork to us
Permit, rooms and entrance fees arranged before you arrive, with a private car and guide for your group only.
Ha Giang Loop by Private Car — 3 Days3 days, 2 nightsSee the tour →Ha Giang Loop from Hanoi — 4 Days by Private Car4 days, 3 nightsSee the tour →Questions about the Ha Giang permit
Do I need a permit for the Ha Giang Loop?
Yes, if you are a foreign national. The border districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac, which cover almost the whole loop, require a border-area permit. Ha Giang city does not.
How much is the Ha Giang permit?
The official fee is US$10 per person. Hotels, hostels and tour companies usually charge around 200,000 to 300,000 VND to arrange it, and tours normally include it.
Can I get the permit when I arrive in Ha Giang city?
Yes. Most self-riders arrange it through their hostel or rental shop on arrival, often within a day. Send your passport and visa details ahead if you arrive on a night bus and want to leave that morning.
Do I need the permit if I am on a tour?
You need it, but the tour company should arrange it. Ask whether it is included before you book; on our trips it always is.
What happens if I do not have the permit?
At a checkpoint or hotel you can be stopped, delayed and fined, and asked to sort it out before you continue. It is cheaper and quicker to get it in Ha Giang city first.
The loop with the permit already done
Car, driver, licensed local guide, rooms, meals, the boat and the border permit in one price for your group, free to cancel until 5 days before.
★Ha Giang Loop by Private Car — 3 DaysThree days around the Ha Giang Loop in your own car, from Ha Giang city — Heaven Gate, Lung Cu, the Sky Path on Ma Pi Leng and a private boat on the Nho Que. · 3 days, 2 nightsfrom$354/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$975BOOK →2 guests$1,075BOOK →3 guests$1,315BOOK →4 guests$1,415BOOK →See the full tour page →Ha Giang Loop from Hanoi — 4 Days by Private CarDoor to door from Hanoi: four days on the Ha Giang Loop with your own car, a licensed local guide and a good hotel every night. · 4 days, 3 nightsfrom$543/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$1,515BOOK →2 guests$1,640BOOK →3 guests$2,045BOOK →4 guests$2,170BOOK →See the full tour page →The permit fee, issuing office and 2026 inspection details were checked in September 2026; rules can change without notice.