SIM card in Hoi An: operator shops, documents, eSIM

Where can I buy a SIM in Hoi An?

There are three operator shops in Hoi An, all in the mobile and SIM section. Viettel is at 211 Lý Thường Kiệt. MobiFone is at 576 Hai Bà Trưng, on the same street as the banks and OCB. VinaPhone (VNPT) is at 06B Trần Hưng Đạo. We give no opening hours: on the maps they differ from the signs, so check the time on the day or call the shop. Bring your passport — without it no SIM will be issued.

What documents does a foreigner need?

The original passport with a valid visa or visa-free entry. A foreigner's SIM is issued on a passport only. The operator checks four items: document number, full name, date of birth and a face image, and they must match the national immigration database. The rule comes from Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN of the Ministry of Science and Technology, in force since 15 April 2026. In most cases this means a visit to the shop or registering through the operator's app.

Can I buy a SIM before arriving in Hoi An?

Yes. A Viettel tourist SIM can be ordered in advance at tourist.viettel.vn: they ask for a photo of the passport's first page, a portrait photo and an email address. If you need data right after landing at Da Nang airport, install an eSIM beforehand: it also helps when you order a transfer. Ways to get to Hoi An are in the transfers section, with details in the guides «From Da Nang airport to the city» and «From Da Nang to Hoi An».

Is there an eSIM for foreigners?

Yes. MobiFone issues an eSIM in the Hi Vietnam app: you need a passport photo, electronic identity check, a video call and an electronic signature. After installing the eSIM you call 900 to activate it. The app lists the packages HVN0 (a starter for one day), HVN3, HVN7, HVN15 and HVN30 — for 3, 7, 15 and 30 days. The phone must support eSIM and be unlocked from its operator, and paid packages are paid with a Visa or Mastercard. Check the terms in the app on the day you buy.

What changed on 15 April 2026?

Every number must be verified against the document data and the face. If a number fails, the operator first cuts outgoing calls and SMS. If verification is not done within 30 days, incoming service is cut too, and 5 days after that the operator may terminate the contract. For foreigners' SIMs issued before April, the circular gave 60 days from its entry into force for re-verification. If you bought a SIM long ago, go to an operator's shop and make sure the number is verified.

What happens if I change phones?

From 15 June 2026, if a SIM is put into a different phone, the operator may within two hours cut outgoing calls and SMS and ask for face verification again. You have 30 days to do it. It is not required if the number is registered through a VNeID level 2 account or a chip-based CCCD card — a tourist usually has neither, so install the eSIM on the phone you will actually use.

What should I do if my SIM was blocked?

Take your passport and SIM to your operator's shop in Hoi An: Viettel, MobiFone or VNPT — addresses above. You will pass the face check again there. The circular does not describe the recovery steps in detail, so ask the operator. If the shop is closed, call the hotline: Viettel's is listed on tourist.viettel.vn.

What is the signal like in and around Hoi An?

We found no official coverage data from Viettel, VinaPhone or MobiFone for Hoi An and the surroundings (the Old Town, beaches, My Son) and promise nothing. If you need a signal on trips, ask the operator in the shop and test the SIM on the spot while you are still in Hoi An.

Which city does Hoi An belong to now?

To Da Nang. Under National Assembly Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 of 12 June 2025 Quang Nam province was merged with Da Nang city into a single city of Da Nang, and the authorities have worked since 1 July 2025. Hoi An is now three wards: Hội An, Hội An Đông and Hội An Tây. In shop addresses you will see «Đà Nẵng», and the old «Quảng Nam» may still appear. For money and ATMs see the banks section.

FAQ

Can a foreigner buy a SIM in Hoi An? Yes, on a passport, at Viettel, MobiFone and VinaPhone shops. Check opening hours before you go.

What documents are needed for a SIM? The original passport with a valid visa or visa-free entry. The number is registered to your passport and checked by face.

Is there an eSIM for tourists? Yes. MobiFone issues an eSIM in the Hi Vietnam app, and Viettel has a tourist SIM at tourist.viettel.vn. The phone must support eSIM and be unlocked.

What if my SIM stopped calling? The number may have failed verification or you changed phones. Take your passport and SIM to your operator's shop for a repeat face check.

Where is the MobiFone shop in Hoi An? At 576 Hai Bà Trưng. Viettel is at 211 Lý Thường Kiệt, VNPT at 06B Trần Hưng Đạo.

Does the signal cover the Old Town and beaches? We found no official coverage data — test the SIM on the spot.

How much is a SIM? Packages and terms change; check the operator's site or app on the day you buy.

Sources and checks

Addresses of the Viettel (211 Lý Thường Kiệt), MobiFone (576 Hai Bà Trưng) and VNPT (06B Trần Hưng Đạo) shops: VietGid listings and Google Maps (23 Oct 2026). For official operator shops one source is enough for us: they serve tourists. We publish no opening hours: check before you go. Verification rules, cut-offs and the deadline for older foreigners' SIMs: the text of Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BKHCN on LuatVietnam; the phone-change rule from 15 Jun 2026: LSVN (3 Jun 2026). The Viettel tourist SIM: the tourist.viettel.vn page. The MobiFone Hi Vietnam app and eSIM: an article on the MobiFone site. Merger of Quang Nam and Da Nang: Resolution 202/2025/QH15 (art. 1 item 10); ward names: Báo Văn hóa (25 Apr 2025). We could not confirm network coverage from official pages and promise none. Updated 23 Oct 2026.