Da Nang Apartment Checks Put Foreign Guest Stay Registration in Focus

Police in Da Nang’s Hai Chau Ward carried out early-morning checks at two apartment buildings on August 1, combining accommodation inspections with drug screening of selected residents.

Da Nang City Police said the operation covered Sam Towers on Nhu Nguyet Street and Blooming Towers on Xuan Dieu Street. At Sam Towers, officers inspected 118 rooms occupied by 203 foreign guests and carried out rapid drug tests on 72 people. The police notice said one foreign man tested positive there; it reported a second foreign national with a positive result at Blooming Towers.

The published notice does not identify the individuals or set out any final legal outcome. A rapid test is a screening result, and the police statement should not be read as evidence against other residents or guests at either building.

Accommodation registration remains the practical point for visitors

The operation does not announce a change to Vietnam’s visa or entry rules. It does, however, underline an existing requirement that applies whether a foreign visitor is staying in a hotel, serviced apartment, short-term rental or private home.

Under Vietnam’s immigration procedures, the person managing the accommodation must declare a foreign guest’s temporary residence to the local police. The Ministry of Public Security’s online service says the declaration should be made immediately when the foreigner arrives. In practice, guests should provide their passport and visa or residence-document details promptly and ask the host, landlord or building manager to confirm that the stay has been registered.

For short hotel stays, reception normally handles the declaration. Long-stay tenants, digital nomads and visitors moving between apartments should not assume that a private landlord or booking-platform host has completed it automatically. Keep a copy of the rental agreement and the host’s contact details, and make sure the accommodation address matches the place where you are actually staying.

What to do if officials visit

• Stay calm and cooperate with properly identified officials.
• Keep your passport, visa or temporary-residence documents accessible, but do not hand over originals without understanding who is receiving them and why.
• Contact your accommodation manager if officers ask about registration details.
• If language is a problem or a serious legal issue arises, ask to contact your embassy or consulate and seek independent legal advice.

The checks were a local enforcement action in Hai Chau, rather than a published citywide instruction for visitors. Still, they are a timely reminder for foreign guests in Da Nang to confirm their accommodation reporting status, particularly after moving into a new apartment or private rental.