How to Make Cheap International Calls & Messages From Vietnam

If you are coming from overseas for a short stay expect most types of cellphone to work okay here. The major Vietnam telecoms companies all have global roaming arrangements with overseas operators. However, be aware that if you are signed on with your home supplier for global roaming, you will pay charges at both ends, as well as call duration charges, and exchange rate variations. These can make local calling quite expensive, especially when using an international handset set on global roaming to make local Vietnam calls.

Check unlocked your phone before buying a Sim or eSIM Vietnam

  • Your mobile phone is the most convenient way to stay connected and communicate with family and friends. If you are in Vietnam for a short stay and would prefer not to purchase a SIM card, you might want to activate the international roaming service on your phone. Make sure to check these rates with your mobile service provider prior to your departure.
  • Unlocking your mobile phone before leaving for Vietnam is the recommended method to enable your communication to remain clear and uncomplicated. If you are coming from Europe, Asia, or Australia, your mobile phone might already be unlocked by default, with the exception if you are on a prepaid plan. Vietnamese SIM cards (and inexpensive new mobile phones if yours turns out to be locked) are available for purchase at all airports and cities.

Why my iPhone get locked?

The latest iPhones such as the iPhone 15, 16, or 17 series, using an eSIM is one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to enjoy fast internet in Thailand or any other country. However, not every iPhone will work with eSIM. If you bought your iPhone under an installment plan or monthly contract from carriers such as T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, or similar, your phone might be network-locked, as carriers often lock phones until they are fully paid off to prevent fraud and promote customer loyalty. To check if your iPhone is locked, go to Settings >> General >> About and look for Carrier Lock;

  • If it says "SIM locked", you will need to request an unlock from your carrier.
  • If it says "No Sim Restriction", your iphone is compatible with eSIM

Buy a local Sim Card

  • By far the best way is to buy a local Vietnam eSIM or SIM Card to fit your phone handset. You can get a eSIM card, with Vietnamese phone number at local rate 250,000 VND ($10 USD) Local calls are relatively cheap and SMS message is even cheaper. You will find it significantly cheaper to put a message on your home mobile re-directing people to your new Vietnam mobile number.
  • You can easily top up your usage credit buy buying a pre-paid mobile card from 50,000 VND ($2) up to 500,000 VND ($20) from just about any street operator.

How to Make International Calls

You want to make an international call, but you just realize that there's a lot to keep track of. Besides dialing the correct phone number, you'll need to know the exact country code and international calling code for your call to find its destination.

Understanding International Calling

International calling requires you to dial a specific sequence of numbers to connect your call across borders. This includes your country's exit code, the destination country code, and the local phone number.

How to Dial an International Number

1
Dial the exit code
Start by dialing your country's international exit code. For Vietnam, this is 00.
2
Enter the country code
Next, dial the country code of the destination. For example, the US is 1, UK is 44, Australia is 61.
3
Dial the area code
Enter the area or city code, removing any leading zero if present.
4
Complete with the local number
Finally, dial the local phone number to complete the call.
Example
00 + 1 + 212 + 555-1234 (calling New York from Vietnam)

Helpful Tips

Save international numbers with the full dialing sequence in your contacts for easy access.
Check the time zone difference before calling to avoid disturbing someone at odd hours.
Consider using an eSIM or international calling plan to reduce costs.
The + symbol can replace your country's exit code on most mobile phones.

Make international calls from Vietnam

Dialing a friend who lives outside Vietnam might seem intimidating at first, especially if you’ve never made an international call before. If you’re looking for an affordable and reliable way to stay in touch with loved ones around the world, you’ve come to the right place. After reading this article, you’ll know how to make international calls, how to send international text messages. In this post, we will not mention free calls, messages from mobile Apps likes Zalo, Viber, Whatsapp, Telegram…etc.

How to Make International Calls & Messages

A complete guide to help you understand how international calling works, so you can effortlessly keep in touch with your loved ones abroad.

How Do I Send International Text Messages?

Sending international text messages follows the same steps as making an international call but with one difference. For destinations that use 10-digit dialing, enter the number as you would when sending a domestic text.

1
Dial your exit code
2
Dial your destination's country code
3
Dial the local phone number you want to message
Tip:
Remember you can replace your exit code with the "+" symbol.

Understanding International Calling

Anyone who's made an international call knows there's a lot to keep track of. Besides dialing the correct phone number, you'll need to know the exact country code and international calling code for your call to find its destination.

Making a Phone Call in Vietnam

In Vietnam, to make local calls, dial '0,' followed by the province code and the phone number.

For overseas calls, dial '0' followed by the country code and the phone number without the initial '0'. Here are some examples:

USA: 00 1 area code phone number
UK: 001 44 phone number
Australia: 00 61 phone number
Switzerland: 0041 area code phone number
Canada: 001 area code phone number

However, you may find the easiest way to phone home is through apps like Facebook Messenger or Skype. It will be free of cost (on Messenger or WhatsApp) and only require a strong wifi signal. For making phone calls to banking or government numbers, you will need a phone number for them to contact you. Make sure you know your Vietnamese phone number ahead of time.

Full List of Country Calling Codes

Find the international dialing code for any country. Search by country name or code.
Showing 195 countries
Country Country Code
Afghanistan93
Albania355
Algeria213
American Samoa1 684
Andorra376
Angola244
Anguilla1-264
Antigua and Barbuda1-268
Argentina54
Armenia374
Aruba297
Australia61
Austria43
Azerbaijan994
Bahamas1-242
Bahrain973
Bangladesh880
Barbados1 246
Belarus375
Belgium32
Belize501
Benin229
Bermuda1-441
Bhutan975
Bolivia591
Bosnia and Herzegovina387
Botswana267
Brazil55
Brunei Darussalam673
Bulgaria359
Burkina Faso226
Burundi257
Cambodia855
Cameroon237
Canada1
Cape Verde238
Cayman Islands1-345
Central African Republic236
Chad235
Chile56
China86
Christmas Island61-8
Cocos (Keeling) Islands61-8
Colombia57
Comoros269
Congo, Republic of (Brazzaville)242
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Kinshasa)243
Cook Islands682
Costa Rica506
Côte D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)225
Croatia385
Cuba53
Cyprus357
Czech Republic420
Denmark45
Djibouti253
Dominica1-767
Dominican Republic1-809, 1-829, 1-849
Ecuador593
Egypt20
El Salvador503
Equatorial Guinea240
Eritrea291
Estonia372
Ethiopia251
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)500
Faroe Islands298
Fiji679
Finland358
France33
French Guiana594
French Polynesia689
Gabon (Gabonese Republic)241
Gambia220
Georgia995
Germany49
Ghana233
Gibraltar350
Greece30
Greenland299
Grenada1-473
Guadeloupe (formerly French Antilles)590
Guam1-671
Guatemala502
Guinea224
Guinea-Bissau245
Guyana592
Haiti509
Holy See (Vatican City State)379
Honduras504
Hong Kong852
Hungary36
Iceland354
India91
Indonesia62
Iran98
Iraq964
Ireland (Irish Republic)353
Israel972
Italy39
Jamaica1-876
Japan81
Jordan962
Kazakhstan7-6, 7
Kenya254
Kiribati (Kiribati Republic, formerly Gilbert Islands)686
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea)850
Korea, Republic of (South Korea)82
Kuwait965
Kyrgyzstan996
Laos856
Latvia371
Lebanon961
Lesotho266
Liberia231
Libya218
Liechtenstein423
Lithuania370
Luxembourg352
Macao (SAR China)853
Macedonia389
Madagascar261
Malawi265
Malaysia60
Maldives960
Mali223
Malta356
Marshall Islands692
Martinique (formerly French Antilles)596
Mauritania222
Mauritius230
Mayotte262
Mexico52
Micronesia691
Moldova373
Monaco377
Mongolia976
Montenegro382
Montserrat1-664
Morocco and Western Sahara212
Mozambique258
Myanmar95
Namibia (former South West Africa)264
Nauru674
Nepal977
Netherlands31
Netherlands Antilles599
New Caledonia687
New Zealand64
Nicaragua505
Niger227
Nigeria234
Niue683
Norfolk Island672
Northern Mariana Islands1-670
Norway47
Oman968
Pakistan92
Palau680
Palestinian Territory, Occupied970
Panama507
Papua New Guinea675
Paraguay595
Peru51
Philippines63
Pitcairn870
Poland48
Portugal351
Puerto Rico1-787, 1-939
Qatar974
Réunion262
Romania40
Russian Federation7
Rwanda (Rwandese Republic)250
Saint Helena and Tristan Da Cunha290
Saint Kitts and Nevis1-869
Saint Lucia1-758
Saint Pierre and Miquelon508
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1-784
Samoa685
San Marino378
São Tomé and Príncipe239
Saudi Arabia966
Senegal221
Serbia381
Seychelles248
Sierra Leone232
Singapore65
Slovakia421
Slovenia386
Solomon Islands677
Somalia252
South Africa27
Spain34
Sri Lanka94
Sudan249
Suriname597
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Island47
Swaziland268
Sweden46
Switzerland41
Syrian Arab Republic (Syria)963
Taiwan, Republic of China886
Tajikistan992
Tanzania255
Thailand66
Timor-Leste670
Togo (Togolese Republic)228
Tokelau690
Tonga676
Trinidad and Tobago1-868
Tunisia216
Turkey90
Turkmenistan993
Turks and Caicos Islands1-649
Tuvalu (formerly Ellice Islands)688
Uganda256
Ukraine380
United Arab Emirates971
United Kingdom44
United States of America1
Uruguay598
Uzbekistan998
Vanuatu678
Venezuela58
Vietnam84
Virgin Islands, British1-284
Virgin Islands, US1-340
Wallis and Futuna Islands681
Yemen967
Zambia260
Zimbabwe263
No countries found matching your search.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about international calls and SMS from Vietnam
  • You can use VoIP apps like WhatsApp, Skype, or Viber for free calls over WiFi or data. Alternatively, purchase an international calling card or use your carrier's international calling plans.
  • Popular apps include WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, Facebook Messenger, and Zalo. These apps offer free voice and video calls when connected to WiFi or mobile data.
  • Yes, you can send international SMS through your mobile carrier, though rates vary. Messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber offer free international messaging over data or WiFi.
  • Not necessarily. Most Vietnamese SIM cards support international calling, but rates can be high. Consider using an eSIM with international calling features or VoIP apps for better rates.