Vietnam Visa Exemption

UPDATE: As a result of the 2019–20 corona virus outbreak, as of March 9, 2020 Vietnam suspends visa-free entry for citizens from 8 European countries including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, UK, France, Germany, Spain. Earlier, Vietnam suspended visa exemption program for South Korean travelers since February 29 and for Italian nationals from March 3 due to the rapid spread of the cororna virus in these 2 countries.

Technically, all foreign visitors need a visa before entering Vietnam. If you wish to be exempted from a Vietnam visa for your stay, you must be a citizen or national of countries having the exemption agreement with Vietnam.

List of countries exempted a Vietnam visa:

·     Visa-free for 30 days: Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar

·     Visa-free for 21 days: Philippines

·     Visa-free for 15 days: Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Russian, Sweden, Norway, Finland, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain (*)

·      Visa-free for 14 days: Brunei

Note: If citizens from (*) countries wish to re-enter Vietnam under visa exemption program again, the second visit cannot be earlier 30 days from the first visit.

If you are not from any of these countries or you want to visit Vietnam longer than authorized period of stay, please arrange a visa in one of 2 ways: apply in person/by post at a nearby Vietnam Embassy, or you can apply online through travel agents to be issued a visa on arrival at the airport. (Read directions on How to get a Vietnam visa)

Exception:

·     The visitors to Phu Quoc Island may stay without a visa for no more than 30 days.  This visa waiver program is also applicable to those traveling to the island through any international ports of entry (air and sea).

·     The holders of APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) are granted visa-free access to Vietnam for no more than 60 days.

·     The citizens of Armenia, Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Dominican, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Hungary, India, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Myanmar, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, Uruguay, Venezuela holding diplomatic or official passport may stay in Vietnam, visa-free, for maximum of 90 days.

·     The citizens of Angola, Azerbaijan, China, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar holding diplomatic or official passport are granted visa-free entry for 30 days

·     The citizens of Afghanistan, Albania, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Romania holding diplomatic or official passport are exempted a visa to Vietnam for 30 days. 

·     The citizens of Czech, Estonia, Germany, France, Israel, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland holding a diplomatic passport are granted a 90-day stay without a visa in Vietnam.

·     The citizens of Uzbekistan holding a diplomatic passport are exempted from a Vietnam visa for 60 days.

·     The citizens of Iran are allowed to visit Vietnam without a visa for 1 month if holding a diplomatic passport.

Attention: whether you are required a visa or not, your passport should be valid for no less than 6 months before the trip or at least 1 month after the visa expiry date and have at least one empty page left.

5-year visa exemption

For husbands/wives and children of Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese, you are probably granted a certificate of visa exemption valid for 5 years if submitting the documents listed below at the local embassy:

·     A completed copy of application form for visa exemption

·     02 recent passport photos (taken in color, white background, the face looks straight at the camera, no head coverings or sunglasses)

·     Original passport valid for 6 months after the intended trip, plus one copy to file

·     The documents supporting the relationship between you and your wife/husband/parents such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, documents showing family recognition of your relationship (one copy is required)

·     Other valid documents as regulated by Vietnamese Law.

The time required for the issuance of an exemption certificate is around 7 days after the receipt of the application.

Please download the exemption application form and find more information on a 5-year visa exemption program at mienthithucvk.mofa.gov.vn.