May 4 - 2024 1:19 pm

Vietnam visa exemption

Note: All the Vietnam visa exemption cases have been resumed like before Covid.

What is Vietnam Visa Exemption?

Vietnam visa exemption (also known as Vietnam visa waiver, or Vietnam visa free) means the case that a foreign national is allowed to enter Vietnam and stay in the country for a certain period of time without having to follow any Vietnam visa procedure as the Vietnam government has signed the bilateral/unilateral visa exemption agreement for his/her country.

This kind of visa exemption is completely different from a Vietnam visa exemption certificate (also known as Vietnam 5 years visa).

Those who enter Vietnam under visa exemption will get the exemption stamp as follows on their passport:

Sample Vietnam visa exemption stamp - Vietnam-visa
                    Sample Vietnam visa exemption stamp

Vietnam Visa Exemption countries

Since January 2022, regular passport holders of 25 countries DO NOT need a visa for Vietnam. Here is the full list of Vietnam visa free countries:

No. Country Maximum visa-free duration Applicable purpose of visit (if any)
1 Chile 90 days Entries that do not include remunerated activities
2 Panama 90 days Entries that do not include remunerated activities
3 Cambodia 30 days Not mentioned
4 Indonesia 30 days Not mentioned
5 Kyrgyzstan 30 days Not mentioned
6 Laos 30 days Not mentioned
7 Malaysia 30 days Tourism, attending press, conference/coverage, official duty, visiting relatives, business negotiation, investment, sports, or attending seminars or conferences
8 Singapore 30 days Entries that do not include remunerated activities
9 Thailand 30 days Not mentioned
10 Philippines 21 days Not mentioned
11 Brunei 14 days Not mentioned
12 Myanmar 14 days Visiting only
13 Belarus 15 days Not mentioned
14 Denmark 15 days Not mentioned
15 Finland 15 days Not mentioned
16 France 15 days Not mentioned
17 Germany 15 days Not mentioned
18 Italy 15 days Not mentioned
19 Japan 15 days Not mentioned
20 Norway 15 days Not mentioned
21 Russia 15 days Not mentioned
22 South Korea 15 days Not mentioned
23 Spain 15 days Not mentioned
24 Sweden 15 days Not mentioned
25 United Kingdom (Not applicable to BNO) 15 days Not mentioned

Important notes regarding Vietnam visa exemption:

  • The 30-day interval between 02 stays with visa exemption has been removed in accordance with the new law on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam which takes effect on July 1, 2020.
  • British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders are not eligible for the 15-day Vietnam visa exemption. So, they need to apply for a visa to visit Vietnam.
  • Visa exemption includes visa exemption for entry, exit and transit.
  • The visa-free stay period is counted from the date of entry.

The above information about the Vietnam visa exemption (updated on March 15, 2021) is provided for informational purposes only, please double-check with the official authorities in your current country before departure.

Other Vietnam Visa Exemption Cases

  • The 30-day visa exemption is granted to those entering the coastal economic zones decided by the Government when those zones meet the following conditions:
    • having an international airport,
    • having their own space;
    • having defined geographical boundaries and being separate from the mainland;
    • being in line with socio-economic development policies while posing no threat to the national defense, security, social order, and safety of Vietnam.So, Phu Quoc island is one of those zones. See our detailed guide on Phu Quoc visa exemption.
  • APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) holders with valid passports are exempted from Vietnam visa requirements for a stay of no longer than 60 days. If you want to stay longer without leaving Vietnam, see exemption of Vietnam stay with ABTC.

Conditions for Making Vietnam Visa Exemption

To enter Vietnam with a Vietnam visa exemption, the eligible travelers are required to ensure:

  • their passport valid for at least 6 months following their date of arrival in Vietnam; and
  • their passport has at least 02 blank pages.

Vietnam Visa Exemption Extension

Before Covid, the Vietnam visa exemption can be extended in Vietnam. However, it cannot be done today.

Those who want to further remain in Vietnam after the exemption duration ends must leave Vietnam for a neighboring country (such as Thailand, Cambodia, or Laos) and come back with a new visa exemption. This way of stay extension is called Visa Run. You can check its full details here.

In case you need support for this service, feel free to let us know at our hotline/zalo/whatsapp/viber No. +84.356.396.392 or our email info@vietnamvisacenter.vn

Frequently Asked Questions

Vietnam visa exemption for UK citizens with 02 visits within 30 days
Q. I’m a UK passport holder. Is Vietnam visa exemption for UK citizens applied for my second visit within 30 days after my visa-free visit to Vietnam?

A. Yes. You can enter Vietnam with a Vietnam visa exemption for your every stay of less than 15 days in our country.
How to apply for Vietnam visa exemption?
Please be kindly informed that if you are eligible for Vietnamese Visa exemption (except for 5 year visa exemption), you are not required to do anything beforehand, including completing any Vietnam visa exemption form. Just make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months following your arrival date and has at least 02 blank pages. And then, upon arrival at the port of entry in Vietnam, please show your passport to enter Vietnam.
Can I get my visa exemption extended?
No. At the moment, visa extension is not available for those staying in Vietnam with visa exemption. In case you want to extend your stay in Vietnam, you are highly recommended to leave Vietnam and then come back with another visa exemption. This way is known as the Vietnam visa run.

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