Visa Vietnam Exemption – Full Instructions For Expats

  • September 21,2023
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Certain visitors are entitled to a visa Vietnam exemption, which has developed into a useful entry point for exploring this fascinating Southeast Asian country's treasures. In this article, we'll examine its advantages and shed light on how it streamlines travel to Vietnam, resulting in a smooth exploration experience.

WHAT IS VISA EXEMPTION?

A legitimate document issued by a responsible Vietnamese entity is the visa Vietnam exemption. Applying for a visa exemption is also possible for Vietnamese nationals residing abroad without a Vietnamese passport. Additionally, it is given to foreigners living overseas or who are the wives or children of Vietnamese citizens.

This certificate is valid for foreigners who intend to travel to Vietnam for a specific reason. Individuals who wish to visit family members or handle private concerns like documents or administrative processes at government offices.

Visa Vietnam exemption - basic details

General information concerning the visa Vietnam exemption is presented for your reference

By 2023, people from 25 nations won't need to apply for visas to visit Vietnam. All you need to enter Vietnam is a passport that is currently valid and has at least two blank pages. You will need a visa to enter Vietnam if your nation is not among those exempt from obtaining a visa.

Special notes

Holders of British National Overseas (BNO) passports are ineligible for the 15-day visa waiver. As a result, BNO passport holders need a current visa in order to go to Vietnam.

For no more than 30 days, foreign passports are exempt from Phu Quoc island visa requirements. They are still qualified for the exemption even if they make a stopover at one of Vietnam's other international airports on route to Phu Quoc.

Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) with a current passport are exempt from the necessity of a visa to enter Vietnam for stays up to 60 days.

The 30-day pause between two entries was eliminated as of July 1, 2020. Visitors from nations without visa requirements can leave and enter Vietnam right away without having to wait 30 days.

Visa Vietnam exemption in brief

Visa-free countries list (2023)

  • 25 nations (regular passports)

The longest duration of visa exemption

  • 5 years 

The shortest duration of visa exemption

  • 14 days (only applied to citizens of Brunei and Myanmar)

European visa-free nations (2023)

  • Citizens of 11 European countries (the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Belarus, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland). They can stay in Vietnam for a maximum of 45 days, according to the Vietnam visa requirements for foreigners.

Updates

  • The 30-day gap between two consecutive entries was removed starting in July 2020

APEC card holders

  • Exempt from obtaining a Vietnam visa for 60 days

Phu Quoc Island visa exemption

  • Visa Vietnam exemption for a maximum of 30 days

Relevant documents 

  • Valid passports (at least 6 months, complying with the Vietnam Immigration Law)

  • Proof of onward travel

List of countries exempting Vietnam visa

Nations

Passport necessity

Duration of stay

Belarus

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Brunei

Yes

Maximum 14 days

Cambodia

Yes

Maximum 30 days

Chile

Yes

Maximum 90 days

Denmark

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Finland

Yes

Maximum 45 days

France

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Germany

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Indonesia

Yes

Maximum 30 days

Italy

Yes

Maximum of 45 days

Japan

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Kyrgyzstan

Yes

Maximum 30 days

Laos

Yes

Maximum 30 days

Malaysia

Yes

Maximum 30 days

Myanmar

Yes

Maximum 14 days

Norway

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Panama

Yes

Maximum 90 days

Philippines

Yes

Maximum 21 days

Russia

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Singapore

Yes

Maximum 30 days

South Korea

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Spain

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Sweden

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Thailand

Yes

Maximum 30 days

United Kingdom

Yes

Maximum 45 days

Regarding Resolution No. 32/NQ-CP, which was released on March 15, 2022, a total of 25 nations are excluded from the Vietnam visa requirement. Foreign nationals only require a standard passport with a minimum validity of six months and two blank pages for stamps. A significant number of other foreign nationals with diplomatic passports are also permitted entry into Vietnam without a visa.

Using ordinary passports

Citizens from 25 countries with an ordinary passport can take advantage of the visa Vietnam exemption.

No.

Countries

Length of stay

Entry purposes 

1

Chile

90 days

It is not permitted to do anything to earn money.

2

Panama

90 days

It is not permitted to earn money in any circumstance.

3

Cambodia

30 days

No answer

4

Indonesia

30 days

No answer

5

Kyrgyzstan

30 days

No answer

6

Laos

30 days

No answer

7

Malaysia

30 days

Visits to family, conferences, seminars, and business negotiations

8

Singapore

30 days

Not using this visa for any business activities to earn money

9

Thailand

30 days

No answer

10

Philippines

21 days

No answer

11

Brunei

14 days

No answer

12

Myanmar

14 days

No answer

13

Belarus

15 days

No answer

14

Denmark

15 days

No answer

15

Finland

15 days

No answer

13

France

15 days

No answer

17

Germany

15 days

No answer

18

Italy

15 days

No answer

19

Japan

15 days

No answer

20

Norway

15 days

No answer

21

Russia

15 days

No answer

22

South Korea

15 days

No answer

23

Spain

15 days

No answer

24

Sweden

15 days

No answer

25

United Kingdom 

15 days

No answer

Using diplomatic passports

Foreigners can visit Vietnam without a visa and stay there for 15 to 90 days if they have a diplomatic passport.

No.

Nations

Length of stay

1

Afghanistan

30 days

2

Albania

30 days

3

Algeria

90 days

4

Angola

30 days

5

Argentina

90 days

6

Armenia

90 days

7

Azerbaijan

30 days

8

Bangladesh

90 days

9

Belarus

30 days

10

Bolivia

90 days

11

Botswana

90 days

12

Brazil

90 days

13

Brunei

14 days

14

Bulgaria

90 days 

15

Cambodia

30 days

16

Cameroon

90 days

17

Chile

90 days

18

China

30 days

19

Colombia

90 days

20

Costa Rica

90 days

21

Croatia

30 days

22

Cuba

30 days

23

Cyprus

90 days

24

Czech

90 days

25

Denmark

15 days

26

Dominican (Republic)

90 days

27

Ecuador

90 days

28

Egypt

90 days

29

El Salvador

90 days

30

Estonia

90 days within a 180-day period, starting on the entry day

31

Finland

15 days

32

France

3 months within a 6-month period, starting on the entry day

33

Germany

15 days

34

Greece

90 days within a 180-day period, starting on the entry day

35

Hungary

90 days

36

India

90 days

37

Indonesia

14 days

38

Iran

30 days 

39

Iraq

90 days

40

Israel

90 days

41

Italy (Republic)

90 days within a 6-month period, starting on the entry day

42

Ivory Coast

90 days

43

Japan

90 days

44

Kazakhstan

30 days

45

North Korea

30 days

46

South Korea

90 days

47

Kyrgyzstan

30 days

48

Kuwait

90 days within a 6-month period, starting on the entry day

49

Laos

30 days

50

Liberia

90 days

51

Macedonia

3 months within a 6-month period, starting on the entry day

52

Malaysia

30 days

53

Malta

90 days

54

Mexico

90 days

55

Moldova

90 days

56

Mongolia

90 days

57

Montenegro

90 days

58

Morocco

90 days

59

Mozambique

90 days

60

Myanmar

30 days

61

Nepal

90 days

62

Nicaragua

30 days

63

Nigeria

90 days

64

Norway

15 days

65

Pakistan

90 days

66

Panama

90 days

67

Paraguay

90 days

68

Peru

90 days

69

Poland

90 days within a 180-day period, starting on the entry day

70

Philippines

30 days

71

Romania

30 days

72

Russia

90 days 

73

Serbia

90 days

74

Seychelles

90 days

75

Singapore

90 days

76

Slovakia

90 days

77

Slovenia

3 months within a 6-month period, starting on the entry day

78

South Africa

90 days

79

Spain

90 days within a 180-day period, starting on the entry day

80

Sri Lanka

90 days

81

Sudan

90 days within a 180-day period, starting on the entry day

82

Sweden

15 days

83

Switzerland

90 days

84

Tanzania

90 days

85

Thailand

30 days

86

Tunisia

90 days

87

Turkey

90 days

88

Ukraine

90 days 

89

United Arab Emirates

90 days

90

United Kingdom

15 days

91

Uruguay

90 days

92

Uzbekistan

60 days

93

Venezuela

90 days

SOME SPECIAL CASES ARE EXEMPTING VIETNAM VISA

There are some other visa-free categories you can take note of in addition to the 25 nations whose citizens are qualified for the visa Vietnam exemption as indicated above.

Visa Vietnam exemption - special cases

The visa waiver program allows many applicable objects to make full use of this regulation

Visa Vietnam exemption 5-year for Overseas Vietnamese

The Vietnam Government gives a 5-year visa exemption to the following items in accordance with Clause 5 and Article 12 of the Law on the Admission, Departure, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners:

  • Vietnamese who reside abroad with a current passport or other official travel document

  • Spouses and minor children who are foreigners

  • Spouses and kids of Vietnamese nationals who are from abroad

With a 5-year visa Vietnam exemption, foreigners and overseas Vietnamese are free to enter and leave Vietnam whenever they want during that time. However, their total stay cannot exceed 180 days per entrance. Your visa must be extended in order to stay in Vietnam if you don't wish to depart or come back to this nation. There is a 180-day (6-month) maximum extension period.

If you are staying outside of Vietnam or at the Vietnam Immigration Office, you must present all necessary documents at the Vietnamese Embassy in your home country to obtain a visa exemption for 5 years.

Visa Vietnam exemption to Phu Quoc Island

Vietnam announced Decision 80/2013/Q-TTg on December 27, 2013, allowing foreigners to have vacations on Phu Quoc Island (Kien Giang Province) for no more than 30 days without a Vietnam visa. 

This decision was made in order to develop the island. The ruling is applicable to both foreigners who enter Vietnam directly on Phu Quoc Island and those who transit at a border crossing (airport or seaport) in Vietnam before traveling to Phu Quoc Island.

Foreigners must adhere to the particular conditions in order to visit Phu Quoc under the visa Vietnam exemption:

  • Possessing a passport that is valid for six months as of the date of entry

  • Use Phu Quoc International Airport to take a flight from your home country to Phu Quoc. Your final destination must be Phu Quoc, whether you take a direct, indirect, or transit flight.

  • Proof that your visit to Phu Quoc Island will not be longer than 30 days

  • Airline ticket or cruise departure date

  • This visa category is only available at seaports or airports

APEC card visa exemption

APEC (the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) issues the APEC Card (also known as the APEC Business Travel Card, or ABSTC) to qualified senior government officials and business travelers. A brief length of time's worth of business travel inside the APEC region is supported by this card.

For up to 60 days, those without a Vietnam visa who also possess an APEC Business Travel Card and a current passport are exempt. Foreigners who possess this visa waiver will also be granted quick entry and exit using APEC's separate airport lanes.

Each APEC nation has its own policy for granting an ABTC, although candidates must adhere to a few basic criteria, such as:

  • Being residents of APEC member countries

  • Having a valid passport or other travel authorization

  • Business travelers that routinely visit the APEC region and stay just briefly

  • Government representatives who meet certain criteria while conducting APEC business

EXTENSIONS FOR VISA EXEMPTIONS

You must apply for an exemption extension if you want to stay in Vietnam past the allotted time. The reason is that foreigners with visa exemption certificates are only permitted to reside in this nation for a limited amount of time.

Visa Vietnam exemption - the visa extension

Foreign tourists can consider extending their visa exemption for more exploration in Vietnam

General conditions 

Fulfilling all the conditions regarding the visa Vietnam exemption extension below to save time and effort:

  • Sponsored for justifiable reasons by Vietnamese agencies or groups.

  • Vietnamese living abroad and foreigners who are the spouses or children of Vietnamese living abroad.

  • Vietnamese citizens who are in possession of foreign passports.

  • No being barred from entering Vietnam or prevented from leaving.

What need to prepare

  • A legal passport or other recognized international travel credentials

  • A permanent residency permit provided to a Vietnamese national living abroad by the appropriate government agency

  • Form NA5, which requests a stay extension

  • A certificate of visa Vietnam exemption

How to extend visa Vietnam exemption

Follow these guidelines to make sure you cover all the stages of the visa extension procedure:

Step 1: Get all the paperwork ready.

Step 2: Submit all materials to the Vietnam Immigration Department. Visitors can also send all documents to the immigration office for the relevant Vietnamese province or city. From the time the Immigration Department receives your entire application, the process typically takes 5 working days.

If the application is accepted, the foreigners will receive a notification email. Applicants must revise or add to their application (if necessary) if it is not sufficient.

Step 3: Pay the cost and obtain a prolongation of the visa exemption. To acquire a response, pay the cost, and sign for confirmation, applicants show the receipt to the immigration officer.

Processing time & fee for a visa exemption extension

The extension of the visa exemption evaluation process takes five working days. After the evaluation procedure is complete, applicants must pay a charge of USD 10 to receive the certificate.

EXEMPTION POLICY MODIFICATIONS

Since March 15, 2022, visitors from 13 nations have not had to wait at least 30 days from the date of their last exit before they can re-enter Vietnam without a visa, regardless of the reason for their visit. Prior to this, all foreign nationals entering Vietnam without a visa were required to wait at least 30 days after their final leave from the country in accordance with Law No. 47/2014/QH13's stipulations.

The visa Vietnam exemption offers a remarkable chance for qualified visitors to easily immerse themselves in the country's charms and beauty. This benefit encourages cultural interchange, tourism, and a fuller understanding of Vietnam's rich history by facilitating easy access into the nation. Vietnam welcomes visitors worldwide to experience its charm and make priceless memories that will last a lifetime. Contact us at +1 315 715 8498 or email support@e-visa-gov.com if you wish to explore all the stunning beauty scenes of this S-shaped country.

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