Most foreigners need a visa to enter Vietnam, but citizens of a limited group of countries can enter without one for a fixed number of days. There are three main kinds of exemption: a unilateral exemption that Vietnam grants to selected countries, currently for stays of up to 45 days per entry; bilateral agreements, which cover most ASEAN neighbours for periods that vary by country; and a special exemption for foreigners arriving directly on the island of Phu Quoc. Everyone else, and anyone who wants to stay longer than their exemption allows, applies for an e-visa or another visa.
Because the lists change by government resolution, sometimes with only a few weeks' notice, this guide explains how each type of exemption works rather than printing a list that may already be out of date. Before you travel, check your own nationality on the official e-visa portal or with the nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate, and keep in mind that the exemption depends on the passport you travel with, not on where you live.
The unilateral exemption: Vietnam's own list
A unilateral exemption is one Vietnam grants on its own initiative, without the other country having to offer the same in return. For many years the core group consisted of several Western European countries, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Belarus and the Nordic states. Under the 2023 amendment to the immigration law, the length of stay under unilateral exemption rose from 15 to 45 days per entry, and the government has since added further European countries by resolution, with fixed start and end dates for each decision.
Two features of the unilateral exemption trip people up. First, each resolution has a validity period. The exemption for a given country is typically approved for a set number of years, and renewal is not automatic, although in practice it has usually been renewed or widened. Second, the exemption applies per entry, and since 2020 there has been no requirement to wait a set number of days between visa-free entries, as there once was. That makes repeat visits easier, but it does not make visa-free entry a substitute for a long-term status, and border officers retain discretion over who they admit.
If your country is on the unilateral list, you can arrive with a valid passport and, in practice, an onward or return booking, and receive an entry stamp for up to 45 days. You cannot work on it, and if you later decide to stay longer, you will need to look at the options for a proper visa rather than assume the stamp can be stretched.
Bilateral exemptions with ASEAN and other partners
ASEAN neighbours. Citizens of the other ASEAN member states can enter Vietnam without a visa under agreements that pre-date the e-visa reforms. The permitted length differs from country to country, ranging from around two weeks to a month or so. Because the figure is fixed by each agreement, check your own country rather than relying on a general rule.
Other bilateral agreements. Vietnam also has visa exemption agreements with a number of other states, some of them covering only diplomatic and official passports. Ordinary passport holders should be careful: an agreement reported in the news may apply only to government travellers.
Reciprocity. Bilateral exemptions work both ways, so Vietnamese citizens enjoy similar treatment in the partner country. This makes them more stable than unilateral exemptions, although they can still be revised.
Length of stay. Like the unilateral exemption, a bilateral exemption gives you a fixed period per entry. It is a travel convenience, not a residence right. People who intend to settle need to move to a visa and, eventually, a temporary residence card that matches their purpose.
Phu Quoc: the island exception
Phu Quoc, the large island in the Gulf of Thailand, has its own visa exemption designed to support tourism and investment. Foreigners who arrive directly on the island through its international airport or seaport, and stay on the island, can be exempted from a visa for up to 30 days. Under the 2025 reorganisation of provinces, Kien Giang was merged into An Giang, and Phu Quoc became a special administrative zone of the enlarged An Giang province; the exemption itself was not tied to the old provincial name.
The condition that matters is the word directly. If you fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi first and pass through immigration there, you have entered mainland Vietnam and need a visa or another exemption for that. Transit arrangements, where you stay airside and connect to Phu Quoc, have been handled in different ways at different times, and airlines do not always understand them. If you plan to rely on the Phu Quoc exemption with a connection, confirm the procedure with your airline and with the Immigration Department beforehand.
Once on the island, travelling to the mainland is a different matter. Visitors who entered under the island exemption and then want to visit other provinces generally need to obtain a visa through the immigration authorities, and that requires planning. For long-term residents, Phu Quoc's exemption is mainly useful for short holidays rather than as a base for a long stay.
Exemption or e-visa: which to use
Even if your nationality qualifies for an exemption, it is not always the best choice. The comparison below shows how people with a choice usually decide.
| Your situation | Visa exemption | E-visa |
|---|---|---|
| Short holiday within the exempt period | Usually simplest: no application, no fee | Unnecessary unless you want multiple entries |
| Exploring Vietnam for two to three months before moving | Too short on its own; you would have to leave and re-enter | Better: up to 90 days in one go, and multiple entry if needed |
| Regular trips in and out for business meetings | Workable for short trips, but each entry is judged afresh | A multiple-entry e-visa gives more certainty |
| Intending to change status inside Vietnam later | Conversion options are narrower and depend on the rules for exempt entrants | Conversion is possible in defined cases, through a sponsor |
| Arriving overland at a small border gate | Accepted if the gate admits foreigners | Only if the gate is on the e-visa list |
A practical rule used by many long-term residents: if the trip is short and clearly a visit, use the exemption; if it is the start of something longer, apply for the e-visa that covers the whole period you have in mind. Paying for a visa you may not fully use is usually cheaper than an unplanned exit.
What border officers still check
An exemption removes the need for an advance visa; it does not remove the immigration check itself. At the counter, officers look at your passport, check that its remaining validity is sufficient, confirm that your nationality qualifies, and may ask where you will stay and when you plan to leave. In practice, passports with less than six months of validity, badly damaged passports, or a history of previous overstays attract extra questions.
Airlines apply their own check before you board. Their systems look up the entry rules for your passport and destination, and staff may refuse boarding if the system suggests you need a visa you do not have, or if an onward ticket is expected. If your exemption is recent, for example a country added by a resolution that has only just come into force, carry a printout of the official announcement and be ready to ask for a supervisor if the counter staff are unsure.
One more point concerns stays near the limit. The 45-day count includes both the day you arrive and the day you leave. If your exemption allows 45 days and you arrive on the first of a month, count carefully rather than assuming you can leave on the forty-fifth day after arrival. A day of overstay is still an overstay, with a fine and a record attached.
Four situations, four answers
A German retiree planning a five-week visit to Da Nang. Germany has been on the unilateral list, so a stay of five weeks fits within a 45-day exemption, provided the current resolution still covers the travel dates. If the visit might stretch to two months, an e-visa for the whole period avoids a forced exit.
An American couple wanting to spend three months in Da Lat before deciding to move. The United States is not on the unilateral list, so both need e-visas. A 90-day multiple-entry e-visa each would let them take a short trip abroad halfway through without losing their status.
A Singaporean professional flying in for a week of meetings in Hanoi. As an ASEAN citizen, the bilateral exemption is likely to cover a short business visit. If the meetings turn into a job offer, the employer will need to start a work permit process; the exemption does not allow work.
A family with mixed passports. One parent holds a passport on the exemption list, the other does not, and the children hold the second parent's nationality. The exempt parent can enter without a visa, while the other parent and the children need e-visas. Booking everyone on e-visas for the same dates often makes the trip simpler to manage.
Checking the current rules for your nationality
Because exemptions are granted, extended or widened by government resolution, the most reliable sources are official: the e-visa portal of the Immigration Department, the website or consular section of the Vietnamese embassy in your country, and announcements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. News articles and travel forums are useful for spotting a change, but they often lag behind or confuse ordinary passports with official ones.
When you check, note three facts: whether your nationality is covered, how many days the exemption gives per entry, and the date until which the current decision is valid. If you hold two nationalities, check both and decide in advance which passport you will use, because you must enter and leave on the same one. If you are travelling with a spouse or children who hold different passports, check each person separately; families sometimes discover at the airport that one member needs an e-visa while the others do not.
For anyone planning a long stay, the exemption is best seen as a doorway. It lets you arrive easily and look around, but the real work of staying lawfully for months or years lies in the visa and residence routes covered elsewhere on this site.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
How long can I stay in Vietnam without a visa?
It depends on your passport. Countries on Vietnam's unilateral exemption list currently receive up to 45 days per entry; ASEAN citizens receive the period set by each bilateral agreement; foreigners arriving directly on Phu Quoc receive up to 30 days on the island. Everyone else needs a visa, usually an e-visa.
Can I extend a visa exemption stamp inside Vietnam?
An exemption stamp is not designed to be extended like a visa. In some situations a sponsoring organisation or relative can apply for a visa for an exempt visitor, but there is no general right to stretch the stay. If you think you may need more time, an e-visa covering the full period is the safer choice from the outset.
Is there still a rule that I must wait 30 days between visa-free entries?
No. That waiting period was removed when the revised immigration law took effect in July 2020. You may re-enter visa-free if you still qualify, but officers can refuse entry, and frequent back-to-back visa-free stays may lead to questions about what you are really doing in Vietnam.
Does the Phu Quoc exemption let me travel to Ho Chi Minh City?
Not by itself. The exemption applies to foreigners who enter directly at Phu Quoc and stay there. Travelling to the mainland generally requires a visa arranged through the immigration authorities. If you want to see other parts of Vietnam on the same trip, apply for an e-visa before you leave home.
Which passport should a dual national use to enter Vietnam?
Use the passport that gives you the better entry option, and use the same one to leave. If you hold Vietnamese nationality as well, the rules are different again, and you should ask a Vietnamese consulate how your status is treated. Mixing passports between entry and exit causes avoidable problems at the counter.
Where can I check whether my country is visa-exempt?
The official sources are the e-visa portal of Vietnam's Immigration Department, the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in your country, and announcements from Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Check close to your travel date, because exemptions are granted and renewed by resolutions with fixed validity periods.