Vietnam Visa, Vietnam Visa on arrival

Visa Exemption Agreements between Vietnam and other countries

Vietnam has signed agreements on Vietnam visa exemption with 55 countries (56 agreements), of which 54 agreements has entered into effect while 2 agreements has not been in force. The Exemption of visa includes exemption of visa for entry, exit and transit. The duration of stay subject to visa exemption begins from the date of entry.

Besides, Vietnam has unilaterally exempt visa for the following people
1. Officials  and  staff  of  ASEAN  Secretariat are  exempted  from  visa  by Vietnam with the stay  duration not exceeding 30 days, whether they bear any passports.
(Circular No.04/2002/TTLT/BCA-BNG dated January 29, 2002 guiding the implementation of Decree No.21/2001/NĐ-CP dated May 28, 2001 on concrete provisions for implementing the Ordinance of entry, exit  and  residence of foreigners in Vietnam.)

2. Since July 1, 2004, citizens of Japan and citizens of the Republic of Korea, whether they bear any passports have been exempted from visa for entry into or exit from Vietnam, with the stay duration not exceeding 15 days, provided that the following conditions are satisfied: 

•    They bear appropriate passports issued by competent authorities of Japan or the Republic of Korea and still valid for up to 3 months from the date of their entry;
•    They have tickets for boarding transportation means to return or travel to another country;
•    They are not in the list of persons not permitted to enter Vietnam.
(In fact, it is mainly granted to bearers of ordinary passports because Japan and the Republic of Korea already entered into agreement with Vietnam on exemption of visa for bearers of diplomatic passports or official passports.)

(Decision No. 09/2004/QĐ-BNG dated June 30, 2004 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs promulgating  Temporary  Regulations on exemption of visa for citizens of Japan and citizens of the Republic of Korea.)
3. Since May 1,  2005, citizens  of  Denmark, Norway, Finland and  Sweden, whether they bear any  passports and their entry is for any purposes, have been exempted  from visa upon their  entry into or exit from  Vietnam with the stay duration not exceeding 15 days, provided that the following conditions are satisfied:

•    They bear appropriate passports issued by competent authorities of the country of which they are citizens and their passports are still valid for up to 3 months from the date of their entry;
•    They have tickets for boarding transportation means to return or travel to another country;
•    They are not in the list of persons not permitted to enter Vietnam.
(Decision No. 808/2005/QĐ-BNG dated April 13, 2005 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs promulgating Regulations  on exemption of visa for citizens of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden.)

4. Since January 1, 2009, citizens of Russia, whether they bear any passports and their entry is for any purposes, have been exempted from visa upon their entry into or exit from Vietnam with the stay duration not exceeding 15 days, provided that the following conditions are satisfied:
•    They bear appropriate passports issued by competent authorities of the country of which they are citizens and their passports are still valid for up to 3 months from the date of their entry;
•    They have tickets for boarding transportation means to return or travel to another country;
•    They are not in the list of persons not permitted to enter Vietnam.
(Decision No. 3207/2008/QĐ-BNG dated December 10, 2008 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs promulgating Regulations on exemption of visa for citizens of the Federation of Russia bearing ordinary passports./.)