Vietnam Visa Exemption: Who Enters Without a Visa
Citizens of the countries in Resolution 44/NQ-CP stay 45 days visa-free for any purpose. A separate list of European countries gets 45 days for tourism only. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months. Other countries have agreement-based stays from 14 days to 90 days.
On this page
Both 45-day lists count the stay from the day you enter. A passport on neither list needs a visa or an e-visa, unless an agreement below applies.
Who is on the two country lists
Under Law 47/2014 the Government decides unilateral visa exemptions, each for a set period, country by country. Two resolutions set the current lists.
List one: any purpose of entry
The first resolution applies to these countries:
- Germany, France, Italy and Spain
- the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
- Russia, Japan and South Korea
- Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland
The stay is 45 days from entry, whatever the passport type or purpose of entry, provided you meet every entry condition.
thời hạn tạm trú 45 ngày kể từ ngày nhập cảnh, không phân biệt loại hộ chiếu, mục đích nhập cảnh, trên cơ sở đáp ứng đầy đủ các điều kiện nhập cảnh theo quy định của pháp luật Việt Nam
a stay of 45 days from the date of entry, regardless of passport type or purpose of entry, provided all entry conditions under Vietnamese law are met. Resolution 44/NQ-CP, Điều 1
It applies to entries from 15 March 2025 to the end of 14 March 2028.
List two: tourism only
The second resolution applies to these countries:
- Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and Czechia
- Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Poland
- Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland
The stay is 45 days from entry, for tourism purposes and any passport type, provided you meet the entry conditions. It applies to entries from 15 August 2025 to the end of 14 August 2028.
Entry conditions at the border
Your passport must be valid at least 6 months if you enter under a unilateral exemption. You must not fall into the cases where entry is refused.
The original text of the law also required 30 days since your last exit from Vietnam. In the replacement text, the sentence on unilateral exemption stops at the 6-month passport rule.
For a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally, the border stamp gives 45 days.
Truong Son, Tan Son Hoa, Ho Chi Minh 705000, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
If your passport is on neither list
The US, Canada, Australia and India are not named on either list. A foreigner needs a visa unless exempt. E-visas are granted to citizens of all countries and territories. The e-visa guide covers the steps, and the visa types guide lists the other visas.
Other countries: stays set by agreement
Other passports have their own agreements with their own lengths. These are the entries on the Foreign Ministry’s directory, which is marked as updated to 14 March 2025. Belarus and Kazakhstan also cap total days.
| Passport | Stay | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Up to 30 days | None listed |
| Laos | Up to 30 days | Passport valid 6 months |
| Cambodia | Up to 30 days | Passport valid 6 months |
| Singapore | Up to 30 days | 6 months, onward ticket, funds |
| Malaysia | Up to 30 days | Listed purposes only |
| Indonesia | Up to 30 days | Passport valid 6 months |
| Philippines | Up to 21 days | 6 months, return or onward ticket |
| Brunei | Up to 14 days | Passport valid 6 months |
| Myanmar | Up to 30 days | Not for work |
| Chile | Up to 90 days | No paid activity |
The Indonesian agreement says the stay cannot be extended.
Vietnam and Timor-Leste signed a new exemption agreement in June 2026. Belarus gets 30 days, up to 90 days in total per calendar year. Kazakhstan gets 30 days per entry, capped at 90 days within any 180-day period. Mongolia gets 30 days, with no paid activity.
Phu Quoc island
Entering Phu Quoc island is a separate exemption of up to 30 days, not part of the country lists.
The 5-year exemption certificate
A holder of the visa-exemption certificate for overseas Vietnamese and their relatives gets a 6-month temporary residence certificate per entry. With a Vietnamese sponsor and a valid reason, that stay can be extended by up to a further 6 months.
When 45 days is not enough
The border stamp gives 45 days, and you may be considered for a visa or an extension of stay. A sponsor must file an extension; you cannot file it alone. The fee is US$10 each time, and the decision takes no more than 5 working days.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the police Immigration Management Office is at 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Xuan Hoa Ward. It received nearly 200 foreigner cases for visas, extensions or cards on 1 July 2025 alone. Xuan Hoa Ward was created from the whole of Vo Thi Sau Ward and the rest of Ward 4 (District 3). The extension guide has the steps and the office details.
Switching to an e-visa
E-visas are granted to citizens of all countries and territories. An e-visa is valid for 90 days at most. The fee is US$25 single-entry or US$50 multiple-entry. An online application takes no more than 3 working days from a complete application and the fee.
If you run out of days
Overstaying counts as a violation from the first day. Under 16 days is fined 500,000-2,000,000 VND. Sixteen to under 30 days is fined 5,000,000-10,000,000 VND.
The overstay fines guide has every band.
Related guides
- Extend your visa in Ho Chi Minh City
- Overstay fines in Ho Chi Minh City
- Vietnam e-visa guide
- Vietnam visa types
- Vietnam visa changes in 2026
- Vietnam immigration fees
- Temporary residence card
Step by step
- Find your passport on a listCheck the two country lists and the agreement table for other countries.
- Check your passport validityA unilateral-exemption entrant needs a passport valid at least 6 months.
- Enter and note the stay grantedThe border stamp gives 45 days from entry for a country Vietnam exempts unilaterally.
- Plan the end dateOverstaying is fined from the first day, so decide before your stamped stay ends whether to leave, extend or switch.
- Extend or change route if neededA sponsor files an extension for a fee of US$10, decided in no more than 5 working days.
Not confirmed: The Foreign Ministry's table is dated 14 March 2025, so newer agreements may be missing. Whether agreement stays can be extended: only Indonesia's entry says it cannot.
Common questions
Which countries get 45 days visa-free in Vietnam?
There are two lists. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland are on the first. Twelve European countries from Belgium to Switzerland are on the second, for tourism only.
Is the 45-day exemption for tourism only?
Only on the second list. The first list gives 45 days for any purpose of entry.
Until when does the exemption run?
The first list applies to entries from 15 March 2025 to the end of 14 March 2028. The second applies from 15 August 2025 to the end of 14 August 2028.
How long must my passport be valid?
At least 6 months for a unilateral-exemption entrant.
Is there a waiting period before a new visa-free stay?
No waiting period is stated. The original text required 30 days since the last exit, but the replacement text of that article no longer includes it.
My passport is American, Canadian, Australian or Indian. Do I need a visa?
None of these countries is named on either list. A foreigner needs a visa unless exempt, and e-visas are granted to citizens of all countries.
What if I need more than 45 days?
The border stamp gives 45 days, and you may be considered for a visa or an extension of stay. Your sponsor files an extension, for a US$10 fee.
Can I get an e-visa instead?
Yes. E-visas are granted to citizens of all countries and territories. The fee is US$25 single-entry or US$50 multiple-entry.
How many days do Thai, Lao or Cambodian passports get?
Up to 30 days each.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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