Vietnam visa exemption is also known as Vietnam visa waiver. Owning a Vietnam visa exemption helps visitors easily come to Vietnam without losing time and applying for a short-term visa. The following article will provide total information about Vietnam visa exemption, find out soon.
Read more: Vietnam visa: Types, Requirements, Fees & How to get it? [2023]
1. What is a Vietnam visa exemption (Vietnam visa waiver)?
Vietnam visa exemption (also known as Vietnam visa-free or Vietnam visa waiver) refers to a foreigner being allowed to enter Vietnam and stay there for a certain period without following any visa procedures. The Vietnam government has signed bilateral/unilateral agreements on visa exemption with certain countries.
This is for short-term stays for tourism, business or visiting friends or relatives. Eligibility and duration of stay vary but generally include citizens of Japan, South Korea and the ASEAN region. Travellers must meet entry requirements such as having a valid passport and onward travel ticket.

Vietnam visa exemption is also known as the Vietnam visa waiver
This visa exemption differs from the Vietnam visa exemption certificate (also called a 5-year visa).
Learn more: Vietnam visa options – Types and validity [Updated 2023]
2. List of Vietnam visa-exempt countries
As of January 2023, passport holders from 25 countries can travel to Vietnam without a visa. Here is a list of Vietnam visa-exempt countries:
No. | Country | Maximum visa-free duration | Purpose of Travel |
1 | Chile | 90 days | Entries must include remunerated activities |
2 | Panama | 90 days | Entries must 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, press coverage, attending conferences and seminars, official duty, visiting relatives, business negotiations and investment opportunities, sports events or attending seminars or conferences. |
8 | Singapore | 30 days | Entries must 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 |
13 | 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 |
* The above is provided for informational purposes only. Please check with the appropriate embassy or consulate of Vietnam in your country before travelling there. A full list of diplomatic missions in Vietnam and around the world can be found here.
Notes on acquiring a Vietnam visa exemption:
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See more: Vietnam visa exemption UK citizens| Requirements & Advice
3. Who is eligible for applying for a Vietnam visa exemption?
The Vietnam visa exemption is issued to foreign nationals who meet the following requirements:
- Overseas Vietnamese include those with foreign passports and permanent residents.
- Foreign spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens residing in Vietnam or abroad are eligible for a temporary visa.
- To enter and exit the country, a passport valid for at least one year is required.

To apply for a Vietnam visa exemption, visitors need to meet certain conditions
4. Who is not eligible for applying for a Vietnam visa exemption?
Persons who do not meet the requirements for a Vietnam visa exemption include:
- Those who do not meet the visa exemption certificate requirements will be denied entry into the country.
- Foreigners who fall into the cases of entry and exit suspensions outlined in Articles 21 and 28 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam are subject to those restrictions.
Read now: Vietnam visa application Process: 3 options & Steps to apply
5. Requirements for Vietnam visa exemption
The documentation required for a Vietnam visa waiver depends on the purpose of the application, namely:
- Vietnamese overseas.
- Spouses, children, or Vietnamese citizens overseas.
1 – For Vietnamese people residing
- 01 visa exemption certificate application form
- Two modern 4x6cm photographs
- Foreign passports or similar documents with a minimum 6-month validity beyond the entrance date are required. If the applicant does not have a passport, he or she presents a Re-entry permit or Green Card issued by competent authorities in their home country (with at least six months of validity up to the date of entry).
If accessible, one of the following papers will be provided:
- A certificate of citizenship in Vietnam;
- A copy or excerpt of the Decision for Regaining Citizenship in Vietnam;
- A copy or excerpt of the Decision for Renunciation of Vietnamese Citizenship; the Certificate of Lost Vietnamese Citizenship;
- A Vietnamese passport (valid or invalid)
- A photo ID card (valid or invalid)
- Having a Birth Certificate (Copy accepted)
- The current voter ID card
- A household register book
- A passport issued before 1975
- An identification card issued before 1975
- A Birth Registered Before 1975
- Documents issued by foreign authorities if they can demonstrate that the individual possesses original Vietnamese citizenship or is of Vietnamese descent.

You need to prepare carefully before applying for a Vietnam visa exemption
In the absence of the documents indicated above, the following may be submitted:
- A guarantee issued by a Vietnamese organisation based in its country of origin.
- A guarantee provided by a Vietnamese national.
2 – For spouse or child of Vietnamese overseas or Vietnamese citizens
- There is only one application for a visa exemption certificate.
- One recent 4x6cm photo (white background, straight face, bare head, without coloured glasses).
- A valid passport valid for at least six months after the date of the entrance (a copy attached for competent authority to file)
- One of the documents proving the relationship between foreign-residing Vietnamese and their wives/husbands/children:
- Document of Marriage.
- Certificate of Birth A document proving the link between the father, mother, and offspring.
- Other legal documents as specified by Vietnamese law Adoption Decision.
Find out: Vietnam visa latest 2023 | Here’s all information
Vietnam visa exemption has many benefits for certain nationalities. If you intend to apply for a Vietnam visa exemption, please carefully check the terms of the grant in order to determine your eligibility. To learn more, please contact us for a free consultation.
Wolo International Travel Service and Commercial Investment Joint Stock Company
- Headquater: 2nd floor – No 02, Alley 232, Yen Hoa street, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Website: https://vietnamvisatourist.com/
- Hotline: (+84) 918 21 2468
- Email: support@vietnamvisatourist.com.
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