See now the regulations and procedures for applying for visa exemption for foreigners entering Vietnam and the cases of visa exemption in this article of fdiinvietnam.com.
What is visa free for foreigners?
According to Article 3 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014: A visa is a legal document issued by a competent authority of Vietnam, allowing foreigners to enter Vietnam.
Simply put, a visa is proof that a person is allowed by the country that issued the visa to enter or exit that country.
Thus, visa exemption (or visa exemption, visa free) is when a foreigner is allowed to enter or stay in the territory of a certain country without having to apply for a visa.
Visa exemption for foreigners includes entry, exit and transit. Foreigners must apply for a visa exemption certificate at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate abroad or the Vietnam Immigration Department before entering the country.
Regulations on visa exemption for foreigners entering Vietnam
➤ General regulations on visa exemption for foreigners
According to the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014, there are 5 cases where foreigners are exempted from visas when entering Vietnam:
- According to international treaties that Vietnam is a signatory to;
- Have a permanent or temporary residence card as prescribed by law;
- When entering special administrative-economic zones and border gates;
- Unilateral visa exemption by the Government of Vietnam;
- Have a valid passport or other visa documents.
Thus, when entering Vietnam, you need to pay attention to whether you or your foreign relatives are in the visa exemption cases according to Vietnamese law or not. In case you are not in the visa exemption category (visa free), foreigners must apply for a visa upon entry.
You can refer to the detailed procedures in the article: Procedures for applying for entry visas for foreigners of fdiinvietnam.com.
➤ Details of visa exemption cases for foreigners entering Vietnam
Specifically, each visa exemption case is as follows:
1. Visa exemption according to international treaties of which Vietnam is a member
These are cases in which Vietnam has signed bilateral and multilateral international treaties with countries in the region and around the world to record the permission for citizens of that country to enter and stay in Vietnam without a visa.
As of March 15, 2022, Vietnam has signed a number of bilateral international treaties on visa exemption with a number of countries. This brings the total number of countries whose citizens are exempt from visas when entering Vietnam to 25.
| List of citizens of 25 countries exempted from visa when entering Vietnam | |||
| STT | Country name | Time | Purpose |
| 1 | Chile | 30 days | Entry not for the purpose of income-generating activities |
| 2 | Panama | 30 days | Entry not for the purpose of income-generating activities |
| 3 | Kyrgyzstan | 30 days | Not specified |
| 4 | Belarus | 15 days | Not specified |
| 5 | Korea | 15 days | Not specified |
| 6 | Japan | 15 days | Not specified |
| 7 | Virtue | 15 days | Not specified |
| 8 | Denmark | 15 days | Not specified |
| 9 | Hey there | 15 days | Not specified |
| 10 | that | 15 days | Not specified |
| 11 | France | 15 days | Not specified |
| 12 | Finland | 15 days | Not specified |
| 13 | Spain | 15 days | Not specified |
| 14 | Sweden | 15 days | Not specified |
| 15 | IDEA | 15 days | Not specified |
| 16 | Older brother | 15 days | Not specified |
| 17 | Laos | 30 days | Not specified |
| 18 | Thailand | 30 days | Not specified |
| 19 | Cambodia | 30 days | Not specified |
| 20 | Indonesia | 30 days | Not specified |
| 21 | Malaysia | 30 days | Travel; business trips; visiting relatives; journalistic activities; participating in sports activities; trade negotiations; investment; attending conferences and seminars. |
| 22 | Singapore | 30 days | Entry not for the purpose of income-generating activities |
| 23 | Philippines | 21 days | Not specified |
| 24 | Brunei | 14 days | Not specified |
| 25 | Myanmar | 14 days | Visit |
2. Use permanent and temporary residence cards according to the provisions of the Law on Entry, Exit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam 2014
Temporary residence card:
- According to Vietnamese law: A temporary residence card is a legal document issued by the immigration authority or a competent authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to a foreigner to allow temporary residence in Vietnam and is valid in lieu of a visa;
- Thus, a temporary residence card is valid in lieu of a visa and is usually valid for 1 to 5 years. Foreigners using a temporary residence card can exit and enter Vietnam multiple times depending on their work requirements;
- In particular, foreigners with temporary residence cards can also sponsor their family members to obtain cards with the same validity period. This saves a lot of time and costs not only for the foreigner with temporary residence cards but also for his or her family members.
Permanent resident card:
- According to Vietnamese law: Permanent residence card is a legal document issued by the immigration authority to foreigners to allow them to reside indefinitely in Vietnam and can replace a visa;
- Like a temporary residence card, a permanent residence card can also replace a visa. Therefore, people with a permanent residence card can also use this card to be exempt from visas when entering and exiting the country. However, unlike a temporary residence card, which is only valid for a maximum of 5 years, a permanent residence card has a longer validity than a temporary residence card.
See more: Documents and procedures for registering for temporary residence cards for foreigners.
3. Entering border economic zones, special administrative-economic units
In Vietnam, a typical example of this case is that foreigners will be exempted from visa when entering Phu Quoc within 30 days according to Decision No. 80/2013/QD-TTg.
Visa exemption for foreigners entering border economic zones and special administrative units aims to enhance economic, cultural and tourism cooperation and exchange.
4. Vietnam unilaterally exempts visas
As of March 15, 2022, Vietnam has unilaterally exempted visas for citizens of the following countries: Japan, South Korea, Russian Federation, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belarus and for officials of the ASEAN Secretariat.
The unilateral visa exemption decision is valid for no more than 5 years and can be considered for extension. The unilateral visa exemption decision will be revoked if it fails to meet one of the following conditions:
- Has diplomatic relations with Vietnam;
- In accordance with Vietnam’s socio-economic development and foreign policy in each period;
- Not to harm the security, order and social safety of Vietnam.
5. Passport or valid international travel document
In addition to the above cases, foreigners entering Vietnam will be exempt from visas if they have a passport or valid international travel document.
According to Article 5 of the Law on Entry, Exit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam: Vietnamese people residing abroad with passports or other legal documents with visa validity and foreigners who are their spouses or children; foreigners who are spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens are exempt from visas according to Government regulations.
This case is the 5-year visa exemption policy that the Vietnamese Government offers to Vietnamese people abroad and foreigners with Vietnamese blood. This policy of Vietnam shows Vietnam’s goodwill, giving opportunities for Vietnamese people abroad or those with Vietnamese blood to return to visit their country and family.
In addition, foreigners with APEC business travel cards and valid passports will be exempted from visa requirements to enter Vietnam for 60 days.
Procedures for applying for visa exemption certificate for foreigners
If you find that your foreign relative falls into one of the above visa exemption categories, you need to follow the steps below to get a visa exemption certificate for your relative.
Step 1: Prepare visa exemption application
Application for visa exemption for foreigners includes:
- Applicants for visa exemption must fill out the online application form and print it out;
- Prepare 2 color photos, size 4x6cm, white background, face looking straight, no glasses (1 photo attached to the application form, 1 photo attached to the application form when submitting);
- Copy of foreign passport or legal document valid for international travel with at least 12 months validity (present or send original) and submit 1 copy for records;
- Documents proving that the entrant is exempt from visa.
Note:
Foreigners access the website http://mienthithucvk.mofa.gov.vn to make an online declaration. After declaring all required information completely and accurately, print the declaration form. Note that the barcode must be printed in full.
Step 2: Submit application and fee to the competent authority issuing visa exemption certificate
Where to submit application:
- If you are abroad, submit your application to the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate abroad;
- If you are in Vietnam, submit your application to the Vietnam Immigration Department (under the Ministry of Public Security).
Time limit for processing application and issuing visa exemption certificate:
- If you submit your application at the Vietnamese Embassy abroad, it will usually take 7 days from the date of submission of all valid documents;
- If you submit your application at the Vietnam Immigration Department, it will only take 5 days from the date of submission of complete and valid documents.
Fees for applying for Vietnam visa exemption certificate:
The fee for a visa exemption certificate depends on which agency you apply to, at which Vietnamese Embassy in which country. However, if you apply at the Vietnam Immigration Department, the fee is as follows:
- Fee for first visa exemption application: 20 USD;
- Visa exemption fee from the second time onwards: 10 USD.
Some questions about visa exemption for foreigners
1. What does visa exemption for foreigners entering Vietnam mean?
Visa exemption means that foreigners are allowed to enter or stay in Vietnam without having to apply for a visa, provided that the foreigner is a citizen of a country with which Vietnam has signed an international treaty on visa exemption.
2. In what cases are foreigners exempt from visas when entering Vietnam?
There are 5 cases where foreigners are exempted from visas when entering Vietnam:
- According to international treaties that Vietnam is a signatory to;
- Have a permanent or temporary residence card as prescribed by law;
- When entering special administrative-economic zones and border gates;
- Unilateral visa exemption by the Government of Vietnam;
- Have a valid passport or other visa documents (temporary residence card, permanent residence card).
3. Citizens of which countries are exempt from visas when entering Vietnam?
Currently, Vietnam allows citizens of the following countries to be exempted from visas when entering Vietnam: Russian Federation, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belarus, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei, Myanmar…
4. Vietnam visa exemption certificate is issued to citizens of how many countries?
The total number of countries whose citizens are exempt from visas when entering Vietnam is 25.
5. What documents are required to apply for a visa exemption certificate for foreigners?
Documents include: Online application form and printed out; 2 4x6cm white background photos; copy of passport valid for at least 12 months; documents proving that the entrant is visa exempt.
6. How much is the visa exemption fee for foreigners?
The fee to be paid at the Vietnam Immigration Department when applying for a visa exemption certificate is 20 USD for the first time, and 10 USD from the second time onwards; In case of applying for a visa exemption certificate at the Embassy or Consulate, the fee may vary depending on the country.
7. What is a temporary residence card? Does a temporary residence card replace a visa?
A temporary residence card is a legal document issued by the Vietnamese immigration authority or a competent authority under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to foreigners who are allowed to reside in Vietnam for a limited period of time and is valid in lieu of a visa. A temporary residence card is valid for staying in Vietnam in lieu of a visa.
8. What is a permanent resident card? Does a permanent resident card replace a visa?
A permanent residence card is a legal document issued by the immigration authority to foreigners to allow them to reside indefinitely in Vietnam and is valid in lieu of a visa . Thus, you can use a permanent residence card to replace a visa.
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