The eligibility criteria and application pathways for a Vietnam visa exemption certificate are subjects of paramount interest for foreign nationals and overseas Vietnamese (Viet Kieu). Standard immigration protocols mandate that any foreign citizen entering Vietnam must hold a valid passport alongside a legitimate visa issued by competent Vietnamese authorities. However, in alignment with foreign diplomatic policies and international treaties, the Government of Vietnam waives visa requirements for specific designated categories.
What is a Visa Exemption? Core Strategic Benefits
A Visa Exemption is legally defined as an administrative authorization enabling citizens of a foreign nation to enter and reside within Vietnam for a specified statutory duration without executing traditional visa application workflows or settling the corresponding visa processing tariffs.
Specifically, the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate serves as a long-term facility customized for overseas Vietnamese or foreign nationals who are spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese:
- The certificate grants a maximum validity period of up to 05 years.
- Each individual entry permits a temporary residence stay of up to 180 days (06 months).
- Cost & Process Optimization: When analyzed against the continuous cycles of securing and renewing standard 3-month multiple-entry commercial or tourist visas, holding a visa exemption certificate minimizes administrative fees and facilitates seamless temporary residence extensions upon expiry, courtesy of the state’s preferential diaspora frameworks.
How Many Countries Does Vietnam Grant Visa Exemption To?
Cases of Vietnam visa exemption are provided under Article 12 and Article 13 of the 2014 Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam. Specifically, visa exemption applies in the following cases:
- Under international treaties to which Vietnam is a member;
- Foreigners using permanent residence cards or temporary residence cards in accordance with this Law;
- Foreigners entering border-gate economic zones or special administrative-economic units;
- Overseas Vietnamese holding passports or international travel documents issued by competent foreign authorities, as well as their foreign spouses and children; foreign spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens may also be eligible for visa exemption in accordance with Government regulations;
- Cases of unilateral visa exemption as prescribed under Article 13 of this Law.
Article 13 provides as follows:
A decision on unilateral visa exemption for citizens of a country must meet all of the following conditions:
- The country has diplomatic relations with Vietnam;
- The decision is consistent with Vietnam’s socio-economic development and foreign policy in each period;
- The decision does not prejudice Vietnam’s national defense, security, social order and safety.
A decision on unilateral visa exemption is valid for a maximum period of 05 years and may be considered for extension. A unilateral visa exemption decision shall be revoked if it no longer satisfies the conditions prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article.
Based on the provisions of this Article, the Government shall decide on unilateral visa exemption for a definite period applicable to each country.
Active Country Lists & Special Exemption Frameworks (Latest Updates)
Currently, Vietnam implements agile visa waiver frameworks for foreign citizens holding valid ordinary passports:
- Up to 30 Days of Temporary Residence: Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan.
- Up to 21 Days of Temporary Residence: The Philippines.
- Up to 14 Days of Temporary Residence: Brunei, Myanmar.
- Up to 45 Days under Unilateral Waivers (Updated Legal Framework): Japan, South Korea, Russia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Belarus. (The permitted stay for these 13 nations has been formally extended from 15 to 45 days).
- Diplomatic or Official Passport Holders (e.g., France, Chile): Exempted from visa workflows for a temporary stay not exceeding 90 days within a 6-month window from the initial entry date.
- APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders: Exempted from entry visas for a continuous residence stay not exceeding 60 days per entry.
- Phú Quốc Island Tourism Zone: Foreign nationals or foreign passport holders flying directly to Phú Quốc Island qualify for a visa waiver with an extended stay of up to 30 days (Corrected to match valid statutory decrees instead of the outdated 15-day policy).
General Note: Excluding the 5-year certificate track, foreign nationals entering via unilateral or bilateral waivers simply need to ensure their original passport remains valid for at least 6 months from the entry date, contains 2 blank pages, and present it directly at the international border checkpoint.
Application Procedures for the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate
In strict accordance with Government regulations, overseas Vietnamese possessing a valid passport or an international travel document issued by competent foreign authorities, alongside foreign nationals who are their spouses or children, as well as foreign nationals who are spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens, are entitled to enter the country under the visa waiver policy.
The validity period of the Visa Exemption Certificate for these designated categories reaches up to 05 years (commonly referred to as the Vietnam 5-Year Visa Exemption). The maximum duration of continuous stay permitted per entry is 06 months (180 days). Upon the expiry of this 6-month threshold, the holder must either exit Vietnam or execute a temporary residence extension workflow if they wish to prolong their stay.
Required Dossier for the 5-Year Visa Exemption
The application dossier to petition for a 5-year visa exemption certificate for foreign nationals consists of:
- The official application form for a visa exemption certificate (Form NA9).
- 02 passport-sized photos 4x6cm , white background, captured within the last 6 months.
- The original physical passport or a valid international travel document.
Legal Evidentiary Documents Separated by Eligibility Category:
- For Overseas Vietnamese (Viet Kieu): Must present legal documents verifying their original Vietnamese citizenship status, such as: Birth Certificate, official decree of citizenship relinquishment, confirmation of loss of Vietnamese nationality, an expired Vietnamese passport, old National ID cards, or old Household Registration Books…
- For Foreign Spouses or Children of Vietnamese Citizens/Overseas Vietnamese: Civil documentation verifying the legitimate familial relationship (Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Family Relationship Certificate…) paired with the personal identification documents of the sponsoring Vietnamese citizen.
Critical Compliance Note: The validity of the 5-year visa exemption certificate must be at least 06 months shorter than the remaining validity of the applicant’s passport. Consequently, if the foreign national’s passport expires in less than 5 years, the certificate’s duration will be curtailed accordingly. Applications are to be submitted to the nearest Immigration Department office. The standard administrative processing timeline ranges from 05 to 07 working days.
Statutory Fees for the 5-Year Visa Exemption Certificate
The official government tariff allocated for issuing a visa exemption certificate is fixed at 10 USD per certificate (strictly governed under Circular No. 28/2026/TT-BTC, effective from April 01, 2026).
This represents a mandatory state fee required to execute the procedure. Beyond this base tariff, secondary operational expenses may arise during dossier compilation, including certified translation, consular legalization, secure document courier logistics, or agency service fees should the applicant designate a professional firm to manage the workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How is the actual validity period of the visa exemption certificate calculated?
A: The certificate holds a maximum validity of up to 5 years, under the strict condition that it remains at least 06 months shorter than the remaining expiry threshold of the holder’s passport or foreign permanent residence card.
Q: Are children under 14 years old eligible to be granted a visa exemption certificate?
A: Yes, provided they fully satisfy all underlying statutory criteria. In cases where a child under 14 shares a passport with their father or mother, the visa exemption certificate will be issued directly into the shared passport of the respective parent.
Q: What is the processing timeline for issuing a visa exemption certificate?
A: Competent authorities will review and issue the certificate within 07 working days from the date of receiving a fully compliant and valid dossier.
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