Vietnam Visa Exemption 2024: All you need to know

Are you planning to visit Vietnam in 2024? If so, you may be wondering if you need a visa to enter this beautiful and diverse country. The good news is that Vietnam has a visa exemption policy for citizens of 25 countries, which means you can travel to Vietnam without applying for a visa in advance. However, there are some conditions and limitations that you need to be aware of before you book your flight. In this blog post, we will tell you everything you need to know about Vietnam visa exemption 2024, including the eligible countries, the duration of stay, the entry requirements, and the extension options. We hope this guide will help you prepare for your trip to Vietnam smoothly and hassle-free.

Written by Tieu Bao (Local Expert) Updated on 08-11-2024

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1. Visa Exemption: Who Can Travel to Vietnam Without a Visa? Find Out Now!

United Kingdom Citizens:

• Visa Exemption: If you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, you can enter Vietnam without a visa for stays of up to 45 days. This exemption applies regardless of your passport type or travel purpose.
• Stays Over 45 Days: For stays longer than 45 days, you will need to obtain a visa. Tourist visas are typically valid for up to 90 days, depending on the type requested.

Citizens of Australia, the USA, and Canada:

• Visa Requirement: Travelers from Australia, the United States, and Canada must obtain a visa prior to entering Vietnam, regardless of the length of stay.
• Visa Options:
  • E-Visa: Apply online for an electronic visa (e-visa), which allows for a single entry and a stay of up to 90 days.
  • Visa on Arrival: Obtain an approval letter from a Vietnamese travel agency before your trip, then receive your visa upon arrival at a Vietnamese airport.
  • Embassy or Consulate: Apply in person at a Vietnamese embassy or consulate in your country.

Additional Notes for All Travelers:

• Traveling to Neighboring Countries: If you plan to visit neighboring countries like Cambodia or Laos and then return to Vietnam, ensure you have a multiple-entry visa or confirm if visa exemptions apply for re-entry.
• Airport Transit: If you're transiting through Vietnam and do not leave the airport's international transit area, a visa is typically not required.

Reminder: Visa regulations can change, so it's important to check the latest requirements with the Vietnamese embassy or official government websites before your trip.

There are three options to obtain a visa:

• Traditional visa provided by the Embassy (or Consulate) of Vietnam in your country.
• E-visa issued online through the Vietnamese immigration website.
• Visa on arrival

>>> Read more about: All the Procedures for the Vietnamese Visa

2. How to Benefit from Vietnam Visa Exemption?

If you are eligible for Vietnam visa exemption, you are not required to do anything in advance, including filling out a Vietnam visa exemption form. Just make sure you have the following:

• Your passport must still be valid for at least 6 months when you enter Vietnam.
• Your passport with a minimum of 2 blank pages.
• A return flight ticket reservation.

Those entering Vietnam under visa exemption will receive the exemption stamp as follows in their passport.

3. Is it possible to extend the Vietnam visa exemption?

Before Covid, the Vietnam visa exemption could be extended. Currently, this cannot be done. Learn more here.

Those who wish to stay in Vietnam after the end of the exemption period must leave Vietnam for a neighboring country (such as Thailand, Cambodia, or Laos) and return with a new visa exemption.

Previously, there was a 30-day waiting period between two visa-exempt stays in Vietnam; however, this requirement has been lifted since 2022. For eligible nationalities, it is possible to make multiple entries into Vietnam during the 45-day visa exemption, even close together.

Be careful not to exceed your 45-day stay! Otherwise, you risk a fine of $25 per day of overstay. Additionally, those who exceed the validity of a visa in Vietnam may be blacklisted and receive a warning from the Vietnam Immigration Department.

4. Visa Exemption on Phu Quoc Island for Stays of Less than 30 Days

Located at the southernmost tip of the country, in the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc Island is blessed with beautiful beaches. The island is a favorite destination for beachgoers from the region and also from America. The visa exemption on this island has been in place since 2020.

Foreign visitors do not need a Vietnamese visa if they stay on Phu Quoc for a maximum of 30 days. If you wish to enter Phu Quoc without a visa, you must meet the following conditions:

• Your passport must be valid for 6 months from your arrival date in Phu Quoc.
• You must fly from an international country to Phu Quoc via Phu Quoc International Airport. This applies to both direct and layover flights, where your final destination is Phu Quoc. If you have layovers at other international airports in Vietnam before arriving in Phu Quoc, you are still eligible.
• Your stay on the island must be less than 30 days. You must provide proof (round-trip airfare, cruise departure date, etc.) that you will leave Phu Quoc for another country outside Vietnam after 30 days.
• You are traveling to Phu Quoc by sea (boat or cruise) or by air (plane), not by land.

If you plan to visit other destinations in Vietnam after Phu Quoc or wish to stay for more than 30 days, obtaining a visa for Vietnam is mandatory.

5. Vietnam Visa Exemption (5-Year Visa)

The 5-year visa exemption for Vietnam is eligible for Vietnamese nationals living abroad, foreign nationals of Vietnamese origin, spouses/children of Vietnamese nationals or foreign nationals of Vietnamese origin. Follow these steps below to obtain a 5-year visa exemption for Vietnam:

Prepare these documents:

1. Application form for a 5-year visa exemption in Vietnam (Fill out form NA09).
2. Foreign passport or equivalent document with a validity of at least 6 months from the date of entry into Vietnamese territory, and a copy of this document for records.
3. Two passport-sized photos (4x6 cm), one of which should be affixed to the paper form.
4. An authenticated copy of the original documents or documents attached to the original for reference, from one of the following documents:

For Vietnamese nationals living abroad, foreign nationals of Vietnamese origin:

• Birth certificate
• Certificate of Vietnamese nationality
• Decision to renounce Vietnamese nationality
• Certificate of loss of Vietnamese nationality
• Vietnamese passport (valid or invalid)
• Identity card (valid or invalid)
• Family book

For spouses/children of Vietnamese nationals or foreign nationals of Vietnamese origin:

• Marriage certificate
• Birth certificate
• Certificate of relationship with father, mother, children
• Adoption decision

Submit the prepared documents to the issuing authority:

• Vietnamese diplomatic missions and consulates abroad
• The Immigration Department of Vietnam (if you are in Vietnam).

Receive your original passport and the 5-year visa exemption certificate.

Important notes:

• No visa is required for travel to Vietnam for 5 years. Holders of a 5-year visa exemption certificate for Vietnam are allowed to stay in Vietnam for a maximum of 180 days for each visit.
• If they want to stay for more than 180 days without leaving the country, they can extend their visa in Vietnam. The extended duration can be up to 6 months.

6. Work Visa and Exemption from Work Permit

As a foreign national, you must apply for a work visa in Vietnam at the nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate. However, before applying for the visa and working in Vietnam, your Vietnamese company employer must obtain a work permit in Vietnam on your behalf.

The work permit allows you to work legally in Vietnam for more than three months. However, not everyone employed in Vietnam needs to obtain one. You may be eligible for an exemption from a work permit in Vietnam if you are:

• An owner or contributor to the capital of a limited liability company with capital contribution value in compliance with government regulations.
• Chairman of the board or a member of the board of a joint-stock company with capital contribution value subject to government regulations.
• Heads of representative offices, heads of project offices, or individuals working for a foreign non-governmental organization in Vietnam.
• Working in Vietnam for less than three months.
• Coming to Vietnam for less than three months to address an emergency or technologically complex situation that could affect production, which Vietnamese or foreign experts currently in Vietnam are unable to resolve.
• Lawyers holding a professional card in Vietnam.
• Cases falling under the provisions of an international treaty to which Vietnam is a signatory.
• Foreigners who marry Vietnamese nationals and reside in Vietnamese territory.
• Other special cases authorized by the government.

To assist you in these procedures, you can go through a local travel agency in Vietnam. Feel free to contact us for more specific information.

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