Vietnam Waives Visa Requirements for Citizens of 12 Countries Starting August 15
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The resolution states that citizens of the following countries will be exempt from visa requirements: the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Poland, Romania, the Republic of Slovakia, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Swiss Confederation. This waiver will allow them to stay for up to 45 days from the date of entry for tourism purposes, regardless of passport type, provided they meet the entry requirements stipulated by Vietnamese law.
This visa waiver policy for the aforementioned countries will be implemented from August 15, 2025, to August 14, 2028, as part of a tourism stimulus program.
Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP, dated January 15, 2025, on visa waivers for citizens of the Republic of Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Swiss Confederation as part of the 2025 tourism stimulus program, will become invalid from August 15, 2025.
The government has also issued Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP on visa waivers for special cases of foreign nationals to promote socio-economic development.
According to Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP, the following categories of foreign nationals are eligible for visa waivers:
Guests of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the President, the Chairman of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, the Standing Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vice President, the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Ministers, the President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, the Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Vietnam, ministers and equivalent positions, provincial or municipal Party Committee Secretaries, provincial or municipal People’s Council Chairpersons, provincial or municipal People’s Committee Chairpersons;
Scholars, experts, scientists, professors from universities or research institutes; chief designers; high-quality digital technology industry professionals; investors, leaders of large corporations or enterprises worldwide; individuals with positive influence in the fields of culture, arts, sports, and tourism;
Honorary consuls of Vietnam abroad; guests of research institutes, universities, or large enterprises. The invitation of such guests shall be proposed by ministries, ministerial-level agencies, or government agencies, and the government shall decide on the list of research institutes, universities, or large enterprises eligible to invite foreign nationals;
Other cases requiring visa waiver privileges for foreign nationals for foreign affairs purposes or to serve socio-economic development shall be decided by the Minister of Public Security based on proposals from agencies and organizations.
The above-mentioned individuals will be granted a special visa waiver card for multiple entries into Vietnam during the visa waiver period. The visa waiver period shall not exceed five years and must be at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of their passports.
– 10:15 11/08/2025
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