Vietnam Visa Exemption Countries 2026: Complete Guide for Travelers

Planning a trip to Vietnam? The first question is usually whether your passport lets you in without a visa. Vietnam currently exempts citizens of 39 countries, with stays ranging from 14 to 90 days. The catch is that the two biggest groups, the 45-day exemptions, are time-limited government programs that expire in 2028, not permanent rights. This page lists who gets in visa-free in 2026, how long each group can stay, when the rules change, and what to do if your country is not on the list.

What Does Vietnam Visa Exemption Mean?

Vietnam visa exemption lets citizens of certain countries enter without applying for a visa in advance. Stays run from 14 to 90 days depending on the agreement behind them. Everyone still has to meet entry conditions: a passport valid at least six months from the date of entry, a confirmed return or onward ticket, and a purpose that fits the exemption, tourism or a family visit for most groups. The rules shift more often than travelers expect, so the date on the advice you read matters. In 2026 Indonesia dropped to 14 days in July, Myanmar now gets 14 days too, the Philippines stays at 21, and the two 45-day European programs carry a clear end date in 2028.

Complete List of Vietnam Visa Exemption Countries for 2026

Vietnam does not run a single visa-free list. It operates two separate 45-day programs, each with its own legal basis, end date and purpose rules. On top of those sit the ASEAN exemptions and a handful of older bilateral deals. Here is the full picture.

45 days visa-free, any purpose of entry (until 14 March 2028)

These 12 countries sit under Resolution 44/NQ-CP, in force since 15 March 2025. The exemption applies whatever your reason for entering, so business trips count as much as holidays.

• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• Norway
• Russia
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom

45 days visa-free for tourism (until 14 August 2028)

Twelve more European countries joined through Resolution 229/NQ-CP from 15 August 2025. This one is a tourism stimulus program: the 45 days cover holidays and family visits, not business travel. A trip with a business purpose needs an e-visa or a visa letter instead.

• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Hungary
• Luxembourg
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Switzerland

ASEAN members (bilateral exemptions)

Nine Southeast Asian neighbors share visa-free entry under bilateral arrangements. Two of the stay limits changed in 2026, so only trust recent sources.

• Brunei: up to 14 days
• Cambodia: up to 30 days
• Indonesia: up to 14 days (cut from 30 on 15 July 2026)
• Laos: up to 30 days
• Malaysia: up to 30 days
• Myanmar: up to 14 days
• Philippines: up to 21 days
• Singapore: up to 30 days
• Thailand: up to 30 days

Other bilateral agreements

• Chile: up to 90 days
• Panama: up to 90 days
• Belarus: up to 30 days per visit, maximum 90 days in a calendar year (bilateral deal in force since 30 January 2025; older pages still quote 45 days from the expired 2023 program)
• Kazakhstan: up to 30 days, maximum 90 days within any 180 days
• Kyrgyzstan: up to 30 days
• Mongolia: up to 30 days (in force since 7 March 2024)

Two countries deserve a warning. Timor-Leste exchanged a visa waiver with Vietnam in June 2026, but it is not in force yet, so Timorese passport holders still need an e-visa. The Maldives is sometimes listed as visa-free; it is not on the current list.

Why the 45-Day Exemptions Expire in 2028

The 45-day stays are not written into permanent law. They sit in government resolutions with start dates, end dates and conditions, and the recent history shows how quickly this can shift.

Resolution 44/NQ-CP took over from two earlier programs on 15 March 2025. Resolution 32/NQ-CP from March 2022 gave 15 days, Resolution 128/NQ-CP from August 2023 raised that to 45 days for 13 countries, and both lapsed on 15 March 2025. Resolution 44 renewed the 45-day stay for 12 of those countries, and Belarus was not among them. That is why you still see Belarus quoted at 45 days on older pages.

Resolution 229/NQ-CP added the second group of 12 European countries from 15 August 2025 as a tourism stimulus measure. It is narrower in one important way: the stay is for tourism only, while the Resolution 44 group can enter for any purpose.

None of this means the programs will die in 2028. The trend since 2022 has been expansion: stays went from 15 to 45 days, the e-visa went from 30 to 90 days with multiple entry, and the number of e-visa entry gates grew from 42 to 83. What it means is that nothing is automatic. The government decides, and the list or the day count can change when it does. Check the official notices at chinhphu.vn or ask your airline before booking 2028 travel. If your stay will run longer than the exemption allows, our guide to the 90-day e-visa covers the fallback, and anyone planning repeated long stays can look at a temporary residence card instead of living on renewals.

Key Conditions for Visa-Free Entry

Even if your country is on the exemption list, you must adhere to specific conditions to enter Vietnam without a visa. Cruises count as ordinary entry for this purpose: a 45-day exemption covers your whole Vietnamese stretch of the itinerary, and our cruise ship visa guide covers the cases where it does not.

• Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.
• You must have a confirmed onward or return ticket (e.g., flight out of Vietnam).
• The allowed purpose varies by group. Resolution 44 countries can enter for any purpose, Resolution 229 countries for tourism only, and the ASEAN group for tourism or family visits. Employment and long-term study are never covered.
• You cannot extend your visa-free stay beyond the allowed period; overstaying may result in fines or bans.
• Entry is allowed via international airports, land borders, and seaports, but some land borders may have restrictions.

What If Your Country Is Not on the Exemption List?

If your nationality is not listed above, you need a visa to enter Vietnam. That includes the United States, Canada, Australia, India and China. Ignore any page claiming India or China gained a 45-day exemption in 2026: no such notice exists, and the rumor keeps resurfacing on outdated travel blogs.

The practical route for almost everyone is the Vietnam e-visa, open to citizens of every country and territory since August 2023. It allows up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and costs $25 or $50. Official processing is three working days. If you are flying in sooner than that, a visa on arrival through an approval letter is the usual fallback, and an embassy visa is the option when you need everything settled before you leave home.

Can You Extend a Visa-Free Stay?

No. Visa-free entries cannot be extended inside Vietnam, whatever the reason. The 14, 21, 30 and 45 day windows are fixed at the border, and there is no immigration counter that will add days to them. If your plans change mid-trip, the legal moves are to leave before the window closes and return on a fresh entry, or to arrange a longer visa for the next trip. Applying for an e-visa while you are already inside the country does not work either; that route is for people outside Vietnam.

Overstaying is the one move to avoid. Fines start around $10 per day and climb with the length of the overstay, longer overstays can end in an entry ban, and the amounts were raised sharply under the 2025 rules. Our guide to Vietnam overstay fines has the current brackets.

Vietnam E-Visa: Step-by-Step Application Process

For travelers from non-exempt countries, the e-visa is the most convenient option. Here's how to apply:

• Visit the official Vietnam e-visa website or a trusted service like NamVisa.com.
• Fill out the online application form with your personal details, passport info, and travel plans.
• Upload a passport photo and a scanned copy of your passport data page.
• Pay the processing fee (single entry: $25, multiple entry: $50) via credit card or bank transfer.
• Wait for 3 business days for processing. You'll receive the e-visa via email in PDF format.
• Print the e-visa and present it at the immigration checkpoint upon arrival.

Vietnam Immigration Offices and Contact Information

If you need to handle visa-related matters in Vietnam, here are the main immigration offices:

• Ho Chi Minh City: 196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3, HCMC. Phone: +84 28 3933 3316.
• Hanoi: 69 Mac Thai To, Yen Hoa Ward. Phone: +84 24 3825 7941.
• Da Nang: 78 Le Loi, Hai Chau, Da Nang.
• Nha Trang: 47 Ly Tu Trong Street, Loc Tho Ward, Nha Trang.
• Phu Quoc: Duong Dong, Phu Quoc. Phone: +84 297 399 2242.

Processing Times and Costs for Vietnam Visas

Understanding processing times and costs helps you plan better. Here's a quick overview:

• Visa exemption: Free (no cost), but must meet conditions.
• E-visa: $25 (single entry) or $50 (multiple entry); processing 3 business days.
• Visa on arrival (pre-approval letter): $15-$25 for letter, plus stamping fee at airport ($25 single, $50 multiple). Processing 2-3 business days.
• Embassy visa: $50-$100 depending on type and duration; processing 5-7 business days.
• Visa extension: $10-$20; processing 3-5 business days (subject to approval).

Visa Options Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions About Vietnam Visa Exemption 2026

Tips for Smooth Entry into Vietnam

To avoid any issues at the border, follow these tips:

• Ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure date.
• Have a printed copy of your e-visa or visa if you need one, and a passport with blank pages for the entry stamp.
• Carry proof of onward travel (flight ticket out of Vietnam).
• Know the exact duration of your visa-free stay and don't overstay.
• If entering by land, check if the border crossing is open for your nationality.