Vietnam Visa Exemption Explained: Four Different Regimes
People talk about being “visa-free for Vietnam” as if it were one rule. It is four, and they work differently — the stay length, the purpose allowed and the way they end are not the same.
1. Unilateral exemption
Vietnam grants this by government resolution to selected nationalities, currently 45 days per entry for 24 countries. It can be changed or extended by a new resolution, so it is the least permanent of the four. Current list: visa-exempt nationalities in 2026.
2. Bilateral exemption (treaty based)
Agreed between Vietnam and another country, mostly ASEAN neighbours: 30 days for Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos and Cambodia; 21 days for the Philippines; 14 days for Brunei and Myanmar. More stable than the unilateral kind because it is treaty based.
3. Phu Quoc
Foreigners arriving on Phu Quoc from a third country may stay up to 30 days without a visa, including when transiting a Vietnamese international gate. Travelling on to the mainland requires a visa issued locally, and the passport must be valid at least 45 days.
4. Five-year visa exemption certificate
A document, not a nationality rule: issued to people of Vietnamese origin and to the foreign spouse and children of Vietnamese citizens. Valid up to five years, 180 days per entry. Details: 5-year exemption certificate.
What they have in common
- None of them permits employment — that needs a work permit and an LD visa.
- None can be extended in place like a visa. When the days run out you leave, or you obtain a visa through a sponsor inside Vietnam.
- Passports must be valid at least six months from entry (45 days for Phu Quoc).
- Overstaying is fined from 500,000 to 10,000,000 VND — see overstay penalties.
Not sure which regime applies to you? Send your passport bio page to Zalo 0327 828 822 and we will confirm before you book flights.
