By Sumer. Checked against official sources on 2026-10-21. A few points are still open; they are listed under Sources.
Citizens of 24 countries can currently enter Vietnam without a visa and stay for up to 45 days. The waivers come from two separate government resolutions with different country lists, dates and conditions, and they are easy to mix up. This guide sets out what each resolution says, based on official government and embassy notices, and what to do if your stay will be longer or your country is not listed.
On 7 March 2025 the Government issued Resolution No. 44/NQ-CP. It waives visas for citizens of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Holders of these passports can stay up to 45 days from the date of entry, regardless of passport type and purpose of entry, provided they meet Vietnam's other entry conditions. The policy runs from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028 and, according to the official notices, will be considered for extension under Vietnamese law. It replaced two earlier resolutions from 2022 and 2023 that covered the same group of countries.
On 8 August 2025 the Government issued Resolution No. 229/NQ-CP as part of a programme to stimulate tourism. It covers citizens of Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. The stay is again 45 days from the date of entry, regardless of passport type, but the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium states that this waiver is for tourism. It also lists two conditions: a passport valid for at least six months, and not being barred from entry under Vietnam's immigration law. The policy runs from 15 August 2025 to 14 August 2028.
The two lists look alike but are not the same. Under Resolution 44 the purpose of entry does not matter, so a short business trip is covered. Under Resolution 229 the embassy notice describes the waiver as tourism only, so if you hold one of those 12 passports and are travelling for work, meetings or anything other than tourism, apply for the right visa instead of relying on the waiver. The six-month passport rule is spelled out in the Resolution 229 notice; carrying a passport with at least six months left is a sensible habit for every traveller.
The 45 days are counted from the day you enter. If you plan to stay longer, or your country is not on either list, apply for an e-visa before you travel. Vietnam's e-visa allows stays of up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and has been open to all nationalities since August 2023; our e-visa guide explains the official portal and the common mistakes. If you are already in Vietnam and want to stay on, the immigration rules for extending or changing your status are a separate procedure, so ask the immigration office before your permitted stay ends.
Vietnam also has visa exemption agreements with a number of countries, including some of its Southeast Asian neighbours, with their own lengths of stay. We have not listed them here because we could not find a single current official list to check them against. If your country is not among the 24 above, check with the nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate before you book.
Citizens of the 24 countries covered by Resolutions 44 and 229 can stay up to 45 days from the date of entry.
Under Resolution 44 the purpose of entry does not matter. Under Resolution 229 the official embassy notice says the waiver is for tourism, so business travellers from those 12 countries should get a visa.
No. The United States is not on either resolution's list, so US citizens need a visa, usually an e-visa.
Resolution 44 runs until 14 March 2028 and Resolution 229 until 14 August 2028, unless the government changes them.
Checked 2026-10-21. Items still open: Whether any visa exemption resolution issued after August 2025 added or removed countries; The full text of Resolutions 44/NQ-CP and 229/NQ-CP on the Government's legal documents site; Current bilateral visa exemption agreements and their lengths of stay.
Related: Hai Phong living dashboard