Vietnam Visa Exemption 2026: Full Country List & Day Limits

Who qualifies for a Vietnam visa exemption, and for how long

Vietnam runs a one-sided (unilateral) visa waiver: your government doesn’t have to do anything in return, Vietnam simply lets you in. The exemption is for tourism and ordinary short visits, on an ordinary passport. Here’s the current picture as of July 2026.

Current as of July 2026, verified against the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and Resolution 229/NQ-CP.

The 45-day group is the big one for most Western visitors: it covers 22 European countries plus Japan, South Korea and Russia. The 12 newest additions (Belgium through Slovenia in the table) came in under a tourism programme that runs until August 14, 2028 — so it’s current, but it does have an end date, which is worth knowing if you’re planning a trip years out.

If you are exempt: what to actually bring

A Vietnam visa exemption doesn’t mean “turn up with nothing.” Immigration still checks a few things, and airlines check them at the gate before you even board:

• A passport valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry, with a blank page for the stamp. This is the one that catches people out — a passport that expires in five months can get you turned away at check-in.
• Proof of onward or return travel. A booked flight out is usually enough.
• Your stay must fit inside the day limit. 45 days means 45 days; there’s no grace period, and overstaying carries fines.

That’s it. You do not need an approval letter, an agent, or an e-visa on top of your exemption. If a website is trying to sell you a “visa” and your passport is on the list above, close the tab. The honest move is to not buy anything — and we’d rather tell you that than take money for a stamp you already get free.

Two smaller things worth knowing:

• Extending is hard. A visa-free stay generally can’t be extended from inside Vietnam. If you know you’ll want longer than 45 days up front, get a 90-day e-visa instead of relying on the exemption.
• Back-to-back entries. Travellers do sometimes leave to a neighbour (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos) and re-enter on a fresh exemption. Rules around repeat visa-free entries have shifted over the years, so if that’s your plan, treat it as something to confirm close to your travel date rather than assume.

If you are NOT exempt, or you need longer: your options

Not on the list, or planning to stay past your free window? You have a clean, official route.

The 90-day e-visa. Since August 15, 2023, Vietnam issues an e-visa to citizens of every country. It’s valid for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and you apply online — no embassy visit. Government fees are $25 USD for single entry and $50 USD for multiple entry. Apply only through the official portal, evisa.gov.vn — there are many copycat sites that charge a markup for the same government form. For a full walk-through of who needs it and how the timing works, see our complete Vietnam visa guide.

When you’re short on time. The e-visa isn’t instant — standard processing takes a few working days, and it doesn’t run on weekends or Vietnamese public holidays. If you’ve left it late, or your application was rejected, we handle urgent cases (down to same-day and even a few hours for air arrivals). That’s what our urgent Vietnam visa service is for. If you’re already covered by an exemption, you won’t need us — and we’ll tell you so.

FAQ

Last verified: July 2026, against the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel), the official e-visa portal (evisa.gov.vn), and Resolution 229/NQ-CP. Visa policy changes — always confirm your specific passport before you book.