Vietnam Visa Exemption 2026: Who Gets 45 Days Visa-Free

Last verified: 16 October 2026 against the Viet Nam Government portal (baochinhphu.vn), Vietnamese embassy notices (mofa.gov.vn), vietnam.travel and our own service pages

14 March 2028 is the date to remember. Until then, Vietnam's visa exemption gives citizens of 12 countries, including the UK, Germany, France and Japan, 45 days without a visa. A second list of 12 European countries runs to 14 August 2028. ASEAN passports have their own exempt periods. Everyone else, and anyone staying longer than their exempt period, needs an e-visa.

Below is the short version as a table, then each route in detail.

Which route fits your trip?

Your passport and plan	What you need	Where you get it
On one of the two 45-day lists, staying 45 days or less, one entry	Nothing in advance. You get an exemption stamp on arrival	At the border, free
On a 45-day list, but staying longer than 45 days or leaving and coming back during the trip	E-visa (up to 90 days, single or multiple entry)	Online at evisa.gov.vn, before you travel
ASEAN passport	Bilateral exemption for the period in your country's agreement. E-visa if your trip is longer	At the border, free (exemption)
Any passport, flying or sailing straight to Phu Quoc and staying only on the island	Phu Quoc exemption, up to 30 days	On arrival at Phu Quoc, free
Every other passport, for example US, Australian, Canadian or Indian	E-visa before you travel	Online at evisa.gov.vn, before you travel

The 45-day lists: 24 passports under two resolutions

Vietnam's unilateral exemption comes from two government resolutions. Both cover any passport type, as long as you meet Vietnam's normal entry conditions.

Resolution 44/NQ-CP, issued on 7 March 2025, runs from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. According to vietnam.travel, it applies "regardless of passport type and purpose of entry". It covers:

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

Resolution 229/NQ-CP, part of the Tourism Development Stimulus Programme, runs from 15 August 2025 to 14 August 2028. The Government portal and the Vietnamese embassy notice say it is for tourism. It covers:

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

The 45 days count from your date of entry. Both resolutions say they may be extended under Vietnamese law, so check again if your trip falls close to the end dates.

Belarus is no longer on the 45-day list. Older pages, including the vietnam.travel visa page, still show 13 countries with Belarus. Resolution 44/NQ-CP names only the 12 countries above. Belarusian travellers should check with the Vietnamese embassy before they travel.

One tip from GOV.UK: look at your entry stamp before you leave the arrivals hall. It shows the last day you can stay. Immigration won't correct a wrong date once you've left the airport or land border.

When a 45-day passport still needs an e-visa

The exemption covers one stay of up to 45 days. You'll need an e-visa if:

• Your trip is longer than 45 days. The e-visa allows up to 90 days.
• You plan to leave and come back, for example a side trip to Cambodia or Laos in the middle of your Vietnam stay. A multiple-entry e-visa covers this.
• Your trip isn't for tourism and your passport is on the 229/NQ-CP list, which covers tourism only.

The e-visa must be in place before you arrive. GOV.UK notes that if you get an e-visa while already in Vietnam, you must leave and re-enter for it to take effect. Overstaying can lead to a fine before you're allowed to leave, and possibly deportation and a ban on future visits.

ASEAN passports: periods set by each agreement

Citizens of most ASEAN countries enter visa-free under bilateral agreements rather than the 45-day resolutions. The Government portal's e-visa explainer says these travellers get the stay set out in their country's agreement. Where the agreement doesn't set a period, the default is 30 days.

The periods aren't the same for every ASEAN country, and some are shorter than 30 days. We couldn't confirm a current country-by-country table on a government page this week, so check your country's period with the Vietnamese embassy before you travel. If your trip is longer than your exempt period, apply for an e-visa.

Phu Quoc-only trips: up to 30 days

vietnam.travel states that foreigners can stay on Phu Quoc Island for up to 30 days without a visa. This applies to any nationality. The exemption is for the island only, so plan to arrive on Phu Quoc and stay there. If you want to fly on to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, you'll need your 45-day exemption, your bilateral exemption or an e-visa. The airline or ship operator may ask for proof that you'll leave within 30 days, so check the current conditions before you book.

Everyone else: the 90-day e-visa

If your passport isn't on any exemption list, you need an e-visa before you fly. The Government portal says Vietnam issues e-visas to "citizens of all countries and territories". The e-visa allows stays of up to 90 days with single or multiple entry. You apply through the Immigration Department's portal at evisa.gov.vn.

Since December 2025, e-visa holders can use 83 border gates by air, land and sea, under Resolution 389/NQ-CP. Your e-visa only covers the entry and exit points you choose when you apply, so pick them carefully.

You'll need a passport valid for at least six months after your arrival date, with at least two blank pages and no damage, as GOV.UK advises.

What you pay with us

If you're on an exemption list and your trip fits it, entry costs nothing and you don't need us at all. If you need an e-visa, you can apply directly on the government portal at evisa.gov.vn and pay only the government fee: USD 25 for a single-entry or USD 50 for a multiple-entry e-visa, paid online by card when you submit. According to the Immigration Department's e-visa portal, this fee isn't refunded if the visa is refused.

We are a private service, not the Vietnamese government. Our prices include the government fee:

• Single entry: USD 89 (Standard, 8 business days), USD 109 (Priority, 6 business days) or USD 139 (Express, 4 business days)
• Multiple entry: USD 129, USD 159 or USD 199 at the same three speeds

On a Standard single-entry e-visa, that means USD 64 goes to our service. It pays for a person checking your photo, passport scan and travel dates before the file goes in, catching a misspelled name, a wrong date or short passport validity before submission, email and WhatsApp updates, and status tracking until your e-visa is emailed to you, all in one payment. See how it works for each step. Vietnam's Immigration Department makes the final decision, and nobody can promise approval.

What travellers ask

Which countries get 45 days visa-free in Vietnam?

24 countries. Resolution 44/NQ-CP covers Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the UK until 14 March 2028. Resolution 229/NQ-CP covers Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland for tourism until 14 August 2028.

Do US, Australian, Canadian or Indian citizens get visa exemption?

No. None of these countries is on a 45-day list. Travellers from them need an e-visa before they fly, unless their trip is only to Phu Quoc and fits the 30-day island exemption.

Can I extend the 45-day visa exemption inside Vietnam?

Don't plan on it. If you think you'll stay longer than 45 days, get a 90-day e-visa before you travel. An e-visa issued while you're in Vietnam only takes effect after you leave and re-enter.

Is the e-visa open to all nationalities?

Yes. According to the Viet Nam Government portal, e-visas are issued to citizens of all countries and territories. You can apply on the official portal at evisa.gov.vn, where the government fee is USD 25 single entry or USD 50 multiple entry, or through a private service like ours.

Does the Phu Quoc exemption let me visit the mainland?

No. The 30-day Phu Quoc exemption covers the island only. To travel on to the mainland, you need a nationality exemption or an e-visa.

How long must my passport be valid?

At least six months after your arrival date, with at least two blank pages and no damage, according to GOV.UK's advice for Vietnam.

Find your nationality page

If your passport isn't on a 45-day list, or your trip is longer than your exempt stay, your next step is your own country guide. Each one covers what we ask for (passport, a recent photo and an emergency contact), the entry types and the speed options for that passport. Start with our pages for Australia, Canada or India, then apply from the guide that matches your passport.