🔄 Last updated: 12 July 2026
Vietnam's entry rules are not the same for everyone.
And the danger isn't a lack of information — it's that the information you found was written for someone holding a different passport.
Every nationality has its own trap. Find your passport.
🌐 PART 0 — Three things true for EVERYONE
Before you look up your nationality, these three rules apply whatever passport you hold:
1️⃣ Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry — with blank pages for stamps.
2️⃣ Flying into Vietnam? You must file the digital arrival card (QR).
prearrival.immigration.gov.vn — free, filed within 72 hours of arrival.
🔴 It does NOT replace a visa.
3️⃣ Your day of entry is DAY 1. Not the day after. And the stamp in your passport — not the date on your visa — determines when you must leave. → The stamp, not the visa: how to read your passport
🇷🇺 IF YOU HOLD A RUSSIAN PASSPORT
What you get: a 45-day visa exemption under Resolution 44/NQ-CP (7 Mar 2025), in force 15 Mar 2025 → 14 Mar 2028.
✅ REGARDLESS OF PASSPORT TYPE AND PURPOSE OF ENTRY.
Many Russians don't know this: you are not restricted to tourism. Some other European countries are — see the EU section below.
🔴 Your trap #1: PAYMENT
Russian bank cards, MIR and UnionPay typically DO NOT work on evisa.gov.vn.
A VPN will NOT solve this — it's an international payment-rails problem, not a geography problem.
If you need an E-Visa (say, to stay beyond 45 days), you will hit this wall. → E-Visa payment failing: options for Russian travellers
🔴 Trap #2: 45 days means 45 days
The 45-day exemption CANNOT be extended in-country.
To stay longer you have two routes: exit and re-enter (fresh stamp), or switch to a 90-day E-Visa. → Border Run vs Visa Run: the difference
🔴 Trap #3: 14 March 2028
Resolution 44 has an expiry date. It "will be considered for extension" — not "will be extended". → The 45-day exemption has an expiry date
🇰🇷 IF YOU HOLD A KOREAN PASSPORT
What you get: a 45-day exemption under Resolution 44, regardless of purpose, until 14 Mar 2028.
🔴 Trap #1: you may be remembering the OLD number
Many Korean-language guides still say 15 days. That's a rule from years ago.
The current number is 45. But don't trust this article — check your own stamp.
🔴 Trap #2: overstay (오버스테이)
The single biggest fear in Vietnam's Korean community — and it's well founded.
Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP (in force 15 Dec 2025) penalises by seven day-count bands, and deportation is a SUPPLEMENTARY penalty — it does not replace the fine. → The seven overstay penalty bands under Decree 282
🔴 Trap #3: overstaying makes you INELIGIBLE TO EXIT
Article 27, Law 47/2014/QH13: to exit, you must hold a valid temporary residence certification.
Overstaying isn't just a fine at the airport. Legally, you are not eligible to leave.
🇺🇸 IF YOU HOLD A US PASSPORT
What you get: 🔴 No visa exemption. The United States is not in Resolution 44 or 229.
What you need: an E-Visa — up to 90 days, USD 25 (single) / USD 50 (multiple), at evisa.gov.vn.
→ E-Visa file support
🔴 Trap #1: "Visa on Arrival"
You CANNOT fly in and get a visa at the counter. Vietnam's "VOA" needs an entry approval letter cleared BEFORE YOU FLY — without it, your airline won't board you. → The truth about Visa on Arrival
🔴 Trap #2: YOUR INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT MAY BE WORTHLESS
This is the most dangerous trap in this entire article.
IDPs issued by AAA are drawn up under the Geneva Convention 1949. Vietnam is a party to the Vienna Convention 1968 — NOT Geneva 1949.
Rent a motorbike in Da Nang with your AAA permit in your pocket and you may be riding without a valid licence — and your insurer may refuse the claim if you crash. → Is an international driving permit valid in Vietnam?
🇬🇧🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇪🇸🇯🇵 + 🇩🇰🇸🇪🇳🇴🇫🇮 IF YOU'RE IN THE RESOLUTION 44 GROUP
UK & Northern Ireland · France · Germany · Italy · Spain · Japan · Denmark · Sweden · Norway · Finland (alongside Russia and South Korea)
What you get: 45 days, regardless of passport type and purpose of entry, until 14 Mar 2028.
You may enter for tourism, business, or visiting family — the exemption covers all of it.
🇧🇪🇧🇬🇭🇷🇨🇿🇭🇺🇱🇺🇳🇱🇵🇱🇷🇴🇸🇰🇸🇮🇨🇭 IF YOU'RE IN THE RESOLUTION 229 GROUP
Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Czechia · Hungary · Luxembourg · Netherlands · Poland · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Switzerland
Resolution 229/NQ-CP (11 Aug 2025), in force 15 Aug 2025 → 14 Aug 2028. Also 45 days.
🔴 BUT — FOR TOURISM PURPOSES ONLY.
This is the crucial difference between Resolution 229 and Resolution 44 — and almost nobody explains it.
If you hold a Dutch or Polish passport and come to Vietnam for business, your "45-day visa exemption" may not cover your trip.
Confirm directly with a Vietnamese diplomatic mission before you fly.
→ Two resolutions, two different conditions
🇧🇾 IF YOU HOLD A BELARUSIAN PASSPORT
⚠️ We have to be straight with you: public sources CONTRADICT EACH OTHER on your case.
Belarus appeared in Resolution 128 (45-day exemption, 13 countries) — but Resolution 128 expired on 15 March 2025.
Resolution 44 replaced it — with 12 countries, and Belarus is not on that list.
Yet some sources continue to list Belarus.
We will NOT speculate, and we will NOT invent an answer for you.
🔴 If you hold a Belarusian passport, CONFIRM DIRECTLY with the Vietnamese Embassy in Belarus or the Immigration Department BEFORE BOOKING.
Don't trust this article. Don't trust any blog on this question.
🌏 IF YOU HOLD ANY OTHER PASSPORT (China, India, Australia, Canada, Israel, South Africa, Brazil…)
Good news: since 15 August 2023 (Law 23/2023/QH15), the E-Visa is issued to citizens of ALL countries and territories.
What you need: an E-Visa — up to 90 days, USD 25 / USD 50, at evisa.gov.vn.
🔴 Your trap: DECLARING THE WRONG CHECKPOINT
An E-Visa REQUIRES you to enter through the checkpoint you declared. Declared Noi Bai and then flew into Tan Son Nhat → you can be refused.
(Exit is flexible — only the entry direction is bound.)
Also note: official processing can take up to 15 working days, and the fee is non-refundable even if you're rejected. → 7 reasons E-Visas get rejected
🏝️ IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO PHU QUOC
A 30-day visa exemption — for EVERY nationality.
Condition: you must arrive directly on the island (not via a mainland entry first).
🔔 The trap EVERY nationality falls into
You can look up the right nationality, understand the right number of days, and still overstay.
Because people don't overstay from ignorance — they overstay because they lost track of the date.
👉 Turn on free visa expiry reminders with Visa Tracker — free, no account needed. You get warned before the number on your stamp becomes a problem.
🧾 AND ONE TRAP THAT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR PASSPORT
If you LIVE in Vietnam — whatever your nationality, however immaculate your visa record — two clocks are running quietly:
1️⃣ The 183-day (tax) clock. At 183 days you may be a tax resident — and taxable income then includes income arising OUTSIDE Vietnam. A border run does NOT reset this clock. → 183 days and the tax clock
2️⃣ Your path to legal status. E-Visas and exemptions do not give you a residence card. If you plan to stay long-term, this is a question you'll have to answer eventually. → The TRC: five conditions and who qualifies
⚠️ Common misconceptions
❌ "I read on a travel blog that my country is visa-exempt." → CHECK WHICH RESOLUTION. Res. 44 = any purpose. Res. 229 = tourism only. This is not a footnote.
❌ "Visa-exempt means I can stay as long as I like." → FALSE. It's 45 days, entry day is day 1, and there's no in-country extension.
❌ "The exemption list is fixed." → IT HAS ALREADY CHANGED. Resolution 128 had 13 countries; Resolution 44 replaced it with 12. One country left the list.
❌ "I have an E-Visa, so I can skip the QR card." → YOU STILL FILE IT. The digital arrival card runs parallel to your visa; it doesn't replace it.
❌ "My international driving permit works anywhere." → NO. Vietnam recognises the Vienna 1968 IDP — with your original licence. The US-style Geneva 1949 permit is not recognised.
❌ "My visa is valid, so I'm fully compliant." → A VALID VISA ≠ FULL COMPLIANCE. There's still: temporary residence declaration, tax, work permit, driving licence.
Sources
- Law 47/2014/QH13 (amended 2019, 2023) — Art. 27 (exit conditions), Art. 31 (temporary residence certification), Art. 38 (temporary residence card)
- Law 23/2023/QH15 (15 Aug 2023) — E-Visa up to 90 days, issued to citizens of all countries
- Resolution 44/NQ-CP (7 Mar 2025) — 45-day exemption, 12 countries, regardless of passport type and purpose, 15 Mar 2025 → 14 Mar 2028
- Resolution 229/NQ-CP (11 Aug 2025) — 45-day exemption, 12 EU countries, tourism purposes only, 15 Aug 2025 → 14 Aug 2028
- Resolution 128/NQ-CP — expired 15 Mar 2025 (13 countries)
- Resolution 389/NQ-CP — additional checkpoints for the electronic visa
- Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP (15 Dec 2025) — Art. 21, overstay penalties
- Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP and Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA — driving licences
- Personal Income Tax Law 2007 — Art. 2, resident individuals
- Vietnam Immigration Department — Ministry of Public Security:
evisa.gov.vn·prearrival.immigration.gov.vn
Note: This article compiles publicly available information as of the update date and is not legal advice. Visa policy can change at any time, and the rules that apply to you depend on your nationality, passport type, purpose of entry and checkpoint. Confirm with the Immigration Department or a Vietnamese diplomatic mission before you travel. Admission in every case rests with the competent authority at the checkpoint.
ViEntry is a technology platform connecting you with independent service operators. ViEntry is not an immigration authority, does not issue visas, and does not guarantee visa outcomes. All prices are for reference.
Can't find your passport above, or is your case complicated? Message us — and if we're not sure, we'll tell you we're not sure. Telegram @vientry_support · WhatsApp +84 963 091 001 · Hotline 0963 091 001
