The Vietnamese authorities announced that more nationalities may become eligible for a visa waiver in the future. Although Vietnam’s tourism industry grew rapidly in the past year, Vietnam’s prime minister hopes that even more international tourists will be drawn to Vietnam after the implementation of additional visa waivers.
The existing visa waivers
Presently, Citizens of 25 different countries may travel to Vietnam without having to hold a visa. Vietnam has scrapped the visa requirement for travellers from some European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as some Asian countries, such as South Korea and Japan. Tourists from these countries may stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa. A visa is only required for stays exceeding 45 days.
The Vietnamese authorities introduced this rule to make the country more accessible for tourists. This policy appears to be successful. The number of tourist arrivals in Vietnam was three times larger in 2023, compared to 2022. This enormous growth in tourist numbers is not only due to the changes in visa policy. It is also partly due to the covid pandemic coming to an end, allowing tourists to travel further distances.
Vietnam is popular among South Koreans
Vietnam is particularly popular among tourists from South Korea. More than 2 million South Korean travellers arrived in Vietnam in the first six months of 2024, which is more than any other nationality. South Koreans amounted to 25% of the total number of international tourists. This can be largely explained by the intensive cooperation between the Vietnamese and South Korean governments in terms of tourism. This resulted in a visa waiver for South Koreans, which is believed to play an important role in stimulating South Koreans to visit Vietnam.
Visa waivers for more nationalities
Although Vietnamese tourism is already booming, Vietnam’s government wants to encourage even more foreigners to visit the country. Vietnam’s prime minister Phạm Minh Chính announced his intention to make it easier for tourists to travel to Vietnam. Presently, citizens of 25 different countries are eligible for a visa waiver. Other countries in South East Asia have more lenient visa policies, allowing nationals of more countries to enter without a visa.
It has not yet been announced which additional nationalities will be eligible for a visa-free entry to Vietnam. However, the Vietnamese authorities announced a concrete objective to welcome 18 million foreign tourists in 2024. This is a tremendous increase compared to the 12.6 million tourists that came to Vietnam in 2023.
The Vietnam e-visa
Travellers who are not eligible for a visa-free entry to Vietnam have to apply for an e-visa. In contrast to many other countries in the region, Vietnam decided to suspend its visa on arrival after the covid outbreak. Therefore, travellers are advised to apply for the visa far in advance of their departure to Vietnam.
You have to make a number of preparations for a visa application for Vietnam. First, you need to hold a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date in Vietnam. Second, you need to upload a passport photo that was taken no more than six months ago. A neat selfie also suffices if your face is clearly visible and the background has a neutral colour. Third, you have to know the locations where you arrive in Vietnam and where you depart from the country. Do you want further information? Have a look at the visa requirements for Vietnam.