Starting August 15, 2025, citizens of twelve additional European countries will be able to travel to Vietnam visa-free for stays of up to 45 days.
The Vietnamese government has just announced a major policy aimed at attracting more international visitors: starting August 15, 2025, citizens of twelve European countries will be able to enter Vietnam without a visa.
The countries included in this expansion of Vietnam’s visa-exemption policy are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
This visa waiver applies to tourist stays of up to 45 days, regardless of passport type.
This initiative, formalized under Resolution 229/NQ-CP, is part of Vietnam’s national tourism recovery program and will remain in effect for three years, until August 14, 2028. The stated objective is clear: boost Vietnam’s competitiveness against other Asian destinations and increase the average length of stay among European travelers.
Vietnam now offers unilateral visa exemptions to 24 countries
Prior to this new extension, Vietnam already granted unilateral visa exemptions to travelers from 12 other countries.
Citizens of Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom can currently enter Vietnam without a visa for stays of up to 45 days.
This policy, valid through March 14, 2028, has helped quickly revive tourism from these key markets. It targets both developed economies and countries with historically strong cultural or economic ties to Vietnam.
According to data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the number of international arrivals to Vietnam in the first seven months of 2025 reached 12,227,196 visitors, an increase of 22.5% compared to the same period in 2024. Among these visitors, those from visa-exempt countries contributed significantly to this momentum.
Indeed, several of these countries are among the European markets with the strongest growth:
- Italy: +24.7%
- France: +19.8%
- United Kingdom: +19.5%
- Germany: +16.1%
- Sweden: +15.1%
- Norway: +14.3%
- Denmark: +10.9%
- Spain: +10.3%
Vietnam also grants visa exemptions to certain special categories
In addition to opening its borders to twelve new countries, Resolution 229/NQ-CP and Decree 221/2025/NĐ-CP, adopted on August 8, 2025, include temporary or specific visa exemptions granted to certain categories of persons for economic, social or diplomatic purposes, such as:
- High-level official guests, including invitees of the General Secretary, President, Prime Minister, or other national leaders.
- Researchers, professors, engineers, and top-tier experts, particularly in science and technology.
- Major investors and executives of leading global companies.
- Influential figures in culture, arts, sports, or tourism.
- Vietnam’s honorary consuls abroad, and invitees of major universities, research institutes, or companies, via approved lists.
- Other special cases for diplomatic or socio-economic development purposes, subject to approval by the Ministry of Public Security.
These individuals may receive a special exemption card granting multiple entries into Vietnam for a period of up to five years, provided their passport remains valid for at least 30 days beyond their planned stay.
Sources: Visa News
