Requirements for foreign motor vehicles and foreign drivers to participate in Vietnamese traffic as of May 1, 2024

Requirements for foreign motor vehicles and foreign drivers to participate in Vietnamese traffic as of May 1, 2024 (Internet image) 

On March 7, 2024, the Government issued Decree 30/2024/ND-CP on management of foreign-registered road motor vehicles temporarily imported into Vietnam for tourism by foreigners

Requirements for foreign motor vehicles and foreign drivers to participate in Vietnamese traffic as of May 1, 2024

(1) General requirements for foreign motor vehicles and foreign drivers to participate in Vietnamese traffic

- Carry out the procedure, through a Vietnamese international travel service provider, for approval for inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles into Vietnam for participation in traffic;

- Have a document on approval for inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles into Vietnam for participation in traffic issued by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam.

(2) Requirements for foreign motor vehicles

- Are road motor vehicles prescribed in Clause 1 Article 3 of this Decree;

- Have valid vehicle registration certificates with license plates issued by competent authorities of the nation where the vehicles were registered;

- Have valid certificates of technical and environmental safety for motor vehicles or equivalences issued by competent authority of the nation where the vehicles were registered (for automobiles);

- Regarding foreign motor vehicles that are right-hand drive automobiles: have diplomatic notes of diplomatic representative missions, consular missions, or representative missions of inter-governmental international organizations in Vietnam for submission to the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam to request and specify the reason for permission for the vehicles to participate in Vietnamese traffic;

- Carry out customs procedures for temporary import and re-export according to customs laws immediately at the entry and exit border checkpoints;

- May only carry out temporary import and re-export at international border checkpoints by road, sea, inland waterway, railway, and air; must carry out the temporary import and re-export at the border checkpoints approved by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam;

- The time limit for vehicle use in Vietnamese traffic is up to 45 days. In case of force majeure, vehicles may be allowed to stay in Vietnam for no more than 10 days in compliance with Clause 4 Article 5 of this Decree.

(3) Requirements for drivers of foreign motor vehicles

- Are foreigners;

- Have passports or international travel documents and visas or valid documents for residence in Vietnam, except for cases where visas are exempted according to the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam. In case of foreigners entering Vietnam under unilateral visa exemption, their passports must be valid for at least 6 months; foreigners using e-visas shall enter through international border checkpoints decided by the Government of Vietnam;

- Have valid foreign-issued driver's licenses conforming with the vehicle type;

- Carry out procedures for entry and exit according to the Law on Entry, Exit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam.

More details can be found in Decree 30/2024/ND-CP taking effect on May 1, 2024.

Decree 152/2013/ND-CP and Decree 57/2015/ND-CP expire on May 1, 2024.

Documents on approval for inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic issued by the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam to international travel service providers before the effective date of this Decree may continue to be used until the end of the approved contents.

Ho Quoc Tuan

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