What is a visa? Cases of visa-free entry in Vietnam

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. What is a visa?

According to Clause 11 Article 3 of the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014, a visa means a document issued by a competent authority of Vietnam to a foreigner to grant entry into Vietnam.

What is a visa? Cases of visa-free entry in Vietnam (Internet image)

2. Cases of visa-free entry in Vietnam

Article 12 of the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014 (amended by the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam amended 2019), cases of visa-free entry include:

- The cases prescribed in international agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory.

- Permanent residence cards and temporary residence cards are used in accordance this Law.

- Entry to checkpoint economic zones, special administrative - economic units.

- Entering coastal economic zones decided by the Government if fully satisfying following conditions: having international airports; having private space; having defined geographical border and separate from inland; in conformity with socio-economic development policies and not harming national defense and security, social safety and order of Vietnam.

- Under regulations in Article 13 of the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014 .

- Vietnamese people residing overseas who have passports or laissez-passers issued by foreign authorities, foreigners being their spouses or children; foreigners being spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens shall be granted visa-free entry as prescribed by the government.

Regulations on enilateral visa-free entry under Article 13 of the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014:

- A decision to unilaterally grant visa-free entry to citizens of a country must satisfy the following conditions:

+ The country has a diplomatic relation with Vietnam;

+ The decision is conformable with the policies on socio-economic development and diplomacy of Vietnam in each period;

+ The decision does not threaten national defense, national security, social safety and social order of Vietnam.

- The validity period of a decision to unilaterally grant visa-free entry shall not exceed 05 years and may be extended. A decision to unilaterally grant visa-free entry shall be invalidated if any of the conditions above are not satisfied.

- A decision to unilaterally grant visa-free entry shall be invalidated if any of the conditions above is not satisfied.

3. Entry eligibility of foreigner in Vietnam

Article 20 of the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014 (amended by the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam amended 2019) stipulates entry eligibility as follows:

- A foreigner shall be permitted for entry if he/she:

+ Possesses a passport or documents enabling international travel, except for cases of visa-free entry as specified in the Law on Entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam 2014 .

Passport of a foreigner wishing to make entry in form of unilateral visa-free must be valid at least for another 6 months; and

+ Does not fall into categories of entry suspension specified in Article 21 of this Law.

- A foreigner making entry on electronic visas must fully satisfy all conditions specified in Clause 1 of this Article and make entry via international border checkpoints decided by the Government.

Nhu Mai

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