Vietnam’s unilateral 45-day visa exemption currently applies to 24 countries in two separate groups with different validity periods. The most common mistakes are citing expired resolutions (128/NQ-CP, 11/NQ-CP) or writing “13 countries including Belarus” under the old rules. This article lists the two groups in force as of 14 October 2026, explains how the 45-day stay is counted, and the accompanying rules.
1. Two groups under the 45-day exemption (currently in force)
Group 1 — Resolution 44/NQ-CP (7 March 2025), effective 15/3/2025 → 14/3/2028: 45-day visa exemption for 12 countries, regardless of passport type or entry purpose:
- Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland.
Group 2 — Resolution 229/NQ-CP (8 August 2025), effective 15/8/2025 → 14/8/2028: 45-day visa exemption for 12 European countries under the Tourism Stimulus Programme, limited to tourism purposes, regardless of passport type:
- Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland.
Note on old resolutions: Resolutions 32/NQ-CP (2022) and 128/NQ-CP (2023) expired on 15/3/2025 (replaced by Resolution 44); Resolution 11/NQ-CP (Poland, Czechia, Switzerland) expired on 15/8/2025 — these three countries now fall under Resolution 229. Belarus is not listed in Resolution 44 — its status is unclear; check the current documents at the time of entry rather than assuming.
2. How the 45-day stay is counted
- The temporary residence period is 45 days from the date of entry — the entry date counts as day 1;
- The specific deadline is stamped on the entry verification stamp / temporary residence certificate at the border gate (Article 31 of VBHN 62/VBHN-VPQH) — departing later than the stamped date means overstay;
- No limit on the number of entries: each entry grants up to 45 days of temporary residence; the old pre-15/8/2023 rule requiring “30 days between two entries” no longer applies.
Example: entering on 1 November, day 45 is 15 December — you must depart no later than 15 December (unless lawfully extended).
3. Mandatory entry conditions
- Passport valid for at least 06 months (Point a, Clause 1, Article 20);
- Not falling into a case of denied entry (Article 21);
- For the Resolution 229 group: entry for tourism purposes — investors travelling for business, surveys or investment promotion should not use this channel but apply for an e-visa or DT visa instead (see our articles on e-visas and DT visas).
Citizens of countries not among the 24 above — e.g. the US, Australia, Canada, India — are not covered by the 45-day exemption and must obtain an e-visa or appropriate visa before travelling.
4. Visa issuance / stay extension while in Vietnam
Persons temporarily residing under the visa exemption may be considered for visa issuance or temporary-residence extension (Article 31). Extension procedures are carried out through the sponsoring entity at the immigration authority, with a processing time of 05 working days (Article 35) — and must be done before the 45 days expire. If eligible, there is no obligation to exit and re-enter (“visa run”).
5. Visa exemption ≠ exemption from residence declaration
Exempted persons must still declare their temporary residence through their accommodation establishment (Article 33). Staying beyond 45 days without a lawful extension is an overstay subject to administrative sanctions under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025/ND-CP. During the stay, beneficiaries of the exemption may not take paid employment in Vietnam — they must act in line with their declared entry purpose (Point b, Clause 2, Article 44).
6. Five exemption regimes — do not confuse them
| Regime | Scope / duration |
|---|---|
| (i) Unilateral 45-day | 12 countries under Resolution 44/NQ-CP (until 14/3/2028), all purposes |
| (ii) Tourism-stimulus 45-day | 12 European countries under Resolution 229/NQ-CP (until 14/8/2028), tourism only |
| (iii) Bilateral exemptions | Under international treaties (e.g. ASEAN 14–30 days; Chile, Panama 90 days…) |
| (iv) 5-year exemption certificate | Overseas Vietnamese and their relatives |
| (v) Special exemption card | Investors and leaders of large corporations under Decree 221/2025 (up to 05 years) |
Both 45-day groups have fixed validity periods (Resolution 44 → 14/3/2028; Resolution 229 → 14/8/2028) — re-check the current documents before each trip.
Further reading
The information above is for reference only and does not constitute legal advice. Country lists and validity periods may change with new resolutions; before travelling, check the current documents or contact our lawyers via the Contact page of FLAT Law Firm.
For reference only, not legal advice. Content quality-checked by the AI Legal Council; not yet reviewed by a human lawyer.