Visa exemption for Vietnamese expatriates

Question: I’m a foreigner. I got married to a Vietnamese national residing overseas. We intend to visit our relatives in Viet Nam. Do I and our children get visa exemption? What are the new regulations?

Answer: Under Paragraph 1, Article 2 of Decree 82, applicable entities include Vetnamese residing overseas and foreigners who are spouses, children of Vietnamese people residing overseas or of Vietnamese citizens.

To get visa exemption, you and your children have to meet the following conditions:

1. A passport or an international travel document valid for at least 01 year.

2. A document to prove that the person in question is among the subjects stipulated in Paragraph 1 of Article 2 of this Decree.

3. Not in the cases subject to suspension from entry and exit stipulated in Article 21 and Article 28 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of foreigners in Viet Nam.

Visa exemption certificate shall be valid for up to 05 years and expires at least 6 months before the expiration of the holder’s passport or international travel document. Visa exemption certificate shall be issued to people entering Viet Nam for family visit and settlement of personal business.  

Article 6 stipulates dossier of application for visa exemption certificates. Accordingly, visa exemption grantees must submit 01 dossier, comprising of:

1. A passport or an internation travel document or a residence permit granted by a competent foreign agency for Vietnamese people residing overseas.

2. A declaration of application for a visa exemption certificate attached with 02 photos (01 photo pasted on the declaration).

3. A paper proving that the applicant is among the subjects eligible for visa exemption:

a) Vietnamese people residing overseas submit certified copies of original documents or present copies attached to original documents for reference one of the following papers: birth certificate, decision for renunciation of Vietnamese citizenship or certificate of loss of Vietnamese citizenship, other papers indicating Vietnamese citizenship or valid to prove the original Vietnamese citizenship of the applicant;

b) Foreigners submit certified copies of original documents or present copies attached to original documents for reference of papers proving their spouse or child relationship with Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese;

c) Where there is no papers proving the Vietnamese origin of overseas applicant, competent Vietnamese visa-granting authorities abroad shall base on validity of the papers indicating that the applicant has Vietnamese origin to consider and grant visa exemption certificate.

Applicant for a visa exemption certificate residing overseas shall submit a dossier specified under Article 6 of this Decree to competent Vietnamese visa-granting agencies abroad.

Within 01 working day from the date of receipt of complete dossier, competent Vietnamese visa-granting agencies abroad shall send a list of applicants for visa exemption certificates to the Immigration Department.

For detailed information, you can consult Decree on visa exemption for Vietnamese expatriates.