Question: What kinds of papers do foreign-passport holders who are spouse/children of a Vietnamese citizen or overseas Vietnamese have to present to acquire the certificate of visa exemption? What are the competent bodies? And how long to obtain the certificate?

Answer:

1. Foreigners who are spouse or children of a Vietnamese citizen or overseas Vietnamese are exempted from Vietnamese visa. To acquire the certificate of visa exemption, they have to prepare the following papers:

a. One (01) application form for visa exemption;

b. Two (02) recent color passport photos with white background, in the straight-looking stature, without color glasses, and wearing nothing on the head (01 photo stuck to the application form, the other left separately);

c. Foreign passport with at least six-moth validity since their entry into Việt Nam (together with a copy of the passport for the archives);

d. One of the following papers to prove their marriage and family relations with the Vietnamese national (together with a copy for the archives):

- Marriage certificate;

- Birth certificate;

- Paper confirming the parents-children relationship;

- Other valid papers under Vietnamese laws.

2. The Vietnamese competent bodies to give the certificate of visa exemption include:

- Diplomatic representative agencies in other countries;

- Việt Nam Immigration Department, administered by the Ministry of Public Security.

3. The certificate of visa exemption must be issued within seven working days since the reception of all valid papers.