Russia Drops Visa Rules for Vietnamese Travellers From 22 October 2026

Vietnamese citizens will be able to enter Russia without a visa under a decree signed by Vladimir Putin that takes effect on Thursday 22 October 2026. The move is part of a wider push to attract visitors from Asia and the Middle East as arrivals from Europe and the United States have collapsed.

Key facts

• Start date: the visa-free decree takes effect on Thursday 22 October 2026
• Who is covered: tourists, businesspeople, members of delegations and transit passengers from Vietnam
• Who is not covered: Vietnamese nationals seeking long-term residency, employment or study in Russia still need a visa
• Cost: no fee is mentioned in the source
• Reciprocal rule: Russian citizens have been able to enter Vietnam visa-free for stays of up to 45 days

What is changing?

Russia has removed its visa requirement for Vietnamese nationals across four traveller categories: tourists, businesspeople, members of delegations and transit passengers. The decree was signed by the Russian president and enters into force on 22 October 2026.

The source does not state how long visa-free stays may last, what documents travellers must carry, or whether any fee applies.

Who still needs a visa?

Vietnamese nationals planning long-term residency, employment or study in Russia must still obtain a visa. The visa-free arrangement covers short-term travel only.

Why is Russia making this change?

The decree follows a broader effort to replace Western visitors with travellers from Asia and the Middle East. The number of tourists from EU countries travelling to Russia fell to around 160,000 in 2025, down from just over 5 million in 2019, while cancelled direct flights, payment card restrictions and sanctions have effectively severed leisure travel from Europe and the US. Inbound tourism as a whole declined further in the first half of 2026.

The arrangement followed an early September meeting in Moscow between Putin and Vietnamese President To Lam. Russia and China introduced reciprocal visa-free travel in late 2025, but Chinese arrivals have fallen short of official expectations: up to 516,000 Chinese tourists arrived in the first half of 2026, well below the government's projection of 4.2 million Chinese visitors by year-end and 5.5 million in 2027.

How many Vietnamese travellers are going to Russia?

Visitors from Vietnam to Russia rose 69% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, which projects a further 25-30% increase once the visa requirement is removed.

Travel in the other direction is also growing: the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism recorded 1,134,000 Russian visitors in the first nine months of 2026, a 160% increase, making Russia its third-largest source market. Vietnam has become the third most popular foreign destination for Russian travellers.

What this means for travellers

Vietnamese passport holders planning short trips to Russia for tourism, business, delegation work or transit should check whether their purpose of travel falls within the visa-free categories before booking. Anyone travelling for work, study or long-term residency should still allow time to apply for a visa.

Russian government figures cited in the report could not be independently verified.