Travellers to Vietnam May Get Easier Visas, but Proposals Are Still Only Drafts

Vietnam's government has asked the National Assembly to approve a resolution on special tourism-development policies, including visa measures designed to make entering, leaving and staying in the country easier for international visitors. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh submitted the proposal on 8 November 2026.

The draft is aimed mainly at high-spending travellers, long-stay visitors and repeat visitors, and at strengthening Vietnam's competitiveness against other destinations in the region. It remains a proposal: no start date has been announced and no change to current entry rules has taken effect.

Key facts

• Proposal submitted to the National Assembly on 8 November 2026 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
• Covers visa exemptions, visa validity, permitted stays, entry frequency, costs and administrative procedures.
• Priority groups include high-spending visitors, long-stay travellers, repeat visitors and conference or business travellers.
• Pilot schemes proposed for foreign remote workers and medical or wellness travellers.
• No nationalities, fees or implementation dates have been announced.

What is being proposed?

The draft resolution calls for visa, entry, exit and residence rules for international visitors to be made more open and convenient. That would cover who is eligible, how long visas are valid, how long visitors may stay, how often they can enter, what it costs and how straightforward the administrative procedures are.

It also proposes expanding bilateral visa exemptions for ordinary passport holders from key source markets and from markets described as having strong growth potential, high spending capacity and convenient air links. Such arrangements would be weighed against national interests and national defence and security requirements.

Who would be affected?

Flexible visa policies tailored to individual markets would prioritise high-spending visitors, long-stay travellers, repeat visitors, and those combining tourism with business activities or attending international conferences and seminars in Vietnam.

A controlled pilot mechanism is proposed for foreign nationals working remotely who could stay in Vietnam for extended periods, provided they contribute to the tourism economy. Foreigners travelling for medical treatment, rehabilitation, holidays or long-term healthcare, together with accompanying persons, could also receive more favourable pilot visa and residence arrangements matched to the purpose and length of their stay — subject to confirmation from qualified receiving establishments and approval by the competent authorities.

The draft further addresses more favourable work permit, visa and temporary residence arrangements for foreign experts and technical workers, as well as artists and performers who hold valid professional licences in their home countries and sign employment contracts with Vietnamese enterprises to work on tourism projects.

What this means for travellers

For now, nothing changes: the measures are proposals awaiting a decision by the National Assembly, and the source gives no start date, no fees and no list of countries that would benefit from wider visa exemptions. Travellers planning a trip should continue to check the entry rules that apply to their nationality at the time of travel, and watch for any decision on the draft resolution.

No timeline for a vote or further details on which markets would be included has been announced.