Visa Exemption for Vietnamese People Residing Abroad

Who are eligible for entry visa exemption?

According to Article 1 of the Regulation on visa exemption for overseas Vietnamese promulgated go along with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 135/2007/QD-TTg of August 17, 2007, overseas Vietnamese, foreign spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese are eligible for entry visa exemption if possessing all the following papers:

1. Foreign passports or foreign passport substitutes

The passports which remain valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry. An overseas Vietnamese who has no passport must possess a residence permit granted by a foreign country which remains valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.

2. Visa exemption certificates granted by a competent Vietnamese agency.

A visa exemption certificate is granted to each person. For under-14 children sharing passports with their fathers or mothers, visa exemption certificates will be granted together with passports of their fathers or mothers.
What are dossiers of application for a visa exemption certificate? What agencies are competent to grant the certificates?

3. Forms of Certificate of visa exemption

- A stamped certificate: A visa exemption certificate is stamped on the passports of Vietnamese nationals living abroad and foreign nationals to allow their entrance into Vietnam.

- Detached certificate: A visa exemption certificate issued to Vietnamese people living abroad under permanent resident’s permit granted by foreign authorities and holder of passports of foreign countries or territories with which Vietnam does not have diplomatic relations.

4. Required documents attached to application for visa exemption certificate

A. For Vietnamese people are residing abroad, profile comprises:

a. 01 application form for visa exemption certificate.
b. 02 recent 4 x 6cm photos with white background, straight face, bare head, no colored glasses (01 photo attached to the application form and 01 spare photo)
c. Foreign passports or equivalent documents with validity of at least 6 months upto date of entry. If the applicant does not have a passport, he/she must submit a permanent resident’s permit issued by foreign authorities with the validity of at least 6 months upto the date of entry (with attached copy for competent authority to file)
d. One of the following documents (attached copy for competent authority to file) if available:

- A certificate of Vietnamese citizenship;
- A copy or excerpt of the Decision for Recovery of Vietnamese citizenship;
- A copy or excerpt of the Decision for Renunciation of Vietnamese citizenship;
- Certificate of Lost of Vietnamese citizenship;
- A Vietnamese passport (valid or invalid)
- An Identity Card (valid or invalid)
- A Birth Certificate (Copy accepted)
- The latest voter’s card
- A Family Register Book
- A travel document issued before 1975
- An Identity Card issued before 1975
- An Excerpt from Birth Register issued before 1975
- Documents issued by competent foreign authorities if they can prove that the person in question has original Vietnamese citizenship or of Vietnamese origin.

e. In case of not having documents listed at section (d), the following documents could be submitted: - A guarantee issued by an overseas Vietnamese association from the country of residence (in due form provided) - A guarantee from a Vietnamese citizen (in due form provided) The said documents do not need require further certification or verification.

B. With holders of foreign passports being wives, husbands, and children of a Vietnamese citizen or Vietnamese residing abroad, the attached file comprises of:

a. 01 application form for a visa exemption certificate.
b. 02 recent 4 x 6 cm photos with white background, straight face, bare head, without colored glasses. (01 attached to the application form, 01 spare photo).
c. A foreign passport with validity of at least 6 months up to date of entry (a copy attached for competent authority to file)
d. One of documents proving relationship between wives/husbands/children and the Vietnamese residing abroad (a copy attached for competent authority to file)
- Certificate of Marriage 
- Certificate of Birth 
- A Certificate of relationship with farther, mother, children;
- Other valid documents as regulated by the Vietnamese Law.
- Decision of Adoption

C. The re-issuance or from the second issuance of Certificate of Visa Exemption

In case of applying for the re-issuance the Certificate of Visa Exemption (due to lost of visa exemption certificate or expired visa exemption certificate or issuance of new passport) at the initial issuing competent authorities, the applicant only needs to submit 01 application form with no certification of Vietnamese residing abroad required.
In case of application for re-issuance of Certificate of Visa Exemption (due to visa exemption certificate lost or expired) not submitted to the initial issuing agency, the applicant is required to submit all the documents as per the procedures applied to first-time issuance of Certificate of Visa Exemption.

5. Procedure of the issuance of a visa exemption certificate

Visa application forms, original passports/ permanent residence certificates and other documents proving Vietnamese citizenship and relationship to Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese can be sent directly or via post. (Original and certified copy)

Agencies competent to grant visa exemption certificates include:
- Overseas Vietnamese diplomatic missions and consulates;
- The Immigration Control Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

6. Time of the issuance of a visa exemption certificate

Within 07 working days since the receipt of complete documents.

7. Document processing fee

-First issuance of visa exemption certificate: 20 USD
-Second issuance of visa exemption certificate: 10 USD

For all Vietnamese residing abroad to clearly understand the new policy and to also assist them with the application process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided on-line access to valuable up-to-date information.

For all Vietnamese people residing overseas, we at www.vietnamvisateam.com are pleased to provide you with a link to The Ministry of Foreign Affairs office.