Vietnam PM urges visa exemption for tourists from Europe, Middle East, Latin America

By Hoang Vu March 10, 2025 | 07:58 pm PT

Foreign tourists on Nguyen Hue flower street in HCMC, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has instructed ministries to consider implementing unilateral visa exemptions for visitors from Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America as part of efforts to simplify immigration.

In a directive issued on March 9, the PM tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security with developing a more welcoming visa policy and enhancing the issuance of electronic visas (e-visas), according to Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

The PM emphasized prioritizing visa exemptions for successful entrepreneurs and affluent visitors.

Proposals on visa policies are expected to be submitted to the government by the end of March.

Since March 1, Vietnam granted visa-free travel to 45 days for citizens of Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland traveling on package tours, adding to a list of 25 countries enjoying visa-free entry.

Last week, Vietnam decided to extend visa exemptions for citizens of 12 countries in this list, including major tourism markets such as South Korea and Japan, until 2028.

Apart from visa-exempt countries, Vietnam grants three-month tourist visas to citizens of all other nations and territories.

The country targets 22–23 million foreign tourists by 2025 after receiving 17.6 million last year.