Foreign tourists at Hoan Kiem Lake (Photo: VNA)

According to the Government's Resolution No. 229/NQ-CP dated August 8, visa exemptions will granted to citizens of Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. The policy will take effect from August 15, 2025 to August 14, 2028 under the tourism promotion and development programme.

As of 15 August 2025, the Government's Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP dated January 15, 2025 on visa exemptions for citizens of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland under the 2025 tourism promotion and development programme will be invalid on August 15, 2025.

Also on August 8, the Government issued Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP on a limited-term visa waiver scheme for foreign nationals in specially designated categories whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.

Under the decree, eligible individuals include guests invited by top national leaders such as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, the State President, the Chair of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, the Standing Member of the Party Secretariat, vice heads of the State, Parliament and Government, heads of mass organisations, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, the State Auditor General, ministers and equivalent officials, as well as provincial and municipal leaders.

They are also scholars, experts, scientists, university professors, chief engineers, and high-quality human resources in the digital technology industry; investors and executives from the world’s largest corporations; cultural, artistic, sports and tourism figures with a positive public influence; Viet Nam’s honorary consuls abroad; and guests of designated research institutes, universities, and large enterprises, as approved by ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government agencies, and the Government.

Other individuals deemed eligible for special visa-free entry for diplomatic or socio-economic purposes, as decided by the Minister of Public Security, are also in the list.