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GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM
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THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence – Freedom – Happiness
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No.: 221/2025/ND-CP
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Hanoi, August 08, 2025
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DECREE
ON LIMITED-TERM VISA EXEMPTION FOR FOREIGNERS ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL
INCENTIVES FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSE
Pursuant to Law on
Government Organization No. 63/2025/QH15;
Pursuant to the Law on
Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam No. 47/2014/QH13
dated June 16, 2014, which is amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 and Law No.
23/2023/QH15;
Pursuant to Resolution
No. 227/2025/QH15 ratified by the 9th meeting of the 15th National Assembly of
Socialist Republic of Vietnam on June 27, 2025;
At the request of the
Minister of Public Security;
The Government hereby
issues a Decree on limited-term visa exemption for foreigners eligible for
special incentives for socio-economic development purpose.
Article
1. Scope
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Article
2. Regulated entities
1. Foreigners in the
following cases:
a) Guests of the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the President, the
Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, the Standing
Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vice
President, Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister,
Chairperson of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Chief
Justice of the Supreme People's Court, Prosecutor General of the Supreme
People's Procuracy, Chief State Auditor, Ministers and equivalents, Provincial
Party Secretaries, City-level Party Secretaries, Chairpersons of the
Provincial/City-level People's Councils, Chairpersons of the
Provincial/City-level People’s Committees;
b) Scholars, experts,
scientists, professors of universities and research institutes; chief
engineers; high-quality digital technology industry personnel;
c) Investors, leaders of
corporations, leaders of large enterprises in the world;
d) Individuals working in
cultural, artistic, sports, and tourism fields who have a positive public
influence;
dd) Overseas Honorary
Consuls of Vietnam;
e) Guests of research
institutes, universities, colleges, and large enterprises. Based on proposals
from ministries, ministerial agencies, and government agencies, the Government
shall decide the list of research institutes, universities, colleges, and large
enterprises eligible to invite foreigners;
g) Other cases requiring
visa exemption incentives for diplomatic purposes or socio-economic development
as decided by the Minister of Public Security based on proposals from relevant
agencies and organizations.
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Article
3. Criteria and conditions for visa exemption
1. Cases specified in
points b, c, d, dd, and e of Clause 1 of Article 2 hereof must satisfy the
criteria for determining subjects eligible for visa exemption to enter Vietnam
according to the List in Appendix 1 attached hereto. The Government decides the
amendment to the List of criteria for determining subjects eligible for visa
exemption for socio-economic development purpose.
2. Conditions for visa
exemption:
a) Have an unexpired
passport;
b) For the case specified
in point a of Clause 1 of Article 2 hereof: Receive a notification from a
competent authorities or organization according to form NA-01 in Appendix 2
attached hereto;
c) For the cases
specified in points b, c, d, dd of Clause 1 of Article 2 hereof: Receive a
written request from ministries, ministerial agencies, government agencies, or
organizations of the CPV and National Assembly according to form NA-02 in
Appendix 2 attached hereto;
d) For the case specified
in points e and g of Clause 1 of Article 2 hereof: Receive a written request
from relevant agencies or organizations according to form NA-02 in Appendix 2
attached hereto;
dd) Not fall under cases
prohibited from entry or suspended from exit as prescribed by the Law on Entry,
Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam.
Article
4. Format and uses of special visa exemption card
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2. There are 02 forms of
card: electronic card and chip-mounted physical card. Both forms of card have
the same legal validity. Agencies or organizations have the right to choose to
issue either the electronic or the chip-mounted physical card to foreigners.
3. The physical one shall
be issued in cases where the foreigner is currently in Vietnam; he/she already
has his/her biometric information, including fingerprints and facial photo,
stored in the National Entry-Exit Database or has an eID account at level 2;
and he/she is exempted from a visa for a period of 3 years or more. Information
stored in the electronic chip is encrypted and includes: full name; date of
birth; gender; nationality; number, serial, date, place of issue of passport;
facial photo; fingerprints; foreigner ID number (if any).
4. Foreigners may use
their special visa exemption cards for multiple entries into Vietnam within the
visa exemption period. The visa exemption period shall not exceed 05 years and
must be at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of the passport.
5. Foreigners proposed by
agencies or organizations to be granted visa exemption to enter Vietnam for
socio-economic development purpose shall be considered for issuance of eID
accounts at level 2 as requested.
Article
5. Procedures for receiving and processing applications for issuance of special
visa exemption cards
1. Agencies or
organizations specified in points b, c, and d of Clause 2 of Article 3 hereof
shall send notifications and written requests using the specified forms along
with a copy of the identity page of the passport, either directly or
electronically, to the Ministry of Public Security (Immigration Department).
2. The Ministry of Public
Security (Immigration Department) shall review and issue the electronic special
visa exemption card according to form NC-01 and notify the agency or
organization of the access address to receive the electronic card according to
form NB-01, or issue the chip-mounted physical special visa exemption card
according to form NC-02 in Appendix 2 attached hereto; in cases of refusal, the
Ministry shall respond in writing and clearly state the reason.
3. Processing time
limits:
a) Within 03 working days
from the date of receiving the application for cases specified in point b of
Clause 2 of Article 3 hereof;
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c) Within 07 working days
from the date of receiving the application for cases specified in Clause 3 of
Article 4 hereof.
Article
6. Issuance of temporary residence certificates, entry control, and
cancellation of unexpired special visa exemption cards
1. Foreigners having
special visa exemption cards shall be issued a temporary residence certificate
valid for 90 days for each entry. If the validity period of the special visa
exemption card is shorter than 90 days, the validity period of the temporary
residence certificate shall be the same as that of the special visa exemption
card; if the foreigner wishes to continue staying in Vietnam, he/she shall be
considered for an extension of temporary residence, issuance of a visa, or
issuance of a temporary residence card in accordance with the Law on Entry,
Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam.
2. Foreigners shall
present their passport and special visa exemption card to the immigration
control units when carrying out entry procedures
3. The immigration
control unit shall check the passport, information, and data of the special
visa exemption card and handling the entry and issuance of the temporary
residence certificate as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article.
4. The Ministry of Public
Security (Immigration Department) shall cancel the unexpired special visa
exemption card if the foreigner no longer satisfies the criteria and conditions
for visa exemption as prescribed in Article 3 hereof or upon written
notification from agencies or organizations as stipulated in Clause 2 of
Article 7 hereof.
Article
7. Responsibilities of agencies and organizations applying for visa exemption
for foreigners who are eligible for incentives
1. Agencies and
organizations applying visa exemption for foreigners to enter Vietnam shall do
within their jurisdiction, ensuring compliance with the criteria, and shall be
accountable for their visa exemption applications under this Decree.
2. Agencies and
organizations shall perform procedures to apply for visa exemption for
foreigners to enter Vietnam in accordance with this Decree; cooperate with
relevant Vietnamese authorities to resolve arising issues related to foreigners
who have been proposed for visa exemption; and notify the Ministry of Public
Security (Immigration Department) in writing if the foreigner holding a special
visa exemption card no longer requires visa exemption or no longer meets the
criteria prescribed by this Decree.
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1. This Circular comes
into force from August 15, 2025.
2. The Minister of Public
Security is assigned to decide the amendment to the forms in Appendix 2
attached hereto when necessary.
3. The Minister, heads of
ministerial agencies, government agencies, and Chairpersons of the People's
Committees or provinces and cities shall be responsible for the implementation
of this Decree.
ON THE BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT
PP PRIME MINISTER
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Nguyen Hoa Binh
APPENDIX I
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I. Foreigners who are
investors, leaders of large corporations and enterprises in the world
No.
Subjects
Criteria
Foreigners who are
investors, leaders of large corporations and enterprises in the world
Corporations and enterprises
in the list of 100 enterprises with the largest capitalization value in the
world announced annually by reputable international organizations.
II. Experts,
professors, scholars, researchers, scientists, chief engineers, and
high-quality digital industry workforce
NO.
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Criteria
01
Experts, professors,
scholars, researchers
Experts and researchers
in STEM, economics, management, business administration invited to
participate in seminars, teaching, or joint research topics at higher education
institutions.
Hold a doctoral degree
or higher, and have citizenship of OECD countries.
Experts and researchers
in healthcare and health sciences
Hold a doctoral degree
or higher be invited to participate in conferences, seminars, teaching, research
projects, or work at reputable medical institutes, hospitals, or medical
universities in Vietnam.
Experts, scholars,
researchers, critics of art theory, lecturers, professors, speakers,
coordinators in culture, arts, and tourism
Official members of
reputable international academic, research, or training organizations in
their field, or officials/cadres/experts of professional organizations,
international agencies, and partners that are invited to participate in
conferences, seminars, forums, contests, film festivals, international
events, research, and training programs in Vietnam and participate in
supervision and provision of guidance on the implementation of international
conventions, UNESCO's Memory of the World Program, and recognition of typical
Vietnamese monuments as world heritage.
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Scientists, chief
engineers, high-quality digital industry workforce
Scientists in science
and technology
Win prestigious
international awards in science and technology.
Scientists with
outstanding expertise, achievements, and high potential in making
contributions to Vietnam’s science and technology
- Have high-impact
scientific publications in international journals;
- Hold multiple quality
patents or have successfully transferred important technologies or
successfully led important research projects with high impact.
Medical and health
scientists
Win prestigious
international awards in medicine and health science.
Chief engineers
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High-quality digital
industry workforce
Meet the criteria and
standards of "High-quality digital technology industry workforce”
according to laws on digital technology industry.
III. Individuals
working in cultural, artistic, sports, and tourism fields who have a positive
public influence
NO.
Subjects
Criteria
01
Individuals working in
culture and arts
Artists, film
producers, directors, actors, cinema activists, film crew members, music
producers, musicians, singers, program producers, painters, photographers
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- Have an invitation
letter/licensing document/acceptance document from the competent authority of
the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to come to Vietnam to participate
in and carry out cultural, artistic, educational and training activities in
the culture, performance art, cinematography, music, fine arts, and
photography.
02
Individuals working
in sports
International football players
awarded highest honors recognized by FIFA or AFC.
Be recognized as best
players (Golden Ball, Golden Boot, best goalkeeper, top scorer, etc.) by FIFA
or AFC.
Excellent football
players in the world
- Be listed among the
top 100 best players worldwide as annually announced by reputable
international organizations.
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Athletes who won medals
at Olympic, Paralympics, ASIAD, Asian Para Games.
Win gold, silver, and/or
bronze medals at the Olympics, Paralympics, ASIAD, and Asian Para Games.
Experts, coaches,
athletes, referees, and members of foreign sports delegations participating
in regional, continental, and world sports events hosted by Vietnam
Have event passes
issued by the Organizing Committee to enter Vietnam to participate in
regional, continental, and world sports events hosted by Vietnam.
03
Individuals working
in tourism
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Vietnam Tourism
Ambassador in foreign countries
Have Decision of the Ministry
of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to appoint Vietnam Tourism Ambassador in
foreign countries.
Creators of content
promoting culture, tourism, cuisine, traditional villages
- Produce content
promoting culture, tourism, cuisine, craft villages, etc. Have 1.000.000
followers on social networking platforms.
- Have active
communication and promotion activities about Vietnam tourism or commit to
producing content related to Vietnam during the trip. Have a specific content
plan, confirmed by Vietnamese authorities.
- No public behavior or
statements that negatively affect the image of Vietnam.
IV. Overseas Honorary
Consuls of Vietnam
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Subjects
Criteria
01
Overseas Honorary
Consuls of Vietnam;
- Foreigners who are Honorary
Consuls of Vietnam according to the Law on Overseas Representative offices of
Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2009, amended in 2017) and Circular No.
01/2020/TT-BNG of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Honorary Consuls of
Vietnam.
- Have official appointment
decisions as Overseas Honorary Consuls of Vietnam issued by competent
authorities.
V. Guests of large
research institutes, universities, parent universities, and enterprises
NO.
Subjects
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01
Guests of large research
institutes, universities, parent universities, and enterprises
- Guests of research
institutes, universities, parent universities, and enterprises under the list
prescribed by the Government.
- Meet one of the
criteria under groups I, II, III, or IV of this list.