Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged the ministries of public security and foreign affairs to explore visa waivers for several countries as part of a strategy to boost tourism recovery. This initiative is aimed at simplifying the visa process for foreign tourists and enhancing Vietnam’s competitiveness in the global tourism market.
Currently, Vietnam offers visa exemptions to travelers from 25 countries. In comparison, other Southeast Asian nations have more extensive visa-free policies: Malaysia and Singapore for 162 countries, the Philippines for 157, and Thailand for 93. Thailand has recently expanded its visa-free stay from 57 to 93 countries, and Indonesia plans to introduce visa-free visits to 20 new destinations, including Australia, China, and India, by October.
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Vietnam’s existing visa policies include a three-month tourist visa for all countries and a 45-day visa-free stay for citizens from 13 specific countries, such as Germany, France, and Japan. Despite a significant increase in international arrivals—8.8 million in the first half of 2024—Vietnam still falls short of pre-pandemic levels by 4%. The government aims to attract 18 million international visitors by the end of the year.
The specifics of which countries might benefit from these potential visa waivers have not been disclosed, but the move highlights Vietnam’s proactive efforts to revitalize its tourism sector and attract more international visitors. The results of the investigation by the Ministries of Public Security and Foreign Affairs are eagerly awaited by travel enthusiasts and industry stakeholders.
