For overseas Vietnamese and their foreign family members, repeatedly applying for tourist visas or e-visas every few months is both time-consuming and expensive. The Vietnam 5-year visa exemption, offers a far more practical long-term solution.
What is the Vietnam 5-year visa exemption?
The Certificate of Visa Exemption is a long-term travel document issued by the Vietnamese government to overseas Vietnamese and their eligible foreign family members, including spouses and children. It allows holders to enter Vietnam multiple times over five years and stay for up to 180 days per entry, without needing to apply for a new visa for each trip.
The certificate is issued in two formats depending on the applicant’s travel document:
- Visa sticker stamped directly into the foreign passport, which is the most common format.
- Visa booklet issued to those who hold a permanent residence card instead of a passport.
Unlike a standard tourist visa or e-visa which must be renewed every 30 – 90 days, the 5-year certificate significantly reduces the administrative burden for those with regular ties to Vietnam.
Who is eligible for the 5-year Vietnam visa exemption?
The certificate is exclusively designed for two main groups, overseas Vietnamese holding foreign passports, and the foreign spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese.
More specifically, applicants may qualify if they fall into one of the following categories:
- Overseas Vietnamese who hold foreign passports but were formerly citizens or can prove Vietnamese origin.
- Foreign spouses who are legally married to a Vietnamese citizen or an overseas Vietnamese.
- Foreign children who are the biological or legally adopted children of a Vietnamese citizen or an overseas Vietnamese.
Applicants must not be subject to entry bans or temporary exit restrictions as outlined in Articles 21 and 28 of Law No. 47/2014/QH13.
Key features and benefits
The 5-year visa exemption certificate offers several practical advantages over standard short-stay visa options:
- 5-year maximum validity, which must be at least 6 months shorter than your passport’s expiry date.
- Up to 180 days of stay per entry, allowing multiple entries and exits throughout the 5-year period.
- In-country stay extensions are available at the Immigration Department if you need to stay past 180 days.
- Multi-purpose entry covering tourism, family visits, business, and work without needing separate visas.
- High cost-efficiency compared to paying for continuous short-stay visas or e-visas over five years.
Vietnam visa exemption allows eligible travelers to enter Vietnam without a visa
Documents required for the application
To successfully request the 5-year visa exemption, applicants must prepare a complete dossier based on their specific category.
1. General documents (required for all applicants)
- Form NA9: The applicant must complete this online form via Ministry of Public Security , print it out, and sign it. (here)
- Original foreign passport: Must be valid for at least 12 months (ideally over 5.5 years to get the full 5-year exemption), along with 1 copy for records.
- Two recent photos (4×6 cm or 2×2 inches): White background, front-facing, no glasses. Attach one photo to the form and clip the other to the file.
2. Supporting documents for overseas vietnamese
Applicants who no longer hold Vietnamese citizenship must provide one of the following documents to prove their Vietnamese origin:
- Birth certificate or Certificate of Vietnamese citizenship.
- Official decree permitting the relinquishment or deprivation of Vietnamese citizenship.
- Expired Vietnamese passport (valid passports are not eligible for visa exemption).
- Old Vietnamese Identity Card (valid or expired) or a Household Registration Book.
- Recent voter registration card or official foreign-issued documents that explicitly state the applicant’s original Vietnamese nationality.
- Alternative: A formal letter of guarantee issued by an overseas Vietnamese association (requires no further authentication).
3. Supporting documents for foreign spouses and children
If applying as a foreign family member of a Vietnamese citizen or a Viet Kieu, submit one of these relationship proofs:
- Marriage certificate (for foreign spouses).
- Birth certificate or official adoption decree (for foreign children).
- Sponsor’s ID: A copy of the passport or identity card of the sponsoring Vietnamese citizen or overseas Vietnamese relative.
*Note: Documents issued outside Vietnam may require consular legalization and a certified translation into Vietnamese before submission.
How to apply: A step-by-step guide
Applicants can easily secure their certificate by following these two main steps:
1. Prepare and complete the dossier
Gather all mandatory forms, passport copies, photos, and legalization paperwork as outlined in the document requirements section.
2. Submit the file to the competent authority
- From abroad (Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate): Submit the dossier in person or via mail to the nearest Vietnamese diplomatic mission in your country of residence. Fees and processing times vary by location.
- From within Vietnam (Immigration Department): If you are already in Vietnam, submit directly to one of the following headquarters:
- Hanoi: No. 44–46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh District (Phone: +84 24 3825 7941).
- Ho Chi Minh City: No. 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1.
*Important: Depending on your current visa status, the Immigration Department will either convert your status directly or require a border run to officially activate the certificate.
Processing time and fees
Processing takes approximately 5–7 working days in straightforward cases. Applications that require additional document verification or are submitted during peak periods may take longer.
Fees vary depending on the country of application and the issuing consulate, confirm the exact amount before submitting, as fees are non-refundable in the event of rejection.
Important notes before you apply
- No continuous 5-year residence: You must still exit or extend your stay every 180 days.
- Passport expiry restriction: If your certificate has less than 6 months left, your stay will be limited to that expiry date.
- Double-check your information: Ensure your name, passport number, and validity dates match your passport perfectly before leaving the office.
- Avoid missing notarizations: Incomplete files or missing legalizations abroad are the top causes of processing delays.
Whether you are applying for the first time, dealing with an urgent situation, or unsure which visa type suits your trip. Our team is available 24/7 to assist with any visa-related query, from standard applications to emergency processing.
- Phone/WhatsApp: (+84) 856 598 868
- Email: info@simplevietnamvisa.com
*Visa requirements and regulations are referenced based on the official guidelines from the Immigration Department of Vietnam
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The certificate allows multiple entries over 5 years, but each stay is limited to a maximum of 180 days. You must either exit the country or apply for an extension before the 180-day limit expires.
Your visa exemption certificate will not be granted for the full 5 years. By law, the certificate’s validity must be at least 6 months shorter than your passport’s remaining validity.
Yes. You can apply for a temporary stay extension of up to an additional 180 days directly at the Vietnam Immigration Department, provided you have a legitimate reason and a relative to sponsor you.
No. Unlike some countries, Vietnam does not allow you to enter by presenting two passports together if the passport number changes. When you get a new passport, you must apply to re-issue the 5-year visa exemption certificate so that it matches your new passport details.
