Vietnam’s visa-free policy now covers 24 countries
Vietnam is making travel easier by granting visa-free entry to citizens of 12 more countries, effective August 15.
THE HANOI TIMES — The latest policy, set out in Government Resolution No. 229, grants visa exemptions to travelers from Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. The program will run until August 14, 2028, applying to all passport types for visitors meeting standard entry requirements.
They join citizens from 12 other countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, already benefiting from visa-free entry under Resolution No. 44.
Vietnam also maintains short-term visa exemptions for special groups under Resolution No. 221, covering invited guests of national leaders, academics, investors, cultural and artistic figures, and other designated individuals.
Alongside the tourism-friendly move, Vietnam reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to human rights. Responding to the US State Department’s annual Human Rights Report, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said Vietnam regretted that the report failed to reflect the country’s progress and relied on unverified information.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang. Photo: VNA
“Protecting and promoting human rights is a consistent policy of Vietnam,” Hang said at the ministry’s regular press briefing on August 14. “We place people at the center of development, striving to improve living standards and ensure that no one is left behind. Basic human rights and freedoms are enshrined in our Constitution, safeguarded by law, and implemented in practice.”
Hang added that Vietnam is willing to engage in candid, constructive discussions with the US to address differences and strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.
