Vietnam visa exemption: Americans and Australians are not on the list

The Vietnam visa exemption covers citizens of 24 countries for up to 45 days, and the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are not among them: travellers on those passports need an e-visa, USD 25 for single entry or USD 50 for multiple entry, valid up to 90 days. That was the position on 26 September 2026 on the official immigration portal and the two government resolutions behind the list.

The confusion is real. Several widely shared 2026 articles claim that Americans or Australians now get 45 days free. They do not, and the mistake surfaces at the airline check-in desk, where staff refuse boarding without a visa or a valid exemption.

Which countries do not need a visa for Vietnam?

Twenty-four countries get 45 days without a visa, split across two resolutions with different rules. A few more passports have shorter or longer bilateral exemptions. Everyone else applies for the e-visa.

Resolution 44/NQ-CP. Signed on 7 March 2025, in force from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. It covers 12 countries: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Holders get 45 days from the date of entry, "regardless of passport type or purpose of entry" (Embassy of Vietnam in Japan; confirmed by the Government news portal).

Resolution 229/NQ-CP. Signed on 8 August 2025, in force from 15 August 2025 to 14 August 2028. It covers 12 more countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. The stay is also 45 days, but the exemption is part of a tourism stimulus programme: entry must be for tourism and the passport needs at least six months of validity (Embassy of Vietnam in Japan). It replaced Resolution 11/NQ-CP of 15 January 2025, which had covered only Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland (Vietnam Law and Legal Forum).

The purpose rule matters for remote workers. A Dutch citizen who declares remote work sits outside Resolution 229, which is written for tourism. A French citizen under Resolution 44 is exempt for any purpose. Neither exemption authorises paid work for a Vietnamese employer.

Separate bilateral agreements cover other passports. Chile and Panama get 90 days; Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore and Thailand get 30 days; the Philippines 21 days; and Brunei, Indonesia and Myanmar 14 days (MyVietnamVisa exemption table, checked 26 September 2026). Tables that mix these treaties with the two resolutions run to 35 or more lines, which is one reason readers assume their passport is on it.

How long can you stay in Vietnam without a visa?

The longest visa-free stay under the two resolutions is 45 days from the date of entry, and it cannot be extended inside Vietnam. Chile and Panama are the exception at 90 days. For anyone who wants more than 45 days, the 90 day e-visa is the standard route, open to every nationality since 15 August 2023 (Vietnam National Authority of Tourism).

There is one geographic exception. All nationalities can stay up to 30 days on Phu Quoc island without a visa, provided they fly there directly from abroad. Any onward travel to the mainland needs a visa (Vietnam Tourism). Many "no visa needed" claims are Phu Quoc claims with the island left out.

Is there a Vietnam visa exemption for Americans?

No: US citizens are on neither the Resolution 44 nor the Resolution 229 list, and no bilateral exemption covers them. They apply for the e-visa before travelling. The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism list of exempt countries does not include the United States (vietnam.travel), and neither does the Vietnam Tourism table (vietnamtourism.com).

We see three likely sources of the myth:

1. In 2025 the 45 day lists grew twice, and "Vietnam is loosening visa rules" became "Americans now get 45 days" in some rewrites.
2. A ten year golden visa was proposed by the Tourism Advisory Board. As of June 2026 it remained a draft with no decree number and no application channel (Shareuhack, updated 29 June 2026). We cover it in No, Vietnam Has Not Launched a Golden Visa.
3. The Phu Quoc 30 day rule applies to every nationality, including Americans, but only on that island.

Do Australians need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes: Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders need a visa for any visit to mainland Vietnam, and the e-visa is the simplest option. Their passports are absent from both resolutions and from the bilateral exemption tables (vietnam.travel; MyVietnamVisa).

The e-visa lasts up to 90 days, double the 45 day exemption.

How do you apply for the Vietnam e-visa?

Apply only on the government portal of the Vietnam Immigration Department, pay USD 25 or USD 50, and expect three working days of processing. Here are the facts from the portal's application page (evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, checked 26 September 2026):

1. Fees: USD 25 for single entry, USD 50 for multiple entry. The fee basis was restated in Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, in force from 1 April 2026, and children under 14 pay USD 25 (VietnamVisa.com).
2. Processing: three working days once the application and payment are complete. Leave extra margin around Tet.
3. Uploads: a portrait photo under 50 KB and a passport data page under 200 KB. Resize both before you start.
4. Entry port: you name your checkpoint on the form, so choose the airport or border you will actually use.
5. Refunds: the fee is not refunded if the application is refused, including after a typo (Tan Van Lang).

Third party sites that look official charge a markup for the same result. The portal also answers at evisa.gov.vn.

Choose multiple entry if a trip to Bangkok or Siem Reap is possible: a single entry e-visa ends when you leave. The e-visa cannot be extended inside Vietnam, so plan your exit date. Overstaying is costly since Decree 282/2025 raised the fines from 15 December 2025 (Viet Nam News), explained in Vietnam Doubled Its Overstay Fines in December 2025.

What should a remote worker from the US or Australia do?

Apply for the USD 50 multiple entry e-visa about two weeks before you fly, on the official portal, and print the approval. Run your passport through Visa Check to see the days you get and why. If you are weighing Vietnam against other bases, the destination comparison sets visas, costs and internet side by side. For a longer term view, read Is There a Vietnam Digital Nomad Visa Yet? and our guide on how to become a digital nomad.

Updated on 26 September 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm with the official source linked above before you act.