Starting March 1, 2025, citizens of Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland will be allowed to visit Vietnam without needing to apply for a visa beforehand. This visa exemption will remain in place until December 31, 2025. Nationals from these countries will be able to stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days, provided that their visit is primarily for tourism purposes. The measure is part of Vietnam’s efforts to boost tourism, according to Schengen.News.
The new rule also extends to travelers who are part of organized tours with Vietnamese International Tour operators, as long as they meet Vietnam’s legal entry requirements.
Vietnam’s Ongoing Visa Exemptions for Other EU Countries
In addition to Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland, Vietnam already grants visa-free entry to nationals from eight other EU countries and three others on the European continent. These countries include Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, all of whose citizens can visit Vietnam without a visa for stays of up to 45 days, in line with the country’s tourism promotion goals.
Vietnam also offers visa-free entry to nationals from the UK, Russia, and Belarus for short stays.
Vietnamese Nationals Still Face Schengen Visa Requirements
While Vietnam has eased visa requirements for nationals from 11 European countries, the situation is less favorable for Vietnamese citizens traveling to the Schengen Area. Vietnamese nationals are still required to apply for a Schengen visa before visiting, a process that can be both time-consuming and costly.
In 2023, Vietnamese applicants submitted a total of 103,501 Schengen visa applications, with an approval rate of 88%. Nearly 28% of these applications were for multiple-entry visas (MEVs).
Among Schengen countries, France received the most visa applications from Vietnamese citizens, with 37,319 requests, representing 36% of the total. Germany followed with 28,570 applications (27.6%), while Italy had 10,253 applications. Countries such as Sweden (6), Slovakia (142), and Poland (686) saw the fewest applications.
