Who are eligible for the overseas Vietnamese visa exemption?

Who are eligible for entry visa exemption?

According  to Article 1 of the Regulation on visa exemption for overseas  Vietnamese promulgated together with the Prime Minister’s Decision No.  135/2007/QD-TTg of August 17, 2007, overseas Vietnamese, foreign  spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese are  eligible for entry visa exemption if possessing all the following  papers:

1. Foreign passports or foreign passport substitutes (below collectively referred to as passports) which remain  valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry. An overseas  Vietnamese who has no passport must possess a residence permit granted  by a foreign country which remains valid for at least 6 months from the  date of entry.

2. Visa exemption certificates granted by a competent Vietnamese  agency.

A  visa exemption certificate is granted to each person. For under-14  children sharing passports with their fathers or mothers, visa  exemption certificates will be granted together with passports of their  fathers or mothers.

3. What are dossiers of application for a visa exemption certificate? What   agencies are competent to grant the certificates?

The Regulation stipulates:

Foreign  spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese who  are eligible for entry visa exemption shall submit dossiers, each  comprising:

• 01 declaration of application for a visa exemption certificate (made   according to a set form);
• 02 recent color photos of 4 cm x 6 cm, white background, of the  applicant facing straight bareheaded and wearing no dark glasses (01  photo stuck on the application form and the other enclosed separately);
• A foreign passport which remains valid for at least 6 months from the  date of entry (enclosed with its copy for archive by a competent  agency);

One of the following papers evidencing marital  or parental relationship with overseas Vietnamese or Vietnamese  citizens (enclosed with its copy for archive by a competent agency):

• Marriage certificate,
• Birth certificate,
• Paper certifying parent-child relationship,
• Decision on child adoption,
• Other valid papers as prescribed by Vietnamese law.

For overseas Vietnamese, a dossier consists of:

• 01 declaration of application for a visa exemption certificate (made   according to a set form),
• 02 recent color photos of 4 cm x 6 cm, white background, of the  applicant facing straight bareheaded and wearing no dark glasses (01  photo stuck on the application form and the other enclosed separately)
• A foreign passport or a residence permit granted by a foreign country  for persons having no foreign passports, which remains valid for at  least 6 months from the date of entry (enclosed with its copy for  archive by a competent agency);

One of the following  papers proving that the applicant is an overseas Vietnamese (enclosed  with its copy for archive by a competent agency):

• A certificate of Vietnamese nationality;
• A copy or duplicate of the decision on Vietnamese nationality   restoration;
• A copy or duplicate of the decision on Vietnamese nationality   relinquishment;
• A certificate of loss of Vietnamese nationality;
• A Vietnamese passport (which remains valid or has expired);
• A Vietnamese identity card (which remains valid or has expired);
• A birth certificate (including copy);
• A lastest polling card;
• The household registering book;
• A laissez-passer granted before 1975;
• An identity card granted before 1975;
• A duplicate of the birth certificate granted before 1975 (copy);
• Papers granted by a foreign competent agency which state that the  applicant has Vietnamese nationality or is a Vietnamese native.

If having none of the above papers, the applicant may submit one of the  following which needs not to be certified or authenticated):

• A paper of guarantee issued by an overseas Vietnamese association based in   the country where he/she resides;
• A written affirmation by a Vietnamese citizen.

Agencies competent to grant visa exemption certificates include:

• Overseas Vietnamese diplomatic missions and consulates;
• The Immigration Control Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

Please visit the official website: http://mienthithucvk.mofa.gov.vn/ for detailed instructions for the 5-year visa exemption certificates.