Do you need a visa for Vietnam in 2026?

The short answer: if you are a Russian citizen going to Vietnam for less than 45 days, you do not need a visa. The visa-free regime runs until 14 March 2028 and covers any purpose of travel — a holiday, visiting friends, a business trip.

But visa-free travel has limits, and this is where the details that get people turned away begin.

When you do need a visa

• A trip longer than 45 days. The e-visa is issued for up to 90 days
• You need to enter the country more than once — for example, fly to Cambodia and come back
• You hold another passport: visa-free access to Vietnam is far from universal, the rules depend on your nationality

How the 45 days are counted

Calendar days count, not “about a month and a half”. The day you enter is day one. The visa-free period cannot be extended from inside the country: if you decide on the spot that you want to stay longer, there is no lawful way simply to add days.

So the decision has to be made before you fly. A visa is arranged in advance, not when a week of your allowance is left.

The arrival card is not a visa

Since 22 June 2026 every foreign national flying into Vietnam completes the electronic arrival card at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn. The rule applies at all international airports and does not depend on whether you need a visa.

• Filled in within the last 72 hours before arrival
• Free of charge on the portal
• You get a QR code, which you show at passport control

What to check in your passport

The passport must be valid for at least 6 months on the date of entry. This is what trips people up most often: the passport is technically still valid, but only five months are left — and the trip ends at the check-in desk.

If the trip runs beyond 45 days

The Vietnamese e-visa is not the hardest to obtain, but it takes time: file early, with room for follow-up questions. We do it for you — check the details, file, and follow the application through to the finished visa. All you have to do is pack.