Vietnam Sets Out Five-Year Visa Exemption Plan for Global Experts and Investors

Five years of repeat entry, with 90 days per visit

Vietnam has set a March 1, 2026 deadline for ministries and provincial authorities to review legal documents supporting a special visa exemption scheme aimed at attracting global experts, investors and cultural figures. Eligible foreign nationals can receive permission to enter the country repeatedly for up to five years, with temporary residence of 90 days on each entry.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh signed Decision No. 161 in January 2026, approving the implementation plan for Government Decree 221/2025/ND-CP. The decree took effect on August 15, 2025. The new decision assigns responsibilities, sets deadlines and establishes coordination between agencies responsible for putting it into practice.

The scheme is designed for people whose expertise, investment capabilities or international standing can contribute to Vietnam's economic and social development. Its priorities include semiconductor development, digital technology, research and manufacturing that produces goods of high value. It is one of the country's most substantial immigration policy reforms in recent years.

The Ministry of Public Security will lead implementation, working with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education and Training, and Finance, alongside other ministries and provincial authorities. Agencies must report progress to the Prime Minister by August 15 each year.

The five years refer to the maximum period during which a beneficiary can make multiple entries without obtaining traditional visas. Each entry carries its own permitted stay. Someone who needs to remain beyond the usual 90 days may request an extension, a new visa or a temporary residence card, depending on their circumstances.

Decision 161 places particular attention on keeping global talent connected to Vietnam over a longer period. Its focus is different from a tourist waiver, which primarily makes a short visit easier.

Who can qualify for the special exemption?

Decree 221 establishes five categories of eligible foreign nationals, with qualification requirements intended to identify people capable of making substantial contributions to Vietnam. The groups cover state guests, specialists and business leaders, cultural and sporting figures, honorary consuls and people invited through approved institutions, with provision for other cases approved by the Minister of Public Security.

State guests include people invited by the General Secretary of the Communist Party, the State President, the Chair of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister. Invitations from other senior officials at ministerial and provincial levels also fall within the scheme. These guests typically take part in diplomatic, governmental or senior business engagements that require flexible travel arrangements.

The broadest category includes scholars, experts, scientists, university professors, chief engineers and highly qualified personnel in digital technology. Eligibility depends on demanding international benchmarks, rather than simply holding a professional title.

Corporate leaders must represent companies ranked among the world's top 100 by market capitalization, as determined by reputable international organizations. Market capitalization means the total market value of a company's shares. The requirement connects eligibility to a company's position among the world's largest businesses by that measure.

Scientists must hold prestigious international awards or demonstrate exceptional expertise through publications with substantial impact in international journals and multiple patents of high quality. Medical researchers need doctoral degrees and invitations from reputable Vietnamese medical institutes or universities.

The scheme also covers Vietnam's honorary consuls abroad and guests of government approved research institutes and universities. Other individuals may qualify when the Minister of Public Security considers their inclusion necessary for diplomatic purposes or economic and social development. Government resolutions will approve the lists of research institutions and large enterprises allowed to invite foreign nationals under the program.

Artists, athletes and tourism creators are included

Cultural, artistic, sporting and tourism figures form another eligible group. Artists can qualify through recognized international awards in performing arts, cinema, music or fine arts. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is responsible for verifying eligibility in this category.

Sporting criteria include football players ranked among the global top 100 by FIFA or the Asian Football Confederation, known as AFC. Medalists at the Olympic Games and Asian Games are also covered.

Tourism content creators must have at least one million social media followers and actively promote Vietnamese culture and destinations. The conditions combine a minimum audience size with a specific connection to promoting Vietnam.

These categories extend the program beyond laboratories, universities and major companies. The policy also seeks contributions from people whose work brings international attention to Vietnamese culture, tourism and sport, while keeping separate qualification standards for each field.

How the Special Visa Exemption Card works

Approved beneficiaries receive a Special Visa Exemption Card, or SVEC. It is available in digital and physical formats, and both have equal legal validity. The card permits multiple entries during its validity period.

A card can remain valid for up to five years, but its expiry must be at least 30 days earlier than the expiry of the holder's passport. A passport's remaining validity therefore limits how long the exemption can last.

On each entry, the holder receives a temporary residence stamp allowing 90 days in Vietnam. If the card has fewer than 90 days remaining, the permitted stay matches that shorter period.

The digital card becomes accessible immediately upon approval and can be presented electronically at border checkpoints. The physical version contains an embedded chip holding encrypted personal and biometric information. Biometric information identifies a person through physical features, such as a facial image or fingerprints.

The chip contains the holder's full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, passport details, facial images and fingerprints. It also includes a foreigner identification number where applicable. Encryption protects the stored information by encoding it.

Immigration authorities issue physical cards only when the applicant is present in Vietnam, has provided biometric data for the National Immigration Database or holds a Level 2 electronic identification account, and the visa exemption remains valid for at least three years.

The Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security processes applications, issues cards and can revoke the privileges when holders no longer meet the eligibility conditions. People needing longer stays can request extensions, new visas or temporary residence cards according to their circumstances.

A Vietnamese sponsor must submit the application

Foreign nationals cannot apply independently for this special exemption. A competent Vietnamese agency, organization or approved institution must sponsor the candidate and submit a formal request to the Immigration Department.

The application form depends on the beneficiary category. State guests invited by top leaders use Form NA-01. Scholars, experts, investors and cultural figures use Form NA-02.

Applications must include a written notification or request from the sponsoring agency and a copy of the page in the applicant's passport containing personal information. The sponsor provides the formal connection between the foreign national and the Vietnamese organization seeking their participation.

Processing periods also depend on the category. Applications for state guests invited by senior leaders receive decisions within three working days. Scholars, experts, investors and cultural figures generally wait up to five working days. Issuing a physical card with an embedded chip can take up to seven working days from receipt of the application.

After approval, the sponsor receives notification through Form NB-01 for access to the digital card or Form NC-02 for issuance of the physical card. Authorities must provide written reasons when they reject an application.

Sponsoring organizations remain responsible after a card is issued. They must regularly review the holder's status and notify the Ministry of Public Security when the person no longer qualifies or wishes to surrender the exemption. The program therefore relies on continuing checks by sponsors as well as decisions by immigration authorities.

Which ministries are responsible?

The Ministry of Public Security has the central operational role. It oversees applications, the National Immigration Database and border control procedures, while coordinating implementation across ministries and local authorities.

The ministry must also coordinate public information campaigns through official government portals and other appropriate channels. These efforts are intended to give officials and people involved in the scheme a consistent understanding of its requirements.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will work with the Ministry of Public Security on international outreach. Business communities, foreign investors and potentially eligible individuals are to receive information through overseas media, international communication channels, and tourism and investment forums.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will work with media outlets to publicize the decree and explain its provisions. Alongside that communication role, it oversees verification of qualifying cultural, sporting and tourism figures.

The Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Finance will help determine which institutions and companies can invite beneficiaries. Their responsibilities matter because an invitation under this scheme must come through an authorized route.

Institution lists and legal reviews have separate tasks

From 2026 onward, the Ministry of Education and Training will propose criteria for identifying qualifying research institutes, universities and major universities authorized to invite foreign experts. The Ministry of Finance will develop criteria for large enterprises eligible to invite preferred foreign nationals.

The Ministry of Public Security will collect those proposals and submit them to the government for approval through formal resolutions. It has authority to amend or supplement the lists within 30 days of receiving input from the education and finance ministries.

All ministries, central agencies and provincial People's Committees must complete inspections and reviews of related legal documents by March 1, 2026. Where changes are needed to make the decree work effectively, the agencies must propose amendments.

Annual progress reports are due to the Prime Minister by August 15. Agencies must also provide additional reports when the Prime Minister requests them. These reporting requirements create a regular process for checking how the program is being administered.

The institutional approval process and the legal review serve different practical needs. The lists identify organizations authorized to invite beneficiaries, while the document reviews identify rules that need adjustment for implementation. Decision 161 brings both tasks into the same government coordination plan.

The dates that shape implementation

The policy spans the decree's introduction in 2025 and the more detailed implementation work assigned in 2026. Its principal dates and recurring deadlines are:

• August 15, 2025: Decree 221/2025/ND-CP took effect, establishing the special visa exemption scheme.
• January 2026: Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh signed Decision No. 161, approving the implementation plan.
• From 2026 onward: The education and finance ministries are to develop criteria for qualifying institutions and large enterprises.
• March 1, 2026: Ministries, central agencies and provincial People's Committees must complete reviews of related legal documents and propose necessary amendments.
• August 15 each year: Relevant agencies must submit implementation progress reports to the Prime Minister.

The plan also sets a shorter administrative period for institutional lists: the Ministry of Public Security can amend or supplement them within 30 days of receiving proposals from the Ministries of Education and Training and Finance.

Why Vietnam is targeting repeat visits

Vietnam is seeking a stronger role in global supply chains and technological innovation. The exemption targets people working in semiconductor manufacturing, core digital technologies and research and development of high value, alongside startup innovators, renowned investors and technical specialists.

These fields often involve work that continues over several years. Semiconductor fabrication facilities, advanced manufacturing complexes and research collaborations between Vietnamese and international academic institutions all require sustained involvement. Permission to make repeated visits over up to five years can reduce recurring visa administration for executives and specialists moving between regional headquarters and Vietnamese operations.

Vietnam also faces increasing competition from neighboring countries for foreign direct investment and technical expertise. The policy seeks to make continuing professional involvement easier and support the transfer of knowledge and capabilities to local industries.

The scheme complements Resolution 229, which grants tourists from 12 European countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Poland, visa exemption for 45 days. Resolution 229 focuses on tourism, while Decree 221 targets people expected to contribute to economic and social development over a longer period.

The permitted stay on each entry under the special card is 90 days, twice the 45 days granted under the tourism measure. The special scheme also allows repeated entry during a validity period of up to five years, subject to the passport limit and continued eligibility.

For prospective beneficiaries, the practical route begins with an eligible Vietnamese sponsor. For government agencies, the immediate work as of February 2, 2026 is to complete the legal reviews, develop the institutional criteria and coordinate administration before the next reporting deadlines.

Key Points

• Decision No. 161, signed in January 2026 by Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, sets out implementation of Decree 221/2025/ND-CP.
• The decree took effect on August 15, 2025 and offers eligible foreign nationals multiple entries for up to five years.
• Each entry normally allows 90 days of temporary residence, subject to the card's remaining validity.
• Eligible people include state guests, scientists, experts, qualifying business leaders, cultural and sporting figures, honorary consuls and guests of approved institutions.
• A Vietnamese agency, organization or approved institution must sponsor the application.
• Digital and physical Special Visa Exemption Cards have equal legal validity.
• Processing takes three working days for senior state guests, up to five for experts and investors, and up to seven for physical cards.
• Legal document reviews are due by March 1, 2026, with annual progress reports due by August 15.