From April 1, New Categories Added for Vietnam Visa Fee Exemption

From April 1, 2026, foreign nationals in special categories entitled to preferential treatment in support of socio-economic development will be exempt from visa issuance fees.

The Ministry of Finance has recently issued Circular No. 28/2026 regulating the rates, collection, and payment regime for fees and charges in the field of exit, entry, transit, and residence in Vietnam. This Circular takes effect on April 1, 2026.

Compared with the previous regulations under Circular No. 25/2021, this new Circular adds several categories eligible for exemption from visa fees and charges.

Specifically, Article 5 of Circular No. 28/2026 provides for the following cases of fee and charge exemption:

First, cases exempt from fees

- Guests invited by the Party, the State, the Government, the National Assembly, or by leaders of the Party, the State, the Government, or the National Assembly in their personal capacity, including their spouses and children.

- Officials and employees of foreign diplomatic missions, foreign consular offices, and representative offices of international organizations in Vietnam, and their family members (spouses and children under 18 years of age), regardless of passport type, provided that they are not Vietnamese citizens and do not permanently reside in Vietnam, on the basis of reciprocity.

- Cases exempt from fees under international treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory or a party, or on the basis of reciprocity.

- Foreigners entering Vietnam to carry out relief work or provide humanitarian assistance to Vietnamese organizations or individuals.

- The issuance of visas and temporary stay permits for exit purposes to foreigners in Vietnam who have violated the law and been sanctioned but do not have the financial means, and whose diplomatic missions do not cover the costs, or whose countries do not have diplomatic missions in Vietnam.

The determination of whether a foreigner in Vietnam who has violated the law and been sanctioned falls within this fee-exempt category shall be considered and decided by the fee-collecting authority on a case-by-case basis, which shall bear responsibility in accordance with the law.

- The issuance of special visa exemption cards to foreigners in accordance with the law on time-limited visa exemption for foreigners in special categories entitled to preferential treatment in support of socio-economic development.

- Cases justified by reasons of security, foreign affairs, international integration, or other special requirements.

Second, cases exempt from passport issuance charges

- Vietnamese citizens residing abroad who have a written deportation decision issued by the competent authority of the host country but do not have passports.

- Vietnamese citizens residing abroad who are required to return to Vietnam under an international treaty or international agreement on the readmission of citizens but do not have passports, as well as other cases for humanitarian reasons.

Fee- and charge-collecting authorities must stamp “Miễn thu phí” on the issued documents for cases exempt from fees, except for the issuance of special visa exemption cards to foreigners under the law on time-limited visa exemption for foreigners in special categories entitled to preferential treatment in support of socio-economic development; and stamp “Miễn thu lệ phí” (GRATIS) on issued documents for cases exempt from charges as prescribed above.

Accordingly, the new regulation adds two more categories eligible for visa fee exemption: foreigners entitled to preferential treatment in support of socio-economic development, and special cases for reasons of security, foreign affairs, or international integration requirements.