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New Visa Exemption Policy 2025: Details of Decree 221/2025/ND-CP`
On August 8, 2025, the Government officially issued Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP, which regulates temporary visa exemptions for special categories of foreign nationals. This is considered a significant step forward in the effort to improve the investment climate and attract high-quality human resources, serving the country's socio-economic development goals.
Table of contents:
- I. Applicable Subjects of Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP
- II. Specific Criteria for Foreigners Granted Visa Exemption under Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP
- a. Foreigners who are investors, leaders of global corporations, and large enterprises
- b. Experts, professors, academics, researchers, scientists, chief engineers, and high-quality human resources in the digital technology industry
- c. Individuals active in the fields of culture, arts, sports, and tourism with a positive influence on the public
- d. Honorary Consuls of Vietnam abroad
- e. Guests of research institutes, universities, and large enterprises
- III. Issuance of Temporary Residence Certificates, Entry Control, and Cancellation of Special Visa Exemption Cards
- IV. Procedure for Receiving and Processing Applications for Special Visa Exemption Cards
- V. Important Notes
I. Applicable Subjects of Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP
a) Guests of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the President, the Chairman of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, the Permanent Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vice President, the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy, the State Auditor General, Ministers and equivalent ranks, Secretaries of Provincial/Municipal Party Committees, Chairpersons of Provincial/Municipal People's Councils and People's Committees;
b) Academics, experts, scientists, university professors, research institute staff; chief engineers; high-quality human resources in the digital technology industry;
c) Investors, leaders of global corporations, and large enterprises;
d) Individuals active in the fields of culture, arts, sports, and tourism who have a positive influence on the public;
e) Honorary Consuls of Vietnam abroad;
f) Guests of research institutes, universities, and large enterprises. Based on the proposal of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies, the Government will decide on the list of research institutes, universities, and large enterprises eligible to invite foreigners;
g) Other cases requiring preferential visa exemption for diplomatic purposes or to serve socio-economic development, as decided by the Minister of Public Security based on proposals from relevant agencies and organizations.
II. Specific Criteria for Foreigners Granted Visa Exemption under Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP
a. Foreigners who are investors, leaders of global corporations, and large enterprises
| No. | Beneficiary | Criteria |
| Foreign investors or leaders of global corporations and large enterprises | The corporation or enterprise is on the list of the top 100 largest capitalized companies in the world, as published annually by reputable international organizations. |
b. Experts, professors, academics, researchers, scientists, chief engineers, and high-quality human resources in the digital technology industry
| No. | Beneficiary | Criteria |
| 01 | Experts, professors, academics, researchers | Experts, researchers in STEM fields, economics, management, and business administration invited to participate in seminars, teach, or join joint research projects at higher education institutions. |
| Must hold a doctoral degree or higher and be a citizen of an OECD country. | ||
| Experts, researchers in the fields of health and medical sciences | Must hold a doctoral degree or higher; be invited to participate in conferences, seminars, teach, join research projects, or work at reputable institutes, hospitals, or medical/pharmaceutical universities in Vietnam. | |
| Experts, academics, researchers, art critics, lecturers, professors, speakers, coordinators in the fields of culture, arts, and tourism | Are official members of reputable international academic organizations, research institutions, or training facilities in their professional field, or are officials/staff/experts of relevant professional organizations and international partner agencies invited to participate in conferences, seminars, forums, competitions, film festivals, international events, research programs, training, and workshops in Vietnam, or to supervise and guide the implementation of UNESCO's international conventions and Memory of the World Programme, and the recognition of Vietnam's significant monuments as world heritage sites. | |
| 02 | Scientists, chief engineers, high-quality human resources in the digital technology industry | Scientists in the field of science and engineering |
| Scientists with outstanding expertise, achievements, and high potential for contribution to Vietnam's science and technology | - Have scientific publications with a high impact factor in international journals; - Have been granted multiple high-quality patents, successfully transferred important technologies, or successfully led major research projects with significant impact. |
|
| Scientists in medical and health sciences | Have received a recognized prestigious international award in medicine or health sciences. | |
| Chief engineers | Meet the criteria and standards for "Chief Engineer" as stipulated by law (Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, Law on National Defense Industry, Security, and Industrial Mobilization...). | |
| High-quality human resources in the digital technology industry | Meet the criteria and standards for "High-quality human resources in the digital technology industry" as stipulated by the law on the digital technology industry. |
c. Individuals active in the fields of culture, arts, sports, and tourism with a positive influence on the public
| No. | Beneficiary | Criteria |
| 01 | Individuals in culture and arts | Artists, film producers, directors, actors, cinematographers, film crew members, music producers, musicians, composers, singers, program producers, painters, photographers |
| 02 | Individuals in sports | |
| International football players who have won the highest titles awarded by FIFA or AFC | Have won top titles (Golden Ball, Golden Boot, Best Player, Best Goalkeeper, Top Scorer...) recognized by FIFA or AFC. | |
| World-class football players | - Are on the list of the top 100 best football players published annually by reputable international organizations. - Are invited by a domestic professional football club to compete, participate in friendly matches, etc. |
|
| Medal-winning athletes at the Olympics, Paralympics, ASIAD, Asian Para Games | Athletes who have won gold, silver, or bronze medals at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, or Asian Para Games. | |
| Experts, coaches, athletes, referees, and members of foreign sports delegations participating in regional, continental, and world sports games hosted by Vietnam | Possess a Games accreditation card issued by the Organizing Committee to enter Vietnam to attend regional, continental, or world sports games hosted by Vietnam. | |
| 03 | Individuals in tourism | |
| Vietnam's Tourism Ambassadors abroad | Have a decision from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism appointing them as a Tourism Ambassador of Vietnam abroad. | |
| Content creators specializing in promoting culture, tourism, cuisine, and traditional craft villages | - Produce specialized content on promoting culture, tourism, cuisine, craft villages, etc., with over 1,000,000 followers on social media platforms. - Have actively promoted Vietnamese tourism or are committed to producing Vietnam-related content during their trip. Have a specific content plan confirmed by a Vietnamese competent authority. - Have no public actions or statements that negatively affect Vietnam's national image. |
d. Honorary Consuls of Vietnam abroad
| No. | Beneficiary | Criteria |
| 01 | Honorary Consuls of Vietnam abroad | - Foreign nationals who are Honorary Consuls of Vietnam as stipulated in the Law on Representative Missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Overseas of 2009, amended and supplemented in 2017, and Circular No. 01/2020/TT-BNG of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Honorary Consuls of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. - Possess an appointment decision as an Honorary Consul of Vietnam abroad from a competent authority or person. |
e. Guests of research institutes, universities, and large enterprises
| No. | Beneficiary | Criteria |
| 01 | Guests of research institutes, universities, and large enterprises | - Are guests of research institutes, universities, or large enterprises on a list decided by the Government. - Meet one of the criteria in groups I, II, III, or IV of this list. |
III. Issuance of Temporary Residence Certificates, Entry Control, and Cancellation of Special Visa Exemption Cards
1. Foreigners using a special visa exemption card shall be granted a temporary residence certificate for 90 days for each entry. If the validity of the special visa exemption card is less than 90 days, the temporary residence certificate will be issued for the same duration as the card. If they wish to stay longer in Vietnam, their case may be considered for a temporary residence extension, a visa, or a temporary residence card in accordance with the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam.
2. Foreigners must present their passport and special visa exemption card to the immigration control unit upon entry.
3. The immigration control unit is responsible for checking the passport, information, and data of the special visa exemption card, and processing entry and issuing a temporary residence certificate as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 6 of this Decree.
4. Foreigners using a special visa exemption card are permitted multiple entries into Vietnam within the visa exemption period. The visa exemption period shall not exceed 05 years and must be at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of the passport.
IV. Procedure for Receiving and Processing Applications for Special Visa Exemption Cards
1. Agencies and organizations specified in points b, c, and d of Clause 2, Article 3 of this Decree shall send a notification and a proposal letter in the prescribed form, along with a copy of the passport's personal information page, either directly or electronically to the Ministry of Public Security (Immigration Department).
2. The Ministry of Public Security (Immigration Department) will review and issue an electronic special visa exemption card (Form NC-01) and notify the agency or organization of the access address to receive the card (Form NB-01), or issue a physical, chip-embedded special visa exemption card (Form NC-02) as per Appendix 2 of this Decree. In case of non-issuance, a written response stating the reason will be provided to the agency or organization.
3. Processing time: a) Within 03 working days from the date of receiving the application for cases specified in point b, Clause 2, Article 3 of this Decree; b) Within 05 working days from the date of receiving the application for cases specified in points c and d, Clause 2, Article 3 of this Decree; c) Within 07 working days from the date of receiving the application for cases specified in Clause 3, Article 4 of this Decree.
V. Important Notes
Although granted visa exemption, foreigners in the above categories must still comply with other Vietnamese laws regarding entry, exit, and residence. The inviting or sponsoring agencies and organizations must correctly follow the registration procedures with the immigration authorities as required.
Decree 221/2025/ND-CP is a strong signal, affirming Vietnam's determination to integrate internationally and to build an open, transparent, and attractive business environment.
The information contained in this article is general and intended only to provide information on legal regulations. DB Legal will not be responsible for any use or application of this information for any business purpose. For in-depth advice on specific cases, please contact us.
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