Vietnam strictly enforcing 6-month passport rule

IMPACT – LOW

What is the change? Vietnam is strictly enforcing a requirement that people have at least six months remaining on their passport when entering the country.

What does the change mean? Travelers who will have less than six months on their passport when they intend to enter Vietnam should consider renewing their passport as soon as possible.

• Implementation timeframe: Ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: Passports.
• Who is affected: Anyone traveling to Vietnam.
• Impact on processing times: Visa processing times may be significantly delayed if applicants do not have adequate time remaining on their passports. Nationals of countries that are visa-waived may be denied entry if they do not have six months remaining on their passports.
• Business impact: Business travelers applying for a visa or planning visa-free travel to Vietnam should make sure they have at least six months on their passports on their intended date of arrival in Vietnam.

Background: Vietnam is strictly enforcing the six-month rule both for those who require visas to travel to Vietnam and those who do not. As of early January, travelers from visa-exempt countries, including Denmark, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea and Sweden, must make sure they not only are in compliance with the six-month rule, but also that at least 30 days have passed since their last visit to Vietnam.

BAL Analysis: All travelers to Vietnam, including visa-waived nationals, should check the expiration dates on their passports before travel. Those whose passports will expire within six months of their arrival in Vietnam should apply for a new passport as soon as possible.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Vietnam. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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