Decree 221/2025/ND-CP on limited-term visa exemption for special-category foreigners to whom preferential treatment needs to be granted to serve socio-economic development

DECREE

On limited-term visa exemption for special-category foreigners to whom preferential treatment needs to be granted to serve socio-economic development

Pursuant to Law No. 63/2025/QH15 on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to Law No. 47/2014/QH13 on Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through and Residence in Vietnam, which is amended and supplemented under Law No. 51/2019/QH14 and Law No. 23/2023/QH15;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 227/2025/QH15 adopted on June 27, 2025, by the 15^th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at its 9^th session;

At the proposal of the Minister of Public Security;

The Government promulgates the Decree on limited-term visa exemption for special-category foreigners to whom preferential treatment needs to be granted to serve socio-economic development.

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Decree provides the subjects eligible for, criteria, conditions, duration and methods of applying visa exemption for special-category foreigners to whom preferential treatment needs to be granted upon entry into Vietnam to serve socio-economic development.

Article 2. Subjects of application

1. Foreigners falling in the following cases:

a/ Guests invited by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President, Chairperson of the National Assembly, Prime Minister, Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, Vice President, Vice Chairpersons of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Ministers, President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, State Auditor General, ministers and officials of equal rank, secretaries of provincial-level Party Committees, chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Councils, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees;

b/ Scholars, experts, scientists, professors of universities and research institutes, chief engineers, and high-quality personnel in the digital technology industry;

c/ Investors, leaders of corporations and executives of large enterprises in the world;

d/ Persons engaged in the fields of culture, arts, sports, and tourism with a positive influence on the public;

dd/ Vietnam’s honorary consuls in foreign countries;

e/ Guests of research institutes, universities, general universities and large enterprises. Based on the requests of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-attached agencies, the Government shall decide the list of research institutes, universities, general universities and large enterprises entitled to invite foreign guests.

g/ Foreigners falling into other categories to whom visa exemption needs to be granted for diplomatic purposes or to serve socio-economic development as decided by the Minister of Public Security at the request of agencies and organizations.

2. Related agencies, organizations and individuals.

Article 3. Criteria, conditions for visa exemption

1. The persons specified at Points b, c, d, dd and e, Clause 1, Article 2 of this Decree must meet the criteria for identifying special-category subjects to whom visa exemption needs to be granted upon entry into Vietnam specified in the List provided in Appendix I to this Decree. The Government shall decide on amendments and supplementations to the List of criteria for identifying special-category subjects to whom visa exemption needs to be granted upon entry into Vietnam to serve socio-economic development.

2. Conditions for visa exemption:

a/ Holding a valid passport;

b/ For the cases specified at Point a, Clause 1, Article 2 of this Decree: Having a notice from a competent agency or organization, made according to Form NA-01 provided in Appendix II to this Decree;

c/ For the cases specified at Points b, c, d, dd, Clause 1, Article 2 of this Decree: Having a written request from a ministry, ministerial-level agency, government-attached agency, or an agency of the Party or the National Assembly, made according to Form NA-02 provided in Appendix II to this Decree;

d/ For the cases specified at Points e and g, Clause 1, Article 2 of this Decree: Having a written request from a related agency or organization, made according to Form NA-02 provided in Appendix II to this Decree;

dd/ Not falling in the cases of suspension from entry or suspension from exit as prescribed in the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through and Residence in Vietnam.

Article 4. Forms and validity of the special visa exemption card

1. Foreigners eligible for visa exemption for entry into Vietnam to serve socio-economic development shall be granted a special visa exemption card.

2. The special visa exemption card may take either of the two forms: electronic card and chip-based physical card. Electronic cards and chip-based physical cards have the same legal validity. Agencies and organizations have the right to choose whether to issue electronic cards or chip-based physical cards to foreigners.

3. Chip-based physical cards shall be issued for foreigners who are staying in Vietnam; have their biometric information regarding fingerprints and face image available in the National Immigration Database or have a level-2 electronic identification account; and are entitled to visa exemption for 3 years or more. The encrypted information stored in an electronic chip includes the cardholder’s full name; date of birth; gender; nationality; passport’s serial number, code, date, and place of issuance; face image; fingerprints; and identification number (if any).

4. A foreigner holding a special visa exemption card is allowed multiple entries into Vietnam during the visa exemption period. The visa exemption period must not exceed 5 years and must be at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity of his/her passport.

5. A foreigner for whom visa exemption is requested by an agency or organization to serve socio-economic development may be considered for issuance of a level-2 electronic identification account upon request.

Article 5. Order of receiving and processing requests for issuance of a special visa exemption card

1. The agency or organization specified at Points b, c, and d, Clause 2, Article 3 of this Decree shall hand-deliver or send via the electronic environment to the Ministry of Public Security (the Vietnam Immigration Department) a notice or request, made according to the prescribed form, together with a copy of the personal data page of the concerned foreigner’s passport.

2. The Ministry of Public Security (the Vietnam Immigration Department) shall consider issuing a special visa exemption card in the electronic form, according to Form NC-01, and notify the agency or organization of the accessible address for receiving the electronic card, made according to Form No. NB-01, or issue a chip-based physical card, according to Form No. NC-02 in Appendix 2 to this Decree; in case of refusal to grant a card, it shall reply in writing, clearly stating the reason.

3. Processing time limit:

a/ Three working days from the date of receipt of a dossier of request, for the case specified at Point b, Clause 2, Article 3 of this Decree;

b/ Five working days from the date of receipt of a dossier of request, for the case specified at Points c and d, Clause 2, Article 3 of this Decree;

c/ Seven working days from the date of receipt of a dossier of request, for the case specified at Clause 3, Article 4 of this Decree.

Article 6. Issuance of temporary residence certificates, control of immigration, and invalidation of special visa exemption cards

1. Special visa exemption card holders shall be granted a 90-day temporary residence certificate for each entry; a foreigner whose special visa exemption card remains valid for less than 90 days shall be granted a temporary residence certificate with a validity duration equal to that of his/her special visa exemption card; if wishing to continue staying in Vietnam, he/she may be considered for extension of temporary residence, issuance of a visa, or issuance of a temporary residence card in accordance with the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in, Vietnam.

2. Foreigners shall present their passports and special visa exemption cards to immigration control units when carrying out entry procedures.

3. Immigration control units shall check foreigners’ passports, and information or data of the special visa exemption cards, settle procedures for entry, and grant temporary residence certificates to foreigners according to Clause 1, Article 6 of this Decree.

4. The Ministry of Public Security (the Vietnam Immigration Department) shall invalidate special visa exemption cards in case the foreign cardholders fail to meet the criteria and conditions for visa exemption specified in Article 3 of this Decree, or if receiving a notice from the agencies or organizations specified in Clause 2, Article 7 of this Decree.

Article 7. Responsibilities of agencies and organizations requesting visa exemption for special-category foreigners for whom preferential treatment needs to be offered

1. Agencies and organizations requesting visa exemption for foreigners to enter Vietnam must ensure that the requests are consistent with their functions, tasks, scope, and field of operation, meet the prescribed criteria, and take responsibility for the requests for visa exemption for foreigners under this Decree.

2. Agencies and organizations shall carry out procedures for requesting visa exemption for foreigners to enter Vietnam under this Decree; coordinate with Vietnamese functional agencies in solving arising problems related to these foreigners; notify in writing the Ministry of Public Security (the Vietnam Immigration Department) cases in which foreigners’ special visa exemption cards remain valid but agencies or organizations no longer wish to request visa exemption for these foreigners or these foreigners no longer meet the criteria specified in this Decree.

Article 8. Effect and implementation responsibilities

1. This Decree takes effect from August 15, 2025.

2. The Minister of Public Security shall decide to amend and supplement the forms provided in Appendix 2 to this Decree when necessary.

3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement this Decree.-

On behalf of the Government

For the Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister

NGUYEN HOA BINH

* The Appendices to this Decree is not translated.