Entry Rules for Russians to Vietnam in 2025

Vietnam is a country you fall in love with at first sight. Endless beaches, lush jungle greenery, incredibly delicious food, and very pleasant prices. It's no wonder this destination is so popular among travelers from Russia, including for budget travel. Good news: getting to this fairy tale in 2025 is still very easy.

We tell you everything most important about entry rules: when a visa is not needed, how to apply for an e-visa for a long vacation, and what documents to prepare for a smooth trip. Grab your tickets to Vietnam and let's go!

Visa-free entry for 45 days

For a short vacation or a month-long winter stay, Russians do not need a visa. From August 15, 2023, Vietnam increased the visa-free stay period for Russian citizens from 15 to 45 days. This rule also applies in 2025.

What does this mean? You can simply buy tickets on Kupi.com, fly to Vietnam and at the border, you will receive a free stamp allowing you to stay in the country for up to 45 days. The count begins from the day of arrival.

What documents will you need at the border:

1. Passport, valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry. The passport must have at least two blank pages for stamps.
2. Return ticket or a ticket to a third country. It is not always asked for, but the border guard has the right to request it as proof that you do not plan to stay in Vietnam illegally. It is best to have a printout or electronic version handy.
3. Medical insurance. Officially, it is not on the mandatory list, but traveling without it is a huge risk. We recommend purchasing a policy covering at least $10,000-$15,000.

Important nuance: It is not possible to extend a visa-free stamp while inside the country. To "reset" the period, you need to leave Vietnam (for example, to neighboring Laos or Thailand) and re-enter. Then you will receive a new 45 days. This practice is called a "visa run".

Electronic visa (E-visa)

If 45 days is not enough for you and you are planning a long trip around the country, your option is an electronic visa. In 2025, Russians can easily apply for it online.

Key parameters of the electronic visa:

• Validity period: up to 90 days.
• Number of entries: you can apply for both a single-entry and a multiple-entry visa. A multiple-entry visa allows you to exit and re-enter the country an unlimited number of times within 90 days.
• Cost: $25 for a single-entry and $50 for a multiple-entry.
• Processing time: usually 3–5 business days.

How to apply for an electronic visa:

1. Go to the official portal of the Vietnamese immigration service. Be careful, do not use intermediary websites that charge an additional fee.
2. Fill out the application form in English. You will need personal data, travel information, and the address of your first place of residence in Vietnam (a hotel reservation will suffice).
3. Upload a photo of the main page of your international passport and your portrait photo (color, on a white background, like for documents).
4. Pay the visa fee with a bank card. Important: Russian Visa, Mastercard, and Mir cards are not accepted for payment. You will need a card from a foreign bank.
5. Receive your visa by e-mail. After approval, you will receive a PDF file with your visa by email. You must print it out and take it with you on your trip.

An electronic visa is an excellent option for those who want to spend the entire winter in Vietnam without worrying about leaving the country.

Entry rules for children

Traveling to Vietnam with children will not cause trouble if you prepare the documents in advance.

Child's passport. Every child, regardless of age, must have their own international passport. The exception is children under 14 years old, inscribed in an old-style (five-year) parent's international passport. If the parent has a biometric passport (ten-year), the child is not inscribed in it, and they need a separate document.

Visa for a child. The rules are the same as for adults: up to 45 days – visa-free, more – an electronic visa is required, which is issued for the child's international passport.

Consent to travel. This is an important point that often causes confusion.

• If the child travels with one parent, Vietnamese border guards do not require notarized consent to travel from the second parent.
• If the child travels with a grandmother, coach, or alone, notarized consent from one of the parents will be required for departure from Russia.

Birth certificate. Be sure to bring the original or a notarized copy. It will be needed to confirm kinship, especially if you and the child have different surnames.

Which bank cards work in Vietnam

The payment situation for Russians in Vietnam in 2025 is ambiguous, so it's best to combine several methods.

Visa and Mastercard cards from Russian banks: do not work. Neither for payment nor for cash withdrawals.

Mir cards: barely work. Formally, Mir cards are accepted by the Vietnamese-Russian Bank (VRB), but its ATMs and terminals are very few even in large cities. You definitely shouldn't rely on this card as your primary payment method.

UnionPay cards from Russian banks: work, but with nuances. It is best to use cards from banks not subject to blocking sanctions (for example, Rosselkhozbank). But even with them, failures are possible. Cards are accepted in some large supermarkets and ATMs, but far from everywhere. This is a good backup option, but not the main one.

Cards from foreign banks: work perfectly. If you have a Visa or Mastercard issued in Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, or any other country, it will work in Vietnam without any restrictions. This is the most reliable method of cashless payment.

Cash: the king of Vietnam. Cash dong are needed everywhere, especially in markets, street cafes, and for paying for taxis. The most profitable way is to bring dollars with you ($50-$100 bills) and exchange them for dong in Vietnam at banks or jewelry stores.

What's the bottom line?

• Traveling for up to 45 days? You don't need a visa. Take your international passport, return ticket, insurance, and enjoy your vacation.
• Planning to stay for 46 to 90 days? Apply for an electronic visa (e-visa) online in advance. It's simple and convenient.

Vietnam is an incredibly hospitable and accessible country. Plan your trip, and you can always find great tickets for the Moscow – Ho Chi Minh route or buy tickets to Nha Trang on Kupi.com on Kupi.com. Happy travels!