Mỹ Khê Beach, Da Nang

Vietnam Retirement Guide

Việt Kiều: The 5-Year Visa Exemption, Step by Step

Who qualifies, which papers prove Vietnamese origin, and how to apply from the U.S.

The short version

The visa exemption certificate (giấy miễn thị thực), often called the "5-year visa", is the easiest way for overseas Vietnamese and their families to live in Vietnam for long stretches. Here is who can get it, the papers, and the steps from the U.S.

Which route fits you

You can apply if you are of Vietnamese origin and live abroad, or if you are the foreign spouse or child of a Vietnamese citizen or of an overseas Vietnamese. 1 2

The certificate is valid for up to 5 years and for many entries, 3 2 and each entry lets you stay up to 6 months, or until the certificate expires if sooner. 3 It must end at least 6 months before your passport expires. 1

You apply for it before you travel. It is not the same as the visa-free entry Vietnam gives citizens of some countries by nationality; the provincial police guide does not list the U.S. among those countries. 2

If you never lost Vietnamese nationality, you may still be a Vietnamese citizen, which brings other options and duties. See Dual nationality. 4

Everyone else can use an e-visa of up to 90 days. See Visas and residency. 5

Step by step from the U.S.

  1. Check your passport. The Embassy asks for a U.S. passport with at least 1 year left. 1 The San Francisco Consulate's page, posted in 2019, says 6 months, so plan on 1 year to be safe. 6
  2. Find one paper that proves Vietnamese origin. The Embassy accepts any one of a long list, including a Vietnamese passport or ID card (valid or expired), a birth certificate, a family register book, the latest voter's card, or an ID card, travel document or birth-register extract issued before 1975. 1
  3. No Vietnamese papers? The San Francisco Consulate accepts a guarantee from an overseas Vietnamese association in your country, or from a Vietnamese citizen, on its own form. 6
  4. Spouses and children: add a marriage or birth certificate that shows the link, plus papers showing your spouse's or parent's Vietnamese citizenship or origin. 1
  5. Fill in the application form and add 2 photos, 4×6 cm, white background, no sunglasses or headwear (the Embassy's rule). 1 The San Francisco Consulate asks for one 2×2 inch photo. 6
  6. Apply in person at the Embassy in Washington, DC, or send the file by Registered Mail Restricted Delivery; if you mail it, the form and papers must be notarised. The Embassy recommends its online consular portal, consular.vnembassy.us. 1 The Consulate General in San Francisco takes applications in person too. 6
  7. Pay by money order or cashier's check made out to the Embassy. Its page does not list the amount, so ask before you send it. 1 For reference, Vietnam's fee schedule for its embassies and consulates sets US$10 per certificate, the same as in Vietnam. 7 Rush service costs more: under the same schedule, which the Embassy in Washington lists as its fee basis, next-day service is 130% of the fee and same-day 150%; ask the Embassy about mailing costs and confirm the total. 7 8
  8. Renewing later: the San Francisco Consulate asks for the form, a copy of the expired certificate, your passport and a photo. 6

Once you are in Vietnam

Need more than 6 months on one entry? A sponsor in Vietnam (a person, company or organisation) can ask the provincial immigration office to extend your stay, with a good reason. You bring your passport (valid at least 1 year), form NA5, one 4×6 cm photo and your certificate. 9

The office decides within 5 working days, the extension is up to 6 months, and it costs US$10 each time. 9 10

If you are already in Vietnam, you can apply for the certificate to the Immigration Department (Cục Quản lý xuất nhập cảnh) with the same papers; it decides within 5 working days. 3

Names, money and related guides

Use one spelling of your name everywhere. From 1 March 2026, a Vietnamese bank must name a personal account exactly as the full name on your ID document. 11 If your Vietnamese and American names differ, carry the papers that link them.

Money that overseas Vietnamese send to relatives in Vietnam is free of Vietnamese income tax. 12 More on Vietnam taxes.

Opening a bank account and getting Social Security paid in Vietnam: see Banking. Owning a home: see Housing.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I stay on the 5-year visa exemption?

Up to 6 months each time you enter, or until the certificate expires if sooner, for as many entries as you like while the certificate is valid (up to 5 years). 3

Can I get the certificate without Vietnamese papers?

Possibly. The San Francisco Consulate accepts a guarantee from an overseas Vietnamese association or from a Vietnamese citizen if you have none of the listed papers. 6

Can my American spouse get one?

Yes. Foreign spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens or of overseas Vietnamese can apply, with a marriage or birth certificate that shows the link. 1

Can I extend my stay past 6 months?

Yes, with a sponsor in Vietnam and a good reason: the provincial immigration office can add up to 6 months for US$10. 9

How much does the certificate cost?

Vietnam's fee schedule for embassies and consulates sets US$10, and rush service costs more. 7 8 The Embassy takes a money order or cashier's check and does not list the amount, so ask first. 1

Sources (12)

Show the list

Vietnam government (7)

  1. 2. "Visa exemption certificate" vs "visa exemption" (in Vietnamese): lists the 12… Khánh Hòa Provincial Police, Immigration Division as of 2026-05-29 (article dated 29 May 2026; re-opened Oct 29, 2026: certificate up to 5 years, multiple entry, each entry "tạm trú tối đa 180 ngày"; the decree itself says 6 months) · checked 2026-10-29
  2. 3. Decree 82/2015/ND-CP on visa exemption certificates for overseas Vietnamese and their… Official Gazette as of 2015-09-24 (issued 24 Sep 2015, in force 15 Nov 2015, Gazette No. 1025+1026; record shows no amending or replacing text; re-opened Oct 29, 2026. The Gazette PDF link has a bad TLS certificate, so the text was read from a copy (vplsdms.vn): Art. 4(1) up to 5 years, ending at least 6 months before the passport; Art. 8 apply in Vietnam at the Immigration Department, decision within 5 working days; Art. 10(1) 6 months per entry, or the certificate's remaining validity if under 6 months) · checked 2026-10-29
  3. 4. Consolidated Law on Vietnamese Nationality (53/VBHN-VPQH, incl. Law 79/2025) (PDF, in… Official Gazette as of 2025-07-24 (consolidated text; Law 79/2025 changes in force 1 Jul 2025; read Art. 4, 5, 11, 13, 19, 23-26; re-opened Oct 29, 2026 (PDF byte-identical to the Oct 28 copy): Art. 13(2), 19(6), 23(5) (as amended by Law 79/2025), 26, 43 (in force 1 Jul 2009)) · checked 2026-10-29
  4. 9. procedure: extending the stay of a visa-exemption-certificate holder (in Vietnamese) Lạng Sơn Provincial Police as of 2026-10-28 (page shows no date; quotes: "Không quá 05 ngày làm việc", "Gia hạn tạm trú (không quá 06 tháng)", "10 USD/lần"; sponsor and good reason required) · checked 2026-10-28
  5. 10. Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC fee schedule (PDF, in Vietnamese): visa exemption certificate… Official Gazette of Vietnam as of 2026-04-01 (Article 7: in force 1 April 2026; PDF re-opened Oct 29, 2026 (byte-identical to the Oct 28 copy): fees collected in Vietnam: visa exemption certificate US$10; stay extension US$10 each time) · checked 2026-10-29
  6. 11. State Bank of Vietnam Circular 25/2025/TT-NHNN amending Circular 17/2024 (PDF, in… Official Gazette as of 2025-08-31 (in force 31 Aug 2025; Art. 4 (account name = name on ID) from 1 Mar 2026; Art. 5 (in-person biometric check, phone-number check) from 1 Dec 2025; Art. 8 (ATM card withdrawals exempt); re-opened Oct 29, 2026: Art. 3 lists "proof of visa exemption" without naming a certificate type, and "Vietnamese citizens" without mentioning dual nationals) · checked 2026-10-29
  7. 12. Decree 253/2026/ND-CP guiding the Personal Income Tax Law (PDF, in Vietnamese) Official Gazette as of 2026-06-30 (Gazette No. 402, 16 Jul 2026; in force 1 Jul 2026; read Art. 4 (residents), 19 (only home), 24 (deposit interest), 25 (remittances), 27 (pensions); preamble: Law 109/2025 as amended by Law 09/2026/QH16; re-opened Oct 29, 2026: Art. 19 only-home exemption needs one home only, owned at least 183 days, whole home sold; homes still being built excluded) · checked 2026-10-29

U.S. government (1)

  1. 5. Vietnamese Visas and Entry/Exit U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam as of 2026-10-27 (page shows no update date; re-opened Oct 29, 2026: "E-visas are issued with a validity period of up to 90 days, one-entry for 25 USD or multiple entries for 50 USD"; 42 designated border gates; "all visitors (including Vietnamese) are required to register their temporary residence with the police station where they are staying overnight") · checked 2026-10-29

Other sources (4)

  1. 1. Visa Exemption / 5-year visa Embassy of Vietnam in the U.S. as of 2026-10-27 (page shows no update date; re-opened Oct 29, 2026: passport with at least 1 year left, in person or Registered Mail Restricted Delivery (notarised), "Fee: by MONEY ORDER, CASHIER'S CHECK to the Embassy" (no amount), valid up to 5 years and ends at least 6 months before the passport) · checked 2026-10-29
  2. 6. Certificate of Visa Exemption / 5-year visa, apply in person Consulate General of Vietnam in San Francisco as of 2019-10-03 (post date; read Oct 28, 2026: guarantee from an overseas Vietnamese association or a Vietnamese citizen accepted if you have no papers; re-issue documents) · checked 2026-10-28
  3. 7. Ministry of Finance Circular 264/2016/TT-BTC: fees at Vietnamese embassies and… as of 2016-11-14 (Gazette No. 1279+1280, 30 Dec 2016; amended by Circular 113/2021/TT-BTC; re-opened Oct 29, 2026: Appendix 2, B.1 "Cấp Giấy miễn thị thực — Chiếc — 10" (US$); H.2 rush fees: same day (24 hours) 150%, next day (36 hours) 130%, after hours or holidays 140% of the fee) · checked 2026-10-29
  4. 8. Fees and charges (Biểu phí và lệ phí; lists Circulars 113 and 264 of the Ministry of… Embassy of Vietnam in the U.S. as of 2026-10-29 (page shows no date; re-opened Oct 29, 2026: the Embassy lists "Thông tư 113 của Bộ Tài chính" and "Thông tư 264 của Bộ Tài chính" as its fee schedule) · checked 2026-10-29

Every source on the site, by page and topic: All sources.

About this guide

Tam Lieu lives in Long Beach, California, and put this guide together to research retiring in Vietnam. Facts are checked against official sources, with last-checked dates.

How we check facts: every number and rule links to its source: an official or primary source wherever one exists (government sites, the U.S. Embassy, law texts), or the company's own page for company prices, which we label as company prices. Crowd-sourced figures are labelled too. Each source shows the date we last checked it; anything we cannot confirm is cut or marked “needs source”. Found a mistake? Tell us.

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