- Russia will allow Vietnamese citizens with ordinary passports visa-free visits up to 30 days from October 15, 2026.
- The temporary waiver covers tourism, private and business trips, events, and transit, but not work, journalism, study, or residence.
- The arrangement ends October 15, 2027; tour operators forecast at least 25–30% growth in Vietnamese visitors.
Russia will let Vietnamese citizens holding ordinary passports visit without a visa for up to 30 days per trip starting October 15, 2026. The arrangement runs through October 15, 2027, inclusive. The direction is Russia granting access to Vietnamese travelers, not Vietnam granting access to Russians.
Vladimir Putin signed the decree on October 12, 2026. Russia published it through its official legal-information system. The measure applies to ordinary Vietnamese passports.
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The waiver covers tourism, private visits, business travel and transit, as well as attendance at scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic and sporting events. It also permits visa-free departure from Russia.
The decree sets a firm limit. Travelers going to Russia for employment, journalism, education or residence must still obtain the appropriate visa.
The waiver covers short visits, not work or long-term stays
The decree spells out the trips covered by the temporary arrangement:
“Citizens of Vietnam may enter and stay in Russia visa-free for up to 30 days for private or business visits, tourism, participation in scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic and sporting events, or transit.”
That language permits both leisure and business travel, along with transit through Russia. It does not authorize employment, including journalistic work, or study. People seeking residence or other long-term stays also remain subject to Russian visa procedures.
The distinction is relevant to visitors who already had another route to travel. Artur Abdyukhanov, head of the press department of the Russian Tourism Industry Union, said Vietnamese citizens could already apply for Russian electronic visas. The new exemption, he said, is more likely to simplify trip planning than to trigger an immediate surge in arrivals.
Tour operators see room for growth, but fares could limit demand
The Association of Russian Tour Operators expects the measure to draw more Vietnamese visitors. Its forecast puts potential growth at at least 25–30% after the visa waiver takes effect. Another account of the association’s estimate described the increase as at least 30%.
The association considers Vietnam a promising source market. Vietnamese travelers often buy all-inclusive tours around Russia and are willing to spend on travel experiences. Interest extends beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg to northern Russian regions.
Abdyukhanov said the exemption alone would not determine how much demand grows. Airfare costs, airline connections and promotion of Russian destinations in Vietnam will shape the results, he said. The existing electronic visa option also means the change principally removes a step from organizing trips.
Maxim Reshetnikov, Russia’s minister of economic development, said the policy could bring more tourists, support additional service-sector jobs and broaden economic cooperation between the countries. The ministry also expects tourist traffic between Russia and Vietnam to reach 1.5 million visits by the end of 2026.
Air links and visitor figures point to an established travel market
The countries already have more than 70 direct flights a week, connecting Russia with Hanoi, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa and Ho Chi Minh City. A separate schedule cited by Reshetnikov counted 78 weekly flights. It also recorded 20 new routes launched in 2025, linking Russian cities with Da Nang, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
| Travel measure | Figure and period |
|---|---|
| Vietnamese visitors to Moscow | Approximately 42,000 in 2025 |
| Vietnamese visitors to Moscow | 9,100 in the first quarter of 2026 |
| Russian visitors to Vietnam | More than 690,000 in 2025 |
| Growth in Vietnamese tourism to Russia | 69% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025 |
| Increase in total visitor traffic from all purposes | 10.7% |
The figures show travel moving in both directions, although the totals track different locations and periods. Moscow’s tourism authorities counted approximately 42,000 Vietnamese visitors in 2025, followed by 9,100 in the first quarter of 2026. Vietnam, meanwhile, recorded more than 690,000 Russian visitors in 2025.
Vietnamese tourism to Russia rose 69% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. Total visitor traffic from all purposes increased by 10.7%. Those existing flows form the backdrop to the forecasts for further growth.
The measure follows September talks on easing travel
The visa decision followed talks on September 9, 2026, involving Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam, and Putin. They discussed visa liberalization during talks connected with Tô Lâm’s state visit to Russia. The leaders also agreed to promote cooperation in culture, arts, sports and tourism, and to facilitate travel, study and work between the countries.
Vietnam becomes the 12th country whose ordinary-passport holders qualify for visa-free entry to Russia under the country’s current arrangements. Andrey Rudenko, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, described Russia and Vietnam as holding a “consolidated stance” on key regional and international issues.
The waiver’s calendar remains narrow: it begins October 15, 2026, and expires at the end of October 15, 2027. Visitors planning to work, study, report or reside in Russia will still need to use the applicable visa route.
