Do Russian citizens need a visa for Vietnam?
If you hold an ordinary Russian passport and your trip is no longer than 45 days, you generally do not need to arrange a visa in advance. Vietnam grants Russian citizens unilateral visa-free entry for stays of up to 45 days. The current policy runs from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. Count the actual permitted days from your date of entry rather than treating 45 days as an approximate month and a half.
Visa-free entry works well for a holiday, a short winter stay, a brief business trip, or an initial scouting trip before a longer move. If you already know 45 days will not be enough, it is usually better to apply for an e-Visa than to build the whole trip around a border exit.
When an e-Visa is the better option
- You plan to stay longer than 45 days.
- You need to leave Vietnam and return more than once during the trip.
- Your itinerary or work schedule leaves little room for last-minute border planning.
- You want a clearly defined legal stay of up to 90 days.
An e-Visa is not an extension of visa-free entry. It is a separate legal basis for entering Vietnam. Check the dates carefully: the visa start date must cover your arrival date, and the final date must cover your planned stay.
What to check before departure
- Passport validity. For visa-free entry, Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists a passport-validity requirement of at least six months from the date of entry.
- Trip length. Count calendar days and leave a buffer if your outbound flight is close to the final permitted day.
- Entry basis. Decide whether you are using the 45-day visa exemption or an e-Visa; do not mix rules from different schemes.
- Port of entry. For an e-Visa, use an approved international checkpoint and verify the current official list before travelling.
- Supporting details. Keep your first accommodation address, onward or return itinerary, and a copy of the e-Visa available if applicable.
Can you enter visa-free and then stay longer?
If your plans change, use the legal options available at that time. For a longer stay, the most predictable approach is to choose the correct entry basis in advance rather than relying on unofficial 'extensions'. Extension and status-change rules depend on your immigration basis and can change.
Visa-free entry vs e-Visa
| Option | Best for | Maximum stay | Re-entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa-free entry for Russian citizens | Short trips | Up to 45 days | A new entry is assessed under the rules in force at that time |
| Vietnam e-Visa | Trips longer than 45 days or where fixed dates are useful | Up to 90 days | Available as single-entry or multiple-entry |
What not to do
- Do not rely on old articles that still mention 15- or 30-day visa-free stays for Russians.
- Do not book a 46-50 day trip assuming a few extra days will be ignored.
- Do not trust e-Visa lookalike domains without checking the official address.
- Do not treat an airline ticket as a guarantee of admission; the final entry decision belongs to Vietnamese border authorities.
Questions and answers
How long can Russian citizens stay in Vietnam without a visa in 2026?
Up to 45 days if the current entry conditions are met.
Can I apply for a Vietnam visa online?
Yes. Vietnam's electronic visa can be issued for up to 90 days and is available to citizens of all countries and territories.
Do I need an e-Visa for a two-week trip?
A Russian citizen travelling on an ordinary passport will normally be covered by the visa-free scheme for a standard two-week tourist visit.
Should I print my e-Visa?
Keep both an offline PDF and a paper copy. It makes airline check-in and border checks easier if internet access is unreliable.