The value of a special visa exemption card

The Lao Dong Newspaper Legal Consulting Office replied:

Article 4 of Decree 221/2025/ND-CP (effective from August 15, 2025) stipulates the form and use value of special visa exemption cards as follows:

1. Special visa exemption cards issued to foreigners are given preferential import visa exemptions to Vietnam to serve socio-economic development.

2. There are two types of special visa exemption cards: electronic cards and hard cards with chips. Electronic special visa exemption cards and hard- card special visa exemptions with chip are of equal legal value. Agencies and organizations have the right to choose to issue special visa-free cards in electronic form or special hard- card cards with chips for foreigners.

3. A special hard-form visa exemption card with a chip is issued in the case of a foreigner living in Vietnam; has biometric information about fingerprints and facial photos in the National Database on entry and exit or has an electronic identification account with level 02; is exempted from a visa for a period of 03 years or more. Information stored in electronic chips is encrypted including: full name; date of birth, month, year of birth; gender; nationality; number, symbol, date, month, year and place of issuance of passport; face photo; fingerprint; identification number of foreigner (if any).

4. Foreigners using special visa-free cards can enter Vietnam many times during the visa exemption period. The visa exemption period is not more than 05 years and is at least 30 days shorter than the remaining validity period of the passport.

5. Foreigners proposed by agencies and organizations for preferential treatment of visa exemption to enter Vietnam to serve socio-economic development will be considered for granted an electronic identification account of level 02 according to their needs.

Thus, from August 15, 2025, a special visa exemption card for foreigners will have the above value.