German citizens can enter Vietnam visa-free for up to 45 days (Resolution No. 44/NQ-CP, March 15, 2025 to March 14, 2028). For longer or different-purpose stays, the e-visa is valid for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry (since Resolution No. 127/NQ-CP of August 15, 2023). For a stay beyond the visa's validity, Articles 36 to 38 of Law No. 47/2014/QH13 govern the temporary residence card (thẻ tạm trú), and Article 39 governs permanent residence (thường trú, available only in narrow exceptional cases). A dedicated "retirement visa" does not exist under Vietnamese law.
Planning a trip to Vietnam begins with the most important step: the visa. Whether you're traveling for business, work, or exploring the country as a tourist – we'll explain all the essential requirements for your Vietnam visa based on the current legal framework.
Visa Exemption for German Citizens
Not everyone needs to apply for a visa at all. Under a unilateral visa exemption, German citizens can enter Vietnam and stay for up to 45 days without a visa, for any purpose of travel and regardless of passport type, as long as the standard entry conditions (valid passport, proof of onward travel, etc.) are met.
This exemption currently runs under Resolution No. 44/NQ-CP, effective from March 15, 2025 through March 14, 2028, which replaced the previous resolutions covering the same exemption. Alongside Germany, it currently also covers France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
To avoid confusion: there is a second, similarly structured resolution — Resolution No. 229/NQ-CP — which sets the same 45-day exemption for twelve other countries. Germany is not among them. For German citizens, only Resolution 44/NQ-CP applies; the two should not be confused.
Visa-exemption policies like this one are reviewed periodically and can be extended, shortened, or withdrawn, so always confirm the current validity period before booking your trip — for example via the Vietnamese embassy or consulate, or Vietnam's immigration authority. If your stay will be longer than the exemption period, or your purpose of travel falls outside what the exemption covers, you'll still need one of the visa types described below.
Basic Visa Requirements for Vietnam
Before embarking on your Vietnam journey, you must ensure you have all the necessary documents. For most visa applications, you generally need:
- A valid passport — in practice, at least 6 months of remaining validity from the date of entry is required. This is a stated condition of the official e-visa portal (evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn) and a standard check by airlines at check-in; Law No. 47/2014/QH13 itself does not set a single statutory deadline covering every visa type
- A completed visa application form
- A passport photo (4x6 cm, white background, bare head) — required by the official application form NA1 (Circular 04/2015/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security, as amended most recently by Circular 70/2026/TT-BCA, effective July 1, 2026)
- Visa fees
- Proof of onward and return flights
The exact requirements can vary by visa type and application channel and should be confirmed with the relevant authority before applying.
Various Types of Visas for Vietnam
Individual visa types are set out in Article 8 of Law No. 47/2014/QH13 as visa symbols (ký hiệu thị thực); each symbol carries its own maximum validity period under Article 9.
Tourist Visa (symbol DL)
The tourist visa is the most common form of entry permit. Since the amendment introduced by Law No. 23/2023/QH15 (effective August 15, 2023), its validity is uniformly up to 90 days, issued as a single- or multiple-entry visa.
Vietnam Business Visa (symbol DN)
For business travelers, the Vietnam Business Visa (DN1 for those with capital contribution in the company, DN2 for business partners without their own capital stake) is the right choice. In addition to the standard documents, in practice you'll also need:
- An invitation letter from a Vietnamese company
- Business license of the inviting company
- Proof of business purpose
Vietnam Work Visa (symbol LD) and work permit
Those who want to work in Vietnam need a Work Visa (LD1/LD2), which is tied to a valid work permit (giấy phép lao động) and offers, at up to 2 years (Article 21), the longest regular stay among the employment-related visas — renewable for up to 2 more years, but only once; after that a fresh application is required (Article 29). Since August 7, 2025, the work permit has been governed by Decree No. 219/2025/NĐ-CP, which expressly repealed the previous framework (Decree No. 152/2020/NĐ-CP, as amended by Decree No. 70/2023/NĐ-CP) for this area (Article 35, clause 2). For the application itself, Article 18 lists, among other documents:
- the employer's request on official Form No. 03 (now covering both the labor-demand justification and the permit request — the two procedures were merged into one)
- a health certificate (no more than 12 months old)
- a valid passport
- a judicial (police) record certificate or equivalent confirmation (no more than 6 months old)
- two color photos (4x6 cm, white background, facing forward, bare head, no glasses)
- proof of the employment arrangement, which varies by case (for example an assignment letter from the foreign employer, or a contract or agreement between the parties)
- proof of the person's role as manager, executive, expert, or technical worker (Article 19)
Article 7 of the same decree also provides exemptions from the work permit requirement — the conditions are narrowly defined and depend on the individual case (for example certain short-term intra-company transfers, or owner/shareholder roles above a certain equity stake); whether an exemption applies should be checked case by case with qualified support.
The Visa Application Process
The Vietnamese visa application can be done in several ways:
1. Visa on Arrival (VOA) — now a special-case option only
Visa on Arrival still exists in law (Article 18, Law No. 47/2014/QH13 — visa issuance at an international border gate), but since the introduction of the 90-day e-visa for practically all nationalities, it is no longer a standard application route. It is available only to air travelers (not at land or sea border gates) and is tied to one of the specific cases listed in Article 18 — for example urgent travel with no time for a regular application, or an invitation or sponsorship from a Vietnamese organization. For German citizens, who already qualify for the 45-day exemption or the e-visa, this option is generally not relevant.
Where it does apply, you'll need:
- a pre-approved entry letter (công văn chấp thuận nhập cảnh / approval letter) from the competent immigration authority
- the application form completed on arrival
- the visa fee in cash (USD or VND), paid at the border-gate counter — rates are set by the Ministry of Finance via Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, effective April 1, 2026, as amended by Circular 81/2026/TT-BTC from July 1, 2026, and can change
2. E-Visa
An increasingly popular option, open to citizens of all countries and territories:
- Online application
- Processing takes several working days electronically; we could not confirm a fixed statutory deadline in days for individual applications with a citable source — check the official e-visa portal directly before planning your trip
- Validity: up to 90 days, single or multiple entry
Since Resolution 127/NQ-CP (effective August 15, 2023), which implements the amendment under Law No. 23/2023/QH15 on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, the maximum e-visa validity was extended from 30 to 90 days.
3. Embassy/Consulate
The traditional way of applying for a visa, especially recommended for:
- Longer stays
- Business and work visas
- Special visa categories
Beyond the visa: residence card and permanent residence
Anyone wanting to stay in Vietnam longer than their visa allows doesn't need a new visa category, but a separate residence document. Law No. 47/2014/QH13 — as amended by Law No. 51/2019/QH14 and Law No. 23/2023/QH15 — distinguishes two levels:
- Temporary residence card (thẻ tạm trú), Articles 36 to 38: tied to certain visa categories (including the LD work visa), with its own validity period and renewal option.
- Permanent residence (thường trú), Article 39: accessible only in narrow exceptional cases, with substantially stricter conditions than the residence card.
A standalone "retirement visa" or comparable category specifically for retirement — under any name — does not exist under Vietnamese law. Anyone wishing to stay in Vietnam long-term needs one of the two residence titles above, not a separate visa category for retirees.
Important Notes and Tips
When planning your trip to Vietnam, you should consider the following points:
- This is a recommendation, not a legal deadline: apply for your visa as early as reasonably possible — as a rule of thumb, at least 2 weeks before travel, given the multi-day processing time for e-visa applications, with extra buffer for embassy/consulate applications to allow for follow-up questions
- Check all documents for completeness and correctness
- Keep copies of all important documents
- Inform yourself about current Vietnam Visa Requirements on the official website
Conclusion
Fulfilling the visa requirements for Vietnam may seem complex at first, but it's manageable with the right preparation. Choose the right type of visa for your purpose and plan enough time for the application — for longer stays, also clarify early on whether a residence card is the better solution instead of repeated visa applications.
At MaiVN Consulting, we advise on visa applications, work permits, and residence cards in Vietnam. Contact us with questions about your specific case.
Note: Visa regulations can change. Please check the current requirements before planning your trip at the Vietnamese embassy or an authorized visa service.