Vietnam will grant entry visa exemptions for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports for visits of 15 days at the maximum as from January 1, 2009.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Vietnam will be the third country in Southeast Asia, after Thailand and Laos, to grant visa exemptions to Russian citizens. Beneficiaries must have valid passports and return tickets or tickets to go to other countries. If Russian citizens want to stay in Vietnam more than 15 days they can apply for a visa with approval from the Ministry of Public Security or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Russia is a potential market for the Vietnamese tourism sector and the number of Russian visitors to Vietnam is increasing strongly.