Russia offers 30-day visa waiver for Vietnamese citizens from October 15

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree waiving entry visa requirements for Vietnamese citizens, according to Russian news agency Interfax.

The decree takes effect on October 15, 2026 and remains valid through October 15, 2027.

The document has been published on Russia’s official legal portal.

The exemption does not apply to people entering Russia for employment, including journalists, or to students and people traveling to settle in the country.

The new policy is expected to provide further impetus for Vietnam and Russia to expand cooperation in tourism.

Russian passport holders are currently eligible for visa-free entry to Vietnam for stays of up to 45 days from the date of entry.

Vietnam welcomed 742,000 Russian visitors in the first half of 2026, 2.8 times the figure recorded in the same period last year.

Vietnamese and Russian airlines have resumed direct flights between cities in the two countries.

Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Russia has also increased. 

Vietnamese arrivals in Russia rose 21.4 percent year on year in the first half of 2026.

In September, Russian news website News.ru quoted a representative of Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development as offering an optimistic forecast for Vietnam’s tourism growth.

The number of Russian visitors to Vietnam is projected to reach a record 1.5 million in 2026.