Visa travel update 2026: Vietnam, one of the most popular budget-friendly international travel destinations for Indians, may not be VISA-free anymore. As per the updated guidelines released by the Embassy of India, Hanoi, Indians travelling to Viet Nam may have to keep a few things in mind before booking their coastal vacation.
Vietnam is famous for major tourist destinations like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and, more popularly, Phu Quoc Island. A much more private getaway for travellers than the bustling Ho Chi Minh City, there is a separate flight that connects the two.
Vietnam VISA update 2026: What are the new guidelines?
Phu Quoc Island offers visa-free entry for Indian nationals with a valid passport, subject to specific conditions and entry requirements. However, as per the updated guidelines from the Embassy of India, Hanoi, the exemption remains strictly within the island and does not permit entry into mainland Viet Nam.
However, in case of medical emergencies, flight disruption, or administrative assistance, travellers might have to visit Vietnam. But with an invalid permission to travel, they would face “significant challenges, including delays in accessing medical facilities, travel restrictions, and immigration-related complications,” according to the authorities.
Furthermore, Indians have now been advised to “obtain an appropriate Viet Nam visa prior to undertaking travel to Phu Quoc, even if their itinerary is limited to the island.”
Can you visit Phu Quoc without Vietnam visa?
According to the updated guidelines, travellers can still travel to Phu Quoc Island without an appropriate Vietnam visa. However, it must be permissible as per local guidelines, and travel to the mainland must be limited to either medical or travel-restrictive reasons.
What happens if you lose Indian passport in Vietnam?
In an additional disclaimer, the Indian Embassy shared that if a traveller loses their passport in Vietnam, they must “immediately file a police complaint in the concerned jurisdiction,” which is to be “submitted later to the Embassy of India in Hanoi/Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City.”
It usually follows an issuance of an ‘Emergency Certificate/Travel Document’ facilitated by the Embassy of India in Hanoi/Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, on the same day. At the same time, they informed, “It normally takes anytime between 3-5 working days for the Vietnamese authorities, as per local guidelines, for issuance of an Exit Permit.” Travellers without a valid passport and an Exit Permit cannot leave Vietnam, unless issued.