Vietnam Mulls 5-Year Visa Exemption for Influencers with 1M+ Followers

Moustafa Daly
Cairo

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The exemption card, akin to a digital nomad visa, will allow holders to stay up to 90 days and multiple re-entries, and appears to open a direct pathway to residency. 

Vietnam is considering a new immigration policy that would grant five-year visa exemptions to foreign nationals in select high-priority groups, including top executives, artists, scientists, and social media influencers with at least one million followers.

The Ministry of Public Security has prepared a draft proposal for a visa-exemption framework that shares similar features with a digital nomad visa.

It says it’s designing the policy to attract individuals with significant cultural or economic influence, alongside top professionals and innovators.

Under the draft decree, eligible individuals will get a visa exemption card valid for up to five years. Each entry allows a stay of up to 90 days, with the option to re-enter multiple times during the card’s validity.

Cardholders can also apply for temporary residence cards, card renewals, and digital identification accounts to facilitate ease of living and working in the country. Temporary residency holders in Vietnam can qualify for permanent residency after living there for a minimum of three years within a four-year period.

The initiative bears some similarity to Dubai’s “Creator’s HQ” program, which grants 10-year residencies to social media influencers, though Vietnam’s proposal specifically targets those with a follower count of one million and only offers entry visas leading to temporary residency, not direct residency like Dubai’s program.

Vietnam’s current immigration policies offer shorter visa-free stays, typically capped at 45 days and limited to citizens of select countries.

In its proposal, the Ministry of Public Security emphasized that the absence of long-term visa options for high-value foreigners limits the country’s ability to attract global talent and achieve steady progress.

Vietnam also offers an investor visa that requires a minimum investment of US$120,000.

Who Would Be Eligible?

The draft outlines a wide range of individuals who may qualify for the five-year visa exemption program:

• Social Media Influencers: Content creators with at least one million followers, particularly those promoting Vietnamese culture, cuisine, or destinations. Influencers must gain official approval for their stay plans before applying for the exemption card.
• Executives and Investors: Leaders from the world’s top 100 companies, ranked by global market capitalization.
• STEM Experts and Academics: Professionals from OECD countries with doctoral qualifications, particularly those invited to collaborate with Vietnamese institutions.
• Scientists and Engineers: Internationally recognized innovators in areas such as technology, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence.
• Artists and Athletes: Award-winning filmmakers, musicians, athletes, and other cultural figures with significant global achievements, including Olympic medalists and Asian Games winners.

Next Legislative Steps

The draft is now awaiting appraisal by the Ministry of Justice, which will review the document for compliance and consistency with the Constitution and international commitments.

Once appraised, the government makes a final review before submitting the draft to the National Assembly.

The National Assembly will then deliberate on the bill across two readings. The 9th parliamentary session in Vietnam concluded at the end of June, making it likely that voting on the new draft won’t occur before fall at the earliest – assuming the government has it ready by then.

The next parliamentary session will be the last for the current parliament, as national elections are set to take place in March 2026.