Vietnam Tourism Board Proposes New 10-Year Golden Visa

Vietnam’s Tourism Advisory Board has proposed a golden visa program valid for five to ten years as the country aims to compete with neighboring destinations, according to VnExpress.

The board has submitted its proposal to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, warning that Vietnam’s tourism sector risks falling behind that of Thailand and Malaysia despite approaching pre-pandemic recovery levels. Both neighboring countries now offer long-term visa options for foreign nationals.

The proposal features three visa options:

• A ten-year golden visa
• A ten-year investor visa offering potential permanent residency after five years if the applicant maintains the investment
• A five-year “talent visa” with simplified renewal procedures

The board recommends piloting these programs in tourism hubs, including Phu Quoc, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang.

This golden visa would differ from Vietnam’s current investor visa framework.

The existing DT-class visas (DT1- DT4) require capital commitments ranging from VND 3 billion (US$120,000) for a one-year DT4 visa to VND 100 billion (US$4 million) for a five-year renewable DT1 visa.

Unlike golden visas, which typically allow passive investment, DT visas demand active business involvement in Vietnam.

Regional competitors have already moved ahead in this space. Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia now offer capital-based residency programs. Prime Minister Chinh urged ministries to expand visa policies to boost tourism growth and position Vietnam as a welcoming destination.

The proposal aligns with Vietnam’s goal to attract more people to the country, either as residents or tourists. The government has extended visa exemptions for citizens of twelve countries until 2028, and the Prime Minister has directed ministries to consider implementing visa exemptions for visitors from Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

VnExpress does not mention specific investment thresholds for the proposed golden visa, but the initiative clearly aims to create a more accessible path to long-term residency than the current DT visa system.

The existing path to permanent residency takes three years, followed by the possibility of naturalization after five years when applicants demonstrate Vietnamese language proficiency and renounce other citizenships.