Do Swiss Citizens Need a Visa for Vietnam? (2026)
Do Swiss Citizens Need a Visa for Vietnam?
Short answer: Most Swiss travellers do not need a visa for Vietnam. Switzerland has been on Vietnam’s visa-exemption list since 1 March 2025, with visa-free stays of up to 45 days. You only need an eVisa in specific cases, and this page sets out exactly which ones — including the one that catches people out.
Switzerland is visa-exempt — up to 45 days
Swiss passport holders can enter Vietnam without a visa for stays of up to 45 days. The exemption came in on 1 March 2025, alongside Czechia and Poland, and sits with the longer-standing 45-day exemptions for Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK and others.
For a two or three week holiday, you need nothing from us and nothing from the government portal. Turn up with a valid passport and a return ticket.
We would rather tell you this than sell you a visa you do not need. Plenty of sites will not.
When a Swiss traveller still needs an eVisa
Four situations, and the first is the one that catches people out:
- You are leaving and coming back. This is the common one. The exemption covers an entry — if you spend a week in Vietnam, go to Cambodia or Laos, and return, the second entry is a separate matter. Travellers doing a Southeast Asia loop are better off with a multiple-entry eVisa from the start than improvising at a land border.
- You are staying longer than 45 days. The eVisa runs up to 90 days.
- You are not travelling on a Swiss passport. The exemption is by passport, not residence. A permit holder living in Zurich on a non-exempt passport needs an eVisa.
- You want the certainty in writing. Some travellers simply prefer an approved document before a long-haul flight, particularly when an employer is paying for a non-refundable ticket.
The eVisa costs USD 25 single entry or USD 50 multiple entry in government fees, up to 90 days, and the fee is non-refundable even if the application is refused.
Entering visa-free: what to have
- A Swiss passport valid at least 6 months beyond arrival, with 2 blank pages
- A confirmed onward or return ticket — airlines check this before boarding
- Proof of where you are staying, at least for the first nights
Count the 45 days carefully. Day one is your arrival date, not the day after, and overstaying carries fines and future entry problems. If your itinerary is close to the limit, an eVisa removes the arithmetic.
If you do need an eVisa, and quickly
Vietnam is 5 to 6 hours ahead of Switzerland depending on daylight saving. Vietnamese government offices run 7:30 to 17:30 their time, which is roughly 1:30 am to 12:30 pm in Zurich.
That is a narrow window, and it is the opposite of intuitive: a Swiss morning application is inside the Vietnamese working day; a Swiss afternoon one is not. Apply before midday Swiss time if you are in a hurry. An application sent at 6pm Zurich time does not start moving until the next Vietnamese morning, which costs you a full day.
- Urgent — 4 to 8 working hours, weekdays
- Emergency — 1 to 2 hours, weekdays. See emergency Vietnam eVisa
- Weekend and holiday — a separate tier
Fees are on our pricing page.
Where you can enter
Vietnam accepts eVisas at 83 international border gates since Resolution 389/NQ-CP added 41 in December 2025. Swiss travellers usually connect through a Gulf or Asian hub into Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Noi Bai (Hanoi) or Da Nang. If you apply for an eVisa, the gate on it must match your ticket.
Questions Swiss travellers ask
Is the 45-day exemption still current?
Yes, as of this writing. Exemptions are renewed by resolution and have changed before, so check close to departure — the official portal is evisa.gov.vn.
Can I extend the 45 days once I am there?
Not straightforwardly. Travellers who want longer generally plan a 90-day eVisa before leaving.
I have Swiss residence but another passport.
The exemption follows the passport. You will need an eVisa.
Do I need travel insurance?
Not for entry, though Swiss authorities recommend it for the region.
Still want an eVisa?
The form takes about 5 minutes. We check it before submission, and if your trip clearly falls inside the 45-day exemption we will tell you so rather than process it.
Start your Vietnam eVisa application
Questions: +84.988.88.5560 or info@instantvietnamvisa.com. Office hours 7:30–17:30 Vietnam time (GMT+7).
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