Vietnam grants visa exemption to Chinese tour groups visiting Khanh Hoa
The pilot permits stays of up to 30 days within the province, including Nha Trang, and is due to end on 31 December 2027.
A Vietnamese visa-exemption pilot that took effect on 12 October allows Chinese citizens to visit Khanh Hoa Province in tour groups numbering at least two. Travellers must join an eligible all-inclusive package and use Cam Ranh International Airport for both arrival and departure.
The policy is part of the Vietnam-China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026–2027. Eligibility requires a valid ordinary Chinese passport and a package organised by a Vietnamese international travel agency. Each tour is limited to 30 days, and participants cannot travel outside Khanh Hoa.
Visitors must arrive on a direct flight from mainland China. Cam Ranh airport is about 40 kilometres from central Nha Trang. The waiver excludes independent travellers, visitors without qualifying packages and anyone using another entry or departure checkpoint. Hong Kong- and Macau-issued passports do not qualify.
Responsibility for guidance on entry conditions and implementation has been assigned to two ministries: Public Security and Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Khanh Hoa's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported about 378,600 visitors from China over the year's opening seven months, down more than 5.3%. China placed third among the province's overseas tourism markets, after South Korea and Russia. The province received more than 2.5 million Chinese visitors in 2019, representing 75% of international arrivals.
For Vietnam overall, Chinese arrivals totalled 3.95 million across the first nine months, rising 1.5% year-on-year. China remained the country's leading inbound tourism market.
