Vietnam and Belarus signed a landmark visa waiver agreement in Hanoi on December 8, 2023. The Vietnamese and Belarusian deputy ministers of foreign affairs signed the reciprocal agreement, effective on January 30, 2025. As per the agreement, ordinary passport holders from both countries can travel to each other's country without needing a visa. This represents a significant advancement in enhancing bilateral relations and promoting closer connections between the two nations. Notably, Belarus is the first European country to waive visa requirements for Vietnamese citizens.

Chronicles of Vietnam-Belarus Relations

1993 Foundational Agreement

• Both countries agreed to waive visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders. 

• This paved the path for more diplomatic interaction and partnership.

 2015 Unilateral Visa-Free Entry

• Vietnam granted visa-free entry to all Belarusian citizens, regardless of their passport type.

• This demonstrated Vietnam's commitment to fostering closer people-to-people connections.

Current Agreement

• Highlights Vietnam's continuous endeavours to create visa policies that are reciprocal and mutually advantageous.

• Seeks to enhance tourism, foster cultural exchange, and reinforce bilateral relations with Belarus.

• Supports Vietnam's broader initiatives to promote international tourism.

• Creates mutual entry and exit systems with appropriate partner nations.

Visa exemption Duration of stay and Validity 

Travel Process for Citizens

With the implementation of the visa waiver agreement, citizens of Vietnam and Belarus can travel to each other's countries with greater ease. The following outlines the general travel process:

For Vietnamese citizens travelling to Belarus

• Ensure you have a valid ordinary passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
• Book a round-trip or onwards ticket to another country.
• Ensure you have sufficient financial means to support your stay in Belarus.
• Obtain a medical insurance policy with at least 10,000 euros coverage, valid throughout Belarus.

For Belarusian citizens travelling to Vietnam:

• Ensure you have a valid ordinary passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
• Book a round-trip or onwards ticket to another country.
• Ensure you are not among the individuals prohibited or restricted from entering Vietnam according to Vietnamese law.

Unity in Agreement: Achieving Collective Success

Both Vietnam and Belarus should gain much from the agreement on visa waiver. Among the main advantages are:

• Tourism increase: Eliminating visa restrictions will inspire visitors from both nations to discover their respective sites. This will help the travel industry flourish, generate financial possibilities, and foster cultural awareness.

• Improved Business Opportunities: Simplified travel would facilitate business contacts, which would be handy for investors and entrepreneurs considering possible alliances and cooperation. 

• Strong connection between people: The visa waiver will facilitate the citizens of both nations' interaction, promoting cultural exchange, educational possibilities, and personal relationships. This will help to increase respect for and knowledge of each other's societies.

• Deeper bilateral cooperation: The pact aims to improve bilateral ties in trade, security, and education, among other areas. It offers a forum for more Vietnam-Belarusian collaboration and alliance. In addition to these conventional areas of cooperation, the agreement is supposed to enable collaboration in other areas, such as security, defence, education, and culture.

Final Insights

This advantageous agreement creates a new phase of cooperation and partnership between Vietnam and Belarus, in keeping with Vietnam's efforts to expand its international contacts and worldwide status. To strengthen their relationship further, Vietnam and Belarus will collaborate on various economic, scientific, and technical projects. This agreement will also enhance trade and investment opportunities for both countries, fostering mutual growth and development.