Phu Quoc Visa Exemption: 30 Days Without a Visa, and When You Still Need One

The Phu Quoc visa exemption lets foreigners of any nationality who arrive from abroad stay on Phu Quoc island for up to 30 days without a visa, including those who connect through the transit area of another Vietnamese international airport or seaport. It covers the island only: to visit the mainland, you need a visa, usually an e-visa you can apply for online. Below are who qualifies, how transit works, what the exemption does not cover, the rules for Indian travelers and when an e-visa is the safer choice. For other visa-free rules, see our visa-free entry list.

The rules below are as of October 2026, still in force for the Phu Quoc visa exemption in 2026 according to Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Your trip and what you need:

Who qualifies for the Phu Quoc visa exemption

Any foreigner entering Phu Quoc from abroad can stay up to 30 days without a visa. Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists this exemption alongside the national visa-free agreements.

The rule dates back to 2005, when a 15-day exemption for the island was introduced. Decision No. 80/2013/QĐ-TTg, in force since 10 March 2014, raised it to 30 days. Your nationality does not matter, which is why the exemption is popular with travelers from countries that need a visa for the rest of Vietnam.

Flying via Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi

You can still enter visa-free if you connect through another Vietnamese international gate, as long as you stay in its transit area. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that this applies to air and sea connections.

In practice, that means an international-to-domestic connection where you do not pass through immigration at the first airport. If your itinerary requires you to collect bags and clear immigration in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, you are entering mainland Vietnam and need a visa. Check with your airline how your connection is ticketed before you fly.

Phu Quoc without a visa: what it does not cover

Phu Quoc without a visa means exactly that: the island, for up to 30 days. Three situations fall outside it:

• Travel to the mainland, whether by plane, ferry to Ha Tien or Rach Gia, or a planned side trip.
• A stay longer than 30 days on the island.
• Entering through mainland immigration first, even if Phu Quoc is your final destination.

If any of these could happen, apply for a visa before you travel. An unplanned trip to the mainland, such as a hospital visit or a rerouted flight, is the case that catches people out.

Phu Quoc visa for Indians

Indian passport holders qualify for the island exemption like any other nationality. The Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City confirms in its May 2026 advisory that the exemption does not permit entry to mainland Vietnam, and advises Indians to get a visa even for an island-only trip.

The consulate's June 2026 advisory also asks Indians entering through Phu Quoc International Airport to complete Vietnam's pre-arrival declaration before departure. Our page on the Vietnam visa for Indian citizens covers the e-visa, fees in rupees and timing in IST.

When to get an e-visa instead

Get an e-visa if there is any chance you will leave the island, stay longer than 30 days, or clear immigration on the mainland. It costs $25 single entry on evisa.gov.vn, or from $47 through us with the government fee included, and lasts up to 90 days.

An e-visa also removes the risk of a disrupted connection. Choose Phu Quoc International Airport as your entry point, and add any other gate you might use; our list of e-visa ports of entry shows them all. For a smoother arrival, we also offer airport fast track at Phu Quoc.

If you are combining Phu Quoc with the mainland, start your application for an e-visa. VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website. You can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25.