South Korea and Japan are, together with China, historically among Vietnam's largest source markets for inbound tourism, and India has been a fast-growing one — but the three have different visa arrangements, so it's worth checking your specific nationality's current rules rather than assuming they're all treated the same.
South Korean citizens
South Korea has, at various points, held visa-exemption arrangements with Vietnam for short stays. Given how large the South Korea–Vietnam travel corridor is, this is generally well documented and worth checking directly on Vietnam's official immigration site, or confirming with a travel agent if booking a package trip.
Japanese citizens
Similarly, Japan has, at various points, held a short-stay visa exemption arrangement with Vietnam given the strong bilateral travel relationship between the two countries. As with South Korea, verify the current exemption period and any conditions directly before travel.
Indian citizens
India is generally not on Vietnam's visa-exemption list, meaning Indian citizens typically need to arrange a visa in advance, most straightforwardly through the e-visa system. Given the fast growth in Indian visitors to Vietnam in recent years, e-visa processing capacity and requirements are worth checking close to travel dates, as demand and rules can shift.
If applying for the e-visa
The process is the same regardless of nationality: apply online with a passport scan and photo, pay the fee, and receive approval by email, typically within a few business days. This is worth doing even for exemption-eligible nationalities if a planned stay exceeds the exemption period.
| South Korea | Check current exemption status officially |
|---|---|
| Japan | Check current exemption status officially |
| India | Generally requires a visa in advance — e-visa is the simplest route |