Key Takeaways
• Vietnam saw a 30% rise in international tourists in early 2025, driven by visitors from Macau and China.
• Macau residents now benefit from a streamlined Vietnam e-visa system, valid for up to 90 days, with multiple-entry options.
• No reciprocal visa waiver exists yet, but both governments signal interest in future policy relaxation for travelers.
Vietnam 🇻🇳 and Macau 🇲🇴 have seen growing calls to make visa policies between them simpler. The past year has brought real changes, with leaders from both sides looking for ways to make travel, business, and cultural exchange easier. Now, in 2025, new policy moves and record tourism numbers are putting this relationship in the spotlight—so what does this mean for you if you want to go from Vietnam to Macau or from Macau to Vietnam?
Let’s walk through what’s happening, what’s changed, and what you should expect if you’re planning a trip.
Record Tourism and New Motivation for Change
Vietnam 🇻🇳 is seeing a huge wave of international tourists in 2025. In just the first three months, over six million people came to the country. That’s a 30% jump compared to last year. Visitors from China 🇨🇳 (which includes people coming from Macau 🇲🇴) are leading the charge, with nearly 80% more people from this group traveling to Vietnam compared to the same period in 2024. The Vietnamese government has set its sights high, hoping to bring in up to 23 million foreign travelers before the end of the year.
Why is there so much pressure to make visas less of a headache? Both Vietnam 🇻🇳 and Macau 🇲🇴 depend on tourism to support their economies, especially after a tough few years. On a visit in March 2024, Vietnamese Consul General Pham Binh Dam met with Macau’s Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng and stressed that easier entry rules would not only help bring in more tourists but also make cultural and economic ties stronger.
At the same time, Vietnam’s leaders are taking notice of what’s working across Asia. Countries like Thailand 🇹🇭, Singapore 🇸🇬, and Malaysia 🇲🇾 are all rolling out new visa waivers and simpler entry rules to get more travelers. Vietnam is moving in the same direction, but has focused so far on making things easier mostly for visitors from Europe—such as Poland 🇵🇱, Czechia 🇨🇿, and Switzerland 🇨🇭—with the hope that liberalization will soon reach more countries, including Macau.
Who Needs a Visa and Who Can Travel Easily?
Macau Residents Traveling to Vietnam 🇻🇳
There’s no complete visa-waiver deal between Vietnam and Macau yet. If you hold a Macau passport, you still need a visa to visit Vietnam as a tourist or a business traveler. However, the process is much simpler now, mostly thanks to the e-visa system that Vietnam introduced.
Let’s break down your options:
- E-Visa: This is the fastest and most popular way right now. You can apply online through Vietnam’s official portal (Vietnam Immigration Department’s eVisa Portal). You’re generally approved within four to six working days. E-visas let Macau residents stay in Vietnam for up to 90 days—longer than most standard visas in many places—and allow entering and exiting multiple times within that window. All you need is a photo, a scan of your passport (which should be valid for at least six months after your arrival), and the online form.
Visa-on-Arrival: Another possibility, but only if you fly into a major Vietnamese airport like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll need to get a pre-approval letter first, which can be handled through an agent or an official online service. You cannot get a visa-on-arrival if you try to come into Vietnam by land or sea from Macau.
No Local Embassy: Macau does not have a Vietnamese embassy. If you need help or want to apply through an embassy, you have to go elsewhere—even to a nearby country or region with a Vietnamese diplomatic mission. But for most travelers, the online e-visa is the easiest choice.
Documents and Conditions: Always double-check that your passport has at least six months of validity and print out any approval letters so you’re not caught with a dead battery or bad Wi-Fi on arrival.
Vietnamese Citizens Traveling to Macau 🇲🇴
The situation looks similar in the other direction. Vietnamese travelers still need a visa or an entry permit to visit Macau, as there’s no blanket waiver yet. Applications can be filled out online or at Chinese embassies and consulates, but it’s wise to check the latest rules. Some types of travelers—like those on business or family visits—might qualify for simpler procedures, possibly even e-visas or expedited options. But do not count on automatic entry. Always consult official sources before booking travel.
Recent Directives and Major Shifts in 2025
Vietnam 🇻🇳 has made several important moves this year to open its doors even wider:
- In March 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh gave a strong order to ministries: Make entry easier, especially for people coming for business, investment, and tourism. There’s a new focus on attracting “high-value” travelers—people who may spend more or bring investment. This includes looking for visa-free agreements, especially with countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Earlier in the year, Vietnamese authorities rolled out resolutions to add more countries to their visa exemption lists. For example, Resolution No.11/NQ–CP, effective January 15, makes it possible for people from Poland 🇵🇱, Czechia 🇨🇿, and Switzerland 🇨🇭 traveling in package tours to stay up to 45 days without a visa. However, these countries are the focus for now—not Macau.
Resolution No.44/NQ–CP extended existing exemption programs until 2028 for selected countries, but Macau isn’t yet on that list.
The e-visa system has gotten a major upgrade, with applications now handled even faster—almost always within a week. This is the path most travelers from Macau are encouraged to take when visiting Vietnam.
Tourism Stats That Show Big Changes
The Tet Lunar New Year holiday in early February 2025 showed just how much these visa updates are boosting travel. The number of foreign tourists going to Vietnam jumped by 30% compared to last year’s holiday. China, including visitors from both the mainland, Hong Kong 🇭🇰, and Macau, was the second-largest source market after South Korea 🇰🇷.
For the biggest travel spots in Vietnam, like Hanoi or Hue, the Tet week alone brought in over one trillion Vietnamese dong (nearly $39 million) per destination—almost all thanks to tourists arriving under new, easier entry rules.
But these new policies are only part of the story. Rising airfare has made trips 10–15% more expensive compared to a year ago. So while visas are less of a problem, cost is becoming a bigger barrier for many people.
Issues and Challenges—Where Do Problems Still Linger?
While the direction is positive, a few problems make travel between Vietnam and Macau less than perfect:
Strict Screening: Both sides are keeping a close eye on visitors from “risk” groups, especially after past problems with illegal overstays. This means even if it’s easier to apply for a visa, the approval process can be tough if there are any hints of previous issues.
High Airfare: Plane tickets have gone up a lot—up to 15% more than last year. For vacationers and even some business travelers, this added cost can keep them from making the trip, no matter how easy the e-visa system is.
Competition from Neighboring Countries: Destinations across Asia are aggressively cutting red tape for travelers. Thailand 🇹🇭, Singapore 🇸🇬, and Malaysia 🇲🇾 all want a piece of the growing tourist market. If Vietnam doesn’t continue to make visas simpler fast, it could fall behind. The same is true for Macau if it wants to draw visitors from Southeast Asia.
What Could Happen Next? The Future of Vietnam–Macau Travel
Although there’s no official visa waiver deal between Vietnam and Macau yet, both governments are moving in that direction. As reported by VisaVerge.com, recent moves across Vietnam’s policy landscape show a clear shift toward more relaxed travel rules and a general plan to make moving between these two places much easier.
Officials recommend that travelers and residents watch updates from trusted sources like the Macao Government Tourism Office and Vietnam’s official eVisa portal. Big announcements, when they happen, may come with little warning and could mean a new wave of opportunities for travel, business, and exchange.
If you’re preparing a trip, make sure to:
- Use the digital application systems where possible. They’re usually much quicker and more reliable than paper or embassy applications.
- Double-check your passport’s expiration date. Most systems need at least six months of validity after you plan to arrive.
- Print out all approvals before leaving home.
- For Vietnamese planning a trip to Macau, check the latest entry requirements directly from official government websites. Processing can take longer than you think, so apply early and have all your paperwork ready.
For travelers in these groups, here’s what to pay close attention to:
- Tourists: Take advantage of the new, faster e-visa systems, and check for updates regularly.
- Business Travelers: Watch for early openings in new, business-friendly visa programs. Vietnam wants to encourage more investment and might open special paths for people coming for work or to launch companies.
- Students and Exchange Visitors: While the main changes are for tourists and business travelers, students can also benefit from easier e-visa channels. Always check whether your program qualifies.
Summary: The Road Ahead Looks Bright—With a Few Speed Bumps
While the dream of simply hopping on a plane and skipping visa paperwork between Vietnam 🇻🇳 and Macau 🇲🇴 is not a reality—yet—the progress made is clear. Digital systems make applying for a visa much easier than before. Success stories so far have inspired officials to keep moving forward, even if only a few countries (like those in Europe) have gotten full visa waivers so far.
The message for now is simple: If you plan a trip, do your homework and embrace digital options. Watch for updates, as both governments are in the middle of reviewing—and likely loosening—even more rules soon. Tourists, students, and business people should all find crossing borders between Vietnam and Macau less stressful than before, with the possibility of even easier travel in the near future.
If you want to learn more or apply for your own trip, the Vietnam eVisa portal is the best place to start. For updates from the Macau side, visit their Tourism Office.
Keep a close watch on both ends over the next few months. With booming tourist numbers, fresh policy moves, and governments eager to welcome more visitors, the doors between Vietnam and Macau are opening wider than ever. Stay prepared and flexible, and you might be among the first to enjoy the new, easier way to travel, study, or do business between these two vibrant destinations.
Learn Today
E-Visa → A digital visa application process allowing travelers to apply online for permission to enter Vietnam without visiting an embassy.
Visa-on-Arrival → A visa obtained upon arriving at certain airports, requiring pre-approval before travel for eligibility in Vietnam.
Visa Waiver → A mutual agreement allowing citizens to travel between two places without needing a visa for short stays.
Resolution No.11/NQ–CP → A Vietnamese government directive in 2025 expanding visa exemptions to more countries and longer stays for tourists.
Multiple-entry → A visa status allowing travelers to enter and exit a country several times within its validity period.
This Article in a Nutshell
Vietnam and Macau are making travel easier as tourism surges, especially in 2025. While no full visa waiver exists yet, streamlined e-visa systems and government initiatives signal a future of smoother border crossings. Travelers should use digital applications and monitor official updates for enhanced opportunities between these vibrant destinations.
— By VisaVerge.com
