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Putin Opens Borders to Vietnamese Travelers for 30 Days as Moscow Expands Ties
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Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed an executive decree on October 12 authorizing visa-free entry into Russia for citizens of Vietnam for stays lasting up to 30 days.
This policy will remain effective for a total duration of 1 year. The decree was formally posted to the official online registry of legislative documents in Russia.
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The temporary travel arrangement is scheduled to take effect on October 15, 2026, and will remain valid through October 15, 2027.
Under these guidelines, Vietnamese nationals may cross into Russian territory for stays up to 30 days "for guest or business visits, as tourists, to participate in scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic, and sports events, as well as for transit."
Russia and Vietnam developed a secretive financial workaround to conceal payments for arms deals and bypass international sanctions. According to internal documents, the arrangement allowed Hanoi to use profits from joint oil and gas projects in Siberia to pay down defense contracts for fighter jets, tanks, and warships.
By funneling these profits directly into debt repayments owed to Moscow, both nations managed to settle accounts without transferring money through the global banking system or the SWIFT network.
This mechanism was designed to shield the transactions from oversight and protect Vietnam from the risks of secondary sanctions while deepening its military partnership with Russia.
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