This Decree provides for the management of foreign-registered road motor vehicles (hereinafter referred to as “foreign motor vehicles”) operated by foreigners in Vietnamese traffic for tourism purposes and the responsibilities of relevant organizations and individuals.

1. This Decree applies to Vietnamese agencies and individuals and foreign individuals involved in foreign motor vehicles operated by foreigners in Vietnamese traffic for tourism purposes.

2. Domestic and foreign organizations and individuals involved in foreign motor vehicles operated by foreigners in Vietnamese traffic for tourism purposes shall comply with this Decree and relevant legislative documents. If there is any discrepancy between this Decree and an international treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory, the international treaty shall prevail.

For the purpose of this Decree, the following terms shall be construed as follows:

1. Foreign motor vehicles are:

a) Passenger automobiles with right-hand drive or left-hand drive with 9 seats to below and recreational vehicles;

b) Motorcycles.

2. Force majeure refers to cases where foreigners and foreign motor vehicles are unable to exit Vietnamese territory due to objective events that are unexpected and cannot be rectified immediately, even with the application of necessary and permissible measures.

1. General requirements for foreign motor vehicles and foreign drivers to participate in Vietnamese traffic

a) Carry out the procedure, through a Vietnamese international travel service provider, for approval for inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles into Vietnam for participation in traffic;

b) Have a document on approval for inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles into Vietnam for participation in traffic issued by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam.

2. Requirements for foreign motor vehicles

a) Are road motor vehicles prescribed in Clause 1 Article 3 of this Decree;

b) Have valid vehicle registration certificates with license plates issued by competent authorities of the nation where the vehicles were registered;

c) Have valid certificates of technical and environmental safety for motor vehicles or equivalences issued by competent authority of the nation where the vehicles were registered (for automobiles);

d) Regarding foreign motor vehicles that are right-hand drive automobiles: have diplomatic notes of diplomatic representative missions, consular missions, or representative missions of inter-governmental international organizations in Vietnam for submission to the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam to request and specify the reason for permission for the vehicles to participate in Vietnamese traffic;

dd) Carry out customs procedures for temporary import and re-export according to customs laws immediately at the entry and exit border checkpoints;

e) May only carry out temporary import and re-export at international border checkpoints by road, sea, inland waterway, railway, and air; must carry out the temporary import and re-export at the border checkpoints approved by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam;

g) The time limit for vehicle use in Vietnamese traffic is up to 45 days. In case of force majeure, vehicles may be allowed to stay in Vietnam for no more than 10 days in compliance with Clause 4 Article 5 of this Decree.

3. Requirements for drivers of foreign motor vehicles

a) Are foreigners;

b) Have passports or international travel documents and visas or valid documents for residence in Vietnam, except for cases where visas are exempted according to the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam. In case of foreigners entering Vietnam under unilateral visa exemption, their passports must be valid for at least 6 months; foreigners using e-visas shall enter through international border checkpoints decided by the Government of Vietnam;

c) Have valid foreign-issued driver's licenses conforming with the vehicle type;

d) Carry out procedures for entry and exit according to the Law on Entry, Exit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam.

1. A Vietnamese international travel service provider shall send an application to the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam in person, online, or through postal services. The application includes:

a) Official dispatch requesting the approval of the request for permission to enable inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic following Form No. 01 in the Appendix enclosed herewith;

b) List of drivers following Form No. 02 in the Appendix enclosed herewith;

c) Copies of international travel service business license (applicable to international travel service providers requesting permission to enable inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic for the first time).

2. Within 5 working days from the date on which the adequate application is received according to Clause 1 of this Article, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam shall issue a document on approval or disapproval (specifying the reasons) for foreign motor vehicles to participate in Vietnamese traffic. The approval document shall follow Form No. 03, and the document on disapproval shall follow Form No. 07 in the Appendix enclosed hereof, sent in person, online, or through postal services.

3. The Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam shall notify the document on approval for permission to enable inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam, Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, and relevant People’s Committees of provinces and centrally affiliated cities for cooperation in management.

4. In case of force majeure as prescribed in Clause 2 Article 3 of this Decree

a) The international travel service provider shall send the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam a report on the reason for the late exit of vehicles compared to the time limit prescribed in the approval document of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam in person, online, or through postal services following Form No. 04 in the Appendix enclosed herewith

b) After receiving the report from the international travel service provider, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam shall issue a written answer following Form No. 05 in the Appendix enclosed herewith to the international travel service provider and send it to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam, Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, and relevant People's Committees of provinces and centrally affiliated cities for cooperation in management.

1. There must be leading vehicles to guide the traffic for foreign vehicles when participating in Vietnamese traffic. The guiding vehicles shall be automobiles (if the tourists are using automobiles) or motorcycles (if the tourists are using motorcycles) arranged by Vietnamese international travel service providers carrying logos or flags with the symbols of such providers.

2. Foreign motor vehicles may only participate in traffic on roads within the provincial administrative boundaries while complying with the time limit for travel in Vietnamese territory prescribed in the approval documents of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam.

3. When operating foreign motor vehicles, drivers shall comply with Vietnamese road traffic laws and carry and present the following documents upon requests from competent authorities:

a) Passports, international travel documents, and documents concerning residence in Vietnam;

b) Valid foreign-issued driver's licenses conforming with the vehicle type;

c) Valid certificates of technical and environmental safety for motor vehicles or equivalences issued by the country where the vehicles were registered (for automobiles);

d) Valid vehicle registration certificates issued by the competent authorities of the country where the vehicles were registered;

dd) Civil responsibility insurance certificates of motor vehicle owners that are valid in Vietnam;

e) Customs declarations of road motor vehicles temporarily imported for re-export.

Drivers of foreign motor vehicles violating the laws of Vietnam and international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory shall be handled according to relevant laws.

1. Approve Vietnamese international travel service providers’ requests to enable inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic.

2. Handle violations prescribed in this Decree and relevant laws.

3. Cooperate with the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam in settling procedures for temporarily importing and re-exporting foreign motor vehicles participating in Vietnamese traffic.

4. Cooperate with People’s Committees of provinces and centrally affiliated cities in managing, monitoring, and inspecting the participation in Vietnamese traffic of foreign motor vehicles.

5. In several special cases, to ensure traffic safety, order, and national security, decide on the refusal and suspension of operations or request changes to the time, routes, and speed conformable with foreign motor vehicles participating in Vietnamese traffic for tourism purposes.

1. Instruct relevant organizations and individuals to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic under this Decree.

2. Cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam, and Ministry of Finance of Vietnam in organizing and managing the activities of foreign motor vehicles participating in Vietnamese traffic.

3. License and manage operations of international travel service providers, especially those that directly implement the participation in Vietnamese traffic of foreign motor vehicles as a type of tourism; cooperate with units, local authorities, and enterprises in developing tours and road routes for inbound tourists, diversifying tourism products and ensuring the safety and security of clients during travel.

Cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam in managing foreign motor vehicles participating in Vietnamese traffic.

Take charge and cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam in carrying out procedures for temporarily importing and re-exporting foreign motor vehicles participating in Vietnamese traffic according to customs laws.

Cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam, Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam in organizing and managing the activities of foreign motor vehicles participating in Vietnamese traffic.

Take charge of the inspection and control of entry and exit at border checkpoints under its management; carry out procedures for border defense, issuance, amendments, supplements, termination of visas, and issuance of temporary residence certificates to foreigners entering Vietnam under entry and exit laws; cooperate with competent authorities at border checkpoints in supervising vehicles subject to procedures for temporary import and re-export under this Decree.

1. Direct local competent authorities to manage and inspect the activities of foreign motor vehicles participating in Vietnamese traffic under this Decree.

2. Notify the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, and Ministry of Transport of Vietnam of incidents concerning foreign motor vehicles and foreigners participating in Vietnamese traffic.

1. Comply with regulations on entry and exit of people and vehicles.

2. Enable the temporary import of foreign motor vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic and export of foreign motor vehicles from Vietnamese territory as per regulation.

3. Comply with regulations on assurance of security, order, and safety when foreign motor vehicles are participating in Vietnamese traffic. Manage the activities of foreigners according to the registered programs; cooperate in declaring temporary residence when tourists spend their night in vehicles.

4. Within 10 days after the end of tourism programs, submit reports to the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam following Form No. 06 in the Appendix enclosed herewith.

5. Take responsibility for handling and settling costs arising due to violations of drivers of foreign motor vehicles during participation in Vietnamese traffic.

6. Take responsibility for the accuracy and legality of documents and information of drivers and foreign motor vehicles in official dispatches sent to the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and documents prescribed in Clause 3 Article 6 of this Decree.

1. This Decree comes into force as of May 1, 2024.

2. Decree No. 152/2013/ND-CP dated November 4, 2013 and Decree No. 57/2015/ND-CP dated June 16, 2015 shall expire as of the effective date of this Decree.

3. Documents on approval for inbound tourists to temporarily import foreign motor vehicles for participation in Vietnamese traffic issued by the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam to international travel service providers before the effective date of this Decree may continue to be used until the end of the approved contents.

Ministers, Directors of ministerial agencies, Directors of governmental agencies, Presidents of the People’s Committees of provinces, centrally affiliated cities, and relevant organizations and individuals shall implement this Decree./.