Vietnam Visa Requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro 2026: Entry, Customs and Exit

This guide covers citizens of North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. First come the visa options with documents, fees and processing times, the arrival steps at Vietnamese airports, customs rules and the exit rules. After that, each country has its own section with the Vietnamese embassy that covers it, flights and lost-passport contacts. Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Greece have their own guides, listed near the end of this page under “Other guides in the region”. Holders of Kosovo passports: see the note near the end of this page.

We are a private visa service, not the Vietnamese government or an embassy. The Vietnam Immigration Department decides every visa. You can always apply for an e-visa yourself on the official portal evisa.gov.vn for the government fee only. Facts checked in November 2026.

Vietnam visa requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro at a glance

Do citizens of North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes. Ordinary passports of all three countries need a visa for every trip to mainland Vietnam, whether for a holiday, business or a family visit. Vietnam’s visa exemption list covers 39 countries in 2026; Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania are on it, but North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro are not. See our Vietnam visa exemption list.

There are four exceptions:

• Phu Quoc island. All nationalities can stay on Phu Quoc for up to 30 days without a visa when arriving there directly from abroad. You need a visa as soon as you travel on to the mainland.
• Airside transit. If you change planes in Vietnam without leaving the international transit area, you do not need a visa. With two separate tickets, however, you collect your bags and pass immigration, so you need a visa.
• Diplomatic and official passports. Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists visa exemptions for diplomatic and official passports of all three countries: up to 3 months within a 6-month period for North Macedonia, up to 30 days for Albania, and up to 90 days for Montenegro. It does not apply to ordinary passports.
• 5-year visa exemption certificate. Citizens of Vietnamese origin, and spouses or children of Vietnamese citizens, can apply for a visa exemption certificate. It is valid for up to 5 years, with stays of up to 180 days each time. Issued in Vietnam, it costs USD 10 (Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC).

Travellers with an Italian, Bulgarian or other second passport

Many citizens of the three countries also hold a second passport, or live and work in another European country such as Italy, Germany or Greece. Vietnam’s visa exemption depends on the passport you travel on, not on where you live:

Keep two rules in mind: enter and leave Vietnam on the same passport, and book your flights with that passport’s details. An e-visa issued for one passport is not valid in the other. A residence permit in Italy, Germany or Greece does not change the rules for your own passport. The Bulgarian exemption covers tourism only, so for business on a Bulgarian passport you need a visa.

Dual Vietnamese citizens. Vietnam does not generally recognise dual citizenship. If you also hold Vietnamese citizenship, Vietnam may treat you as a Vietnamese citizen, so enter and leave on the same passport.

Vietnam e-visa: the easiest option for all three countries

For almost every traveller, the e-visa is the easiest way to meet the Vietnam visa requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. You apply online from Skopje, Tirana, Podgorica or anywhere else, and the approval arrives as a PDF.

What you need:

• A clear scan of your passport photo page.
• A recent portrait photo, 4 × 6 cm, white background, looking straight at the camera, without glasses.
• Your entry and exit dates, and the airport, seaport or land border where you will enter.
• Your hotel or host address in Vietnam.
• A PayPal or Alipay account (PayPal also takes cards).

Cost and time. The government fee is USD 25 for single entry and USD 50 for multiple entry. The official target is 3 working days, but busy periods take longer. Through our service, a 30-day single-entry e-visa starts at 60 USD in 4 working days, government fee included, and you can pay by PayPal or Alipay.

Apply when? At least 2 to 3 weeks before you fly, and earlier for the New Year and the summer holidays.

Check your e-visa status and print it

• Save your registration code when you submit. You need it, with your email and date of birth, to check the status on evisa.gov.vn.
• Check the status yourself. The portal does not always email you when it asks for a correction, so a status that stays “In processing” can hide a request for more information.
• Print two copies of the approved e-visa, and check every field against your passport before you fly.
• Your e-visa dates are the limit. You can enter and stay only between the “from” and “to” dates on the e-visa.

Common e-visa mistakes

• Names. Enter every name exactly as printed in the passport’s machine-readable lines, in the same order. Those lines use A to Z only, so letters such as ë, ç, č, ć, š and ž appear without their marks (for example “Kovačević” appears as “KOVACEVIC”). Copy the passport, not an ID card or a bank card.
• Wrong passport. If you have two passports, apply with the one you will actually travel on.
• Entry port type. Choose the right type of entry point. In practice, an e-visa for an airport works at any international airport, but not at a land border or seaport.
• Single entry. If you also visit Cambodia, Laos or Thailand and come back, choose a multiple-entry e-visa.
• Look-alike websites. The official portal is evisa.gov.vn. Other sites, including ours, are private services that charge a service fee. Be careful with any site that promises guaranteed approval, shows countdown timers, or asks for your passport before it states its full price.

For more examples, see our guide to Vietnam e-visa mistakes.

Need a Vietnam visa urgently?

All three countries use Central European Time, so Vietnam is 6 hours ahead in winter and 5 hours ahead in summer, when they use daylight saving time. Therefore, order before you go to bed, or early the next morning (by 08:00 in winter or 09:00 in summer) for the 14:00 cut-off of the 4-hour service. For weekends and Vietnamese public holidays, email our partner at info@vietnamimmigration.org. Read more in our urgent Vietnam visa guide. If you applied yourself and the status still shows “In processing”, a speed-up of your application costs less than a new one.

Vietnam visa on arrival

With a visa on arrival, you first get an approval letter, arranged before you fly by an agency such as ours. Then you collect a 15-day, single-entry visa at the counter of the airport, seaport or land border on your letter. This option suits short trips, and it meets the Vietnam visa requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro just as well as an e-visa.

On arrival, you also pay a USD 25 stamping fee in cash, in US dollars, so buy dollars before you leave home. Bring clean, undamaged notes, because torn or heavily marked dollar bills are often refused in Vietnam. You also need the NA1 form with 1 photo attached, plus 1 spare photo; see our NA1 form guide. Read every step in our Vietnam visa on arrival guide.

Which Vietnam visa is best?

Pros and cons:

• E-visa. Pros: online from anywhere, up to 90 days, multiple entry possible. Cons: the details must match the passport exactly, and the government portal gives no personal support.
• Visa on arrival. Pros: quick approval letter. Cons: only 15 days and single entry, plus a counter stop and USD 25 in cash on arrival.
• Embassy visa. Pros: the route for work visas and the 5-year exemption certificate. Cons: the embassy for your country is in another country, and your passport is held.

Embassy fees. Under Circular 163/2026/TT-BTC, an embassy single-entry visa costs USD 25 and a multiple-entry visa of up to 3 months costs USD 50. These are the same as the government e-visa fees, so the e-visa saves you the trip. For urgent processing, ask the embassy or consulate for its official fee. A tourist e-visa does not allow work: working in Vietnam needs a work permit and a work visa sponsored by your employer in Vietnam.

Our advice: For a two- or three-week trip, a 30-day single-entry e-visa is enough. Choose a 90-day e-visa, with multiple entry, for a longer loop through Cambodia, Laos or Thailand.

Entry procedure: arriving at a Vietnamese airport

Flights and transit

There are no direct flights from the three countries to Vietnam. Most travellers connect through Istanbul, which has non-stop flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, or through Dubai, Vienna or another European hub. Each country section names the main connections from its airports. With two separate tickets, leave plenty of time between flights, because you may need to collect your bags and check in again. Many routes from Skopje, Ohrid, Tirana, Podgorica and Tivat run only in summer or in certain months, so check your dates with the airline before you book.

Before you land: the pre-arrival declaration

The pre-arrival declaration is not a visa, but it is now part of the Vietnam visa requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro at every international airport. Complete it free at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn within 3 days before you land, and save the QR code. If you travel on a visa on arrival, fill it in at the airport after the visa counter, because it asks for your visa details. It is mandatory for foreign travellers at every international airport in Vietnam. Unless you travel on a visa on arrival, complete it before you leave home, because Wi-Fi and mobile data at the arrival airport can be slow. If you have not done it before the flight, scan the QR codes in the immigration area and fill it in there.

Step by step from the aircraft

1. Leave the aircraft and follow the “Arrivals” and “Immigration” signs.
2. Visa on arrival counter, only with an approval letter: hand in the NA1 form, photos and USD 25, then wait for your name.
3. Passport control. Show your passport and e-visa. Then check the entry stamp before you leave the counter.
4. Baggage claim. Report a missing bag at the airline desk before customs.
5. Customs. Green lane for nothing to declare, red lane for cash or goods above the limits.
6. Arrivals hall. Buy a SIM card, withdraw dong, and find your transport.

Read our full Vietnam entry procedure guide.

Which airports have the longest queues?

From our airport team’s experience, queues are longest at these airports, from worst to lightest:

1. Tan Son Nhat (SGN), Ho Chi Minh City: late evening and early morning.
2. Noi Bai (HAN), Hanoi: evening peaks.
3. Da Nang (DAD): evening waves of flights from North Asia.
4. Cam Ranh (CXR), Nha Trang: when charter flights land together.
5. Phu Quoc (PQC): shorter, but growing fast.

After a long overnight flight, a long immigration queue is the last thing you want. With our Vietnam airport fast track, our staff meet you before immigration and take you through the priority lane, from USD 45 per person. Book at least 3 days before your flight: bookings for a flight 2 days ahead, the next day or the same day carry an urgent surcharge of USD 20, 30 or 50 per person.

Avoid scams at the airport

• Use official transport. Choose the taxi rank, a Grab ride booked in the app, or well-known taxi companies such as Vinasun, Mai Linh or Xanh SM.
• Agree the fare first, or check that the meter is on.
• Bring US dollars or euros. Macedonian denars and Albanian leks are hard to exchange in Vietnam. Euros, which Montenegro uses, are easy to change at banks or the airport, but the USD 25 visa on arrival fee must be paid in US dollars.
• Keep your passport with you. No one in the arrivals hall needs it to “help” with your visa.
• Count your change. The VND 20,000 and VND 500,000 notes are both blue and easy to mix up.

Vietnam customs rules

Customs checks are the last of the Vietnam visa requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro on arrival. The rules are the same for every nationality.

Points for all travellers from the three countries

• Rakija as a gift. Spirits above 20% fall under the 1.5-litre allowance per adult; wines under 20% under the 2-litre allowance. Anything above that must be declared. Pack bottles in your checked bag.
• Cheese, dried meat and ajvar. Meat and dairy products are animal products and may be checked by Vietnamese quarantine officers, so pack only sealed retail packs, or leave them at home. Sealed jars of ajvar, honey or olive oil are normally fine within the VND 10 million allowance.
• Vapes. Banned in Vietnam from 1 January 2025, including possession. Customs can confiscate them, so leave them at home.
• Drugs. Vietnam’s drug laws are very strict: trafficking can carry the death penalty. Never carry a bag or parcel for someone else, and pack your bags yourself.
• Prescription medicine. Strong painkillers, ADHD medicines and some sleeping tablets are controlled. Bring them in the original packaging, with your prescription and a doctor’s letter in English, and only the amount you need.

For more details, read the complete Vietnam customs rules guide.

Vietnam visa for citizens of North Macedonia

Passports of North Macedonia need a visa for mainland Vietnam. Diplomatic and official passports are exempt for up to 3 months within a 6-month period, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It does not apply to ordinary passports.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in North Macedonia. Instead, the Vietnamese Ambassador based in Sofia, Bulgaria, is also accredited to North Macedonia and presented her credentials to the President of North Macedonia in December 2025, according to MIA, North Macedonia’s news agency, and Thế giới & Việt Nam, the newspaper of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Embassy’s website does not show its opening hours on the main page, so call or email before you send your passport or travel to Sofia.

Flights. From Skopje airport (SKP), most travellers connect through Istanbul, which has year-round flights from Skopje, or through Vienna or Zurich. Some routes from Skopje and Ohrid run only in summer.

Lost passport. We found no embassy of North Macedonia in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry in Skopje, which will tell you which mission can help:

Vietnam visa for Albanian citizens

Albanian passports need a visa for mainland Vietnam. Diplomatic and official passports are exempt for up to 30 days, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It does not apply to ordinary passports.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Albania. Instead, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece is also accredited to Albania and presented her credentials to the President of Albania in October 2025, according to VietnamPlus, the news site of the Vietnam News Agency, and Thế giới & Việt Nam.

The Embassy’s website does not show its opening hours, so call or email before you go.

Flights. From Tirana airport (TIA), there are year-round non-stop flights to Istanbul and Dubai, which both have non-stop flights to Vietnam, and to Vienna, Frankfurt, Rome and Milan.

Lost passport. We found no Albanian embassy in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry in Tirana, which will tell you which mission can help:

Vietnam visa for Montenegrin citizens

Montenegrin passports need a visa for mainland Vietnam. Diplomatic and official passports are exempt for up to 90 days, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It does not apply to ordinary passports.

Embassy. Vietnam has no embassy in Montenegro. Instead, the Government of Montenegro lists the Vietnamese Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, as the embassy accredited to Montenegro.

The Embassy’s website does not show its opening hours on the main page, so call or email before you go.

Flights. From Podgorica airport (TGD), most travellers connect through Istanbul, which has year-round flights from Podgorica, or through Vienna, Belgrade or Rome. Several routes from Podgorica and Tivat run only in certain months, for example Frankfurt from Podgorica in winter only.

Lost passport. We found no Montenegrin embassy in Vietnam. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Podgorica, which will tell you which mission can help:

Holders of Kosovo passports

Holders of Kosovo passports can apply for the Vietnam e-visa in the usual way, online, as described above: the documents, prices and urgent cut-offs are the same as in the e-visa section, and the Central European times in the urgent table also apply. The e-visa needs no embassy visit.

Flights. From Pristina airport (PRN), there are year-round non-stop flights to Istanbul, Vienna, Zurich, Frankfurt and Munich, according to FlightConnections (November 2026). Frankfurt and Munich have non-stop flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; most other travellers connect in Istanbul or the Middle East.

Lost passport. First, report the loss to the local police. Then contact the authority that issued your passport.

Leaving Vietnam: exit requirements

Departure step by step

1. Arrive 3 hours before an international flight, more if you claim a VAT refund.
2. VAT refund: show your goods and invoices at the customs refund desk before check-in.
3. Check in and drop your bags.
4. Exit passport control: officers check your visa and the dates of your stay.
5. Security, then duty-free shops and your gate.

Duty-free shopping and VAT refund

After passport control, airport duty-free shops sell goods without Vietnamese taxes. For shopping in the city, you can claim part of the VAT back:

• Buy at shops with a “Tax Refund” sign, and show your passport when you pay.
• Each invoice must be at least VND 2 million, and dated within 60 days before you leave.
• You receive 85% of the VAT paid; the refund bank keeps 15% as a fee.
• Refund desks can have long queues. Arrive early so you do not miss your flight.

What you cannot take out of Vietnam

• Antiques. Genuine antiques need an export permit. Keep the receipt for reproductions.
• Wildlife products. Ivory, rhino horn, turtle shell and many corals are banned.
• Cash and gold above the limits: more than USD 5,000 or VND 15 million in cash, or 300 g or more of gold, without your arrival declaration or a bank paper.
• Drugs and weapons, without exception.

Motorbikes and registration

• Riding a motorbike. A motorbike of 50 cc or more needs a valid licence for that class. Vietnam recognises international driving permits issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention, so check that your international permit is in that format and includes the motorbike class. Check your travel insurance too: an accident without the right licence can mean no cover and an exit ban until the case is settled.
• Registration. You must be registered with the local police where you stay. Hotels do it for you and may keep your passport for a short time; ask for it back once registration is done.

Do not overstay your Vietnam visa

Finally, the Vietnam visa requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro also apply on the way out. Leave by the last day on your e-visa or entry stamp. From 15 December 2025, Decree 282/2025/ND-CP sets these fines:

For an overstay of 16 days or more, the authorities can also deport you, and deportation can lead to a ban on future entry. Under Decree 59/2026/ND-CP (in force since 1 April 2026), if a person ordered to be deported cannot pay the fine, the deportation goes ahead at once; you may contact your country’s embassy.

What to do if you have overstayed

1. Contact the Immigration Department or the immigration office of the provincial police before you go to the airport.
2. Pay the fine, and get the exit visa or paperwork you need to leave.
3. Then book your flight, so you are not stopped at passport control.

If you lose your passport, follow the steps in your country’s section above, then take the new travel document to the Vietnamese immigration office for an exit visa before you fly. If you also hold another passport, such as an Italian one, contact that country’s embassy or consulate for help with that passport.

Other guides in the region

Several countries nearby have their own detailed guide: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Moldova and Cyprus. Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania are visa-exempt for tourism of up to 45 days; see the exemption list.

For travel agencies, tour operators and companies

Do you send tour groups, incentive trips or business teams from North Macedonia, Albania or Montenegro to Vietnam? We prepare e-visas, visa on arrival approval letters and airport fast track for groups, with one contact person and one invoice. Email us at info@visa-vietnam.hk with your expected number of travellers per month to receive our partner rates.

FAQ: Vietnam visa requirements for North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro

Do citizens of North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes, for mainland Vietnam, on an ordinary passport of any of the three countries. The only visa-free option is Phu Quoc island, for up to 30 days, when you fly there directly from abroad.

Which Vietnamese embassy covers my country?

The Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, covers North Macedonia; the Embassy in Athens, Greece, covers Albania; and the Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, covers Montenegro. For tourism and business trips, apply for an e-visa online instead.

I also have an Italian passport. Do I need a visa?

Not for up to 45 days, if you enter and leave Vietnam on your Italian passport (Resolution 44/NQ-CP). For a longer stay, or on your other passport, you need a visa.

Can I travel to Vietnam with my ID card?

No. National identity cards and driving licences are not travel documents for Vietnam. You need your passport, valid for at least 6 months from your entry date.

What time should I order an urgent e-visa?

The 4-working-hour service closes at 07:00 and 14:00 Vietnam time. In Skopje, Tirana and Podgorica, that is 01:00 and 08:00 in winter, and 02:00 and 09:00 in summer.

Can holders of Kosovo passports apply for the Vietnam e-visa?

Yes. Holders of Kosovo passports apply for the e-visa online in the usual way, with the same documents, prices and cut-offs as described above.

How long can I stay in Vietnam?

Up to 90 days per entry with an e-visa, 15 days with a visa on arrival, and up to 30 days without a visa on Phu Quoc island only.

Facts checked on 12 November 2026: Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa exemption list (diplomatic and official passports of North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro), MIA on the new Ambassador to North Macedonia, based in Sofia (December 2025), Thế giới & Việt Nam on the credentials in North Macedonia (December 2025) and in Albania (October 2025), VietnamPlus on the Ambassador to Greece, concurrently in charge of Albania (October 2025), and the Government of Montenegro’s page on Vietnam’s mission to Montenegro.

Contacts and other rules: the Embassies of Vietnam in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, the Government of North Macedonia’s page on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Albania’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Montenegro’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FlightConnections route maps (November 2026), FlightConnections (Pristina, November 2026), our Apply form (November 2026), our Vietnam visa exemption list, Circular 163/2026/TT-BTC, Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC, Decree 59/2026/ND-CP (LuatVietnam, in Vietnamese), Decree 282/2025/ND-CP as summarised by Khanh Hoa provincial police, and the official pre-arrival portal. Rules can change, so check official sources before you travel.