Vietnam Opens 30-Day Visa-Free Pilot for Chinese Tourist Groups Visiting Khanh Hoa
Vietnam's government has approved a pilot visa exemption programme under which Chinese citizens travelling in organised groups may enter Khanh Hoa Province without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, effective October 12, 2026. The pilot runs until December 31, 2027, as part of the Vietnam-China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026-2027.
The pilot has clear boundaries: travellers must hold ordinary passports, arrive and depart on direct flights from mainland China through Cam Ranh International Airport, travel in groups of at least two, and book through eligible Vietnamese international travel companies. Hong Kong and Macao SAR passport holders are excluded, and the exemption does not extend beyond Khanh Hoa.
Khanh Hoa, on Vietnam's south-central coast, is home to the resort city of Nha Trang. China has long been among Vietnam's top sources of international visitors, and Cam Ranh is one of its busiest entry airports for Chinese routes. For Chinese travel agencies and Khanh Hoa's hotels and restaurants, the pilot removes the visa step from the cost of a trip.
The same day brought a second Vietnam investment story: Samsung affiliates plan to invest about $9.15 billion in semiconductor operations, with nearly $6 billion earmarked for memory chip testing facilities in Thai Nguyen province in northern Vietnam, according to the Korea Herald as reported by Indian media, with a first line scheduled for late 2027.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 芽庄海滩实景，摄影：佚名，CC BY-SA 3.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons（File:Bờ biển ở Nha Trang.jpg）
