Enhancement of passports widens travel possibilities for the tourism sector and citizens
Vietnam's passport has made a significant leap, climbing to the 84th spot on the Henley Passport Index for the third quarter of 2025. This is the highest ranking the Vietnamese passport has ever achieved in the past 20 years.
The advancement in the passport's global ranking is more than just a number. It serves as a 'soft indicator' of international trust, political stability, administrative capacity, and the credibility of a country's citizens when traveling abroad. According to Vũ Văn Tuyên, general director of Travelogy Việt Nam, this ranking reflects how Vietnamese citizens are perceived globally.
This improvement unlocks new opportunities for outbound tourism, particularly to advanced economies such as Japan, Australia, and South Korea, fostering high-value travel and deeper global integration. It also enhances Vietnamese travelers' convenience and flexibility, making it easier and more attractive for them to travel internationally.
The benefits of improving Vietnam's passport global ranking include enhanced global mobility for Vietnamese citizens, increased visa-free or simplified-entry access to more international destinations, and stronger international integration that boosts tourism and trade opportunities.
Strategies to further improve the global ranking of Vietnam's passport and promote outbound tourism could include negotiating more bilateral or multilateral visa waiver agreements, improving administrative transparency and foreign policy trustworthiness, enhancing diplomatic efforts and international cooperation, investing in digital and streamlined visa systems, and promoting Vietnam’s positive international image and political stability.
The higher passport ranking and improved documentation system directly impact the lives and opportunities of millions of Vietnamese people, including students, entrepreneurs, workers, and tourists. A higher passport ranking translates to wider access to global travel markets, particularly in developed destinations like the EU, South Korea, Japan, and Australia.
The passport advancement opens opportunities for Vietnam's tourism to approach the international market and its citizens to integrate globally. With 51 destinations that allow Vietnamese people to enter without a traditional visa, the Vietnamese passport is currently on par with that of some other developing countries.
Moreover, the turnover of service exports is estimated to reach nearly US$14.8 billion, of which tourism service is $7.63 billion, accounting for 51.5% and increasing by 24.7% compared to last year. A transparent e-passport and administrative data system provide a strong foundation for tour operators to build premium, specialized packages for high-income travellers seeking all-inclusive experiences.
Hoàng Nhân Chính, head of the Việt Nam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB), suggests accelerating negotiations for visa waiver agreements with strategic partners such as ASEAN, the EU, and developed countries. These efforts collectively contribute to lifting Vietnam's passport strength, thereby expanding outbound tourism potential, encouraging Vietnamese travelers to explore more destinations easily, and reinforcing Vietnam's position in global mobility and economic integration.
- The high ranking of Vietnam's passport on the Henley Passport Index signifies more than just international travel convenience; it serves as a 'soft indicator' of the country's political stability, administrative capacity, and global trust.
- The advancement in the passport's global ranking unlocks new opportunities for outbound tourism, particularly to advanced economies such as Japan, Australia, and South Korea, fostering high-value travel and deeper global integration.
- Strategies to further improve the global ranking of Vietnam's passport and promote outbound tourism could include negotiating more bilateral or multilateral visa waiver agreements, improving administrative transparency and foreign policy trustworthiness, enhancing diplomatic efforts and international cooperation, investing in digital and streamlined visa systems, and promoting Vietnam’s positive international image and political stability.
- The higher passport ranking translates to wider access to global travel markets, particularly in developed destinations like the EU, South Korea, Japan, and Australia, directly impacting the lives and opportunities of millions of Vietnamese people, including students, entrepreneurs, workers, and tourists.
- A transparent e-passport and administrative data system provide a strong foundation for tour operators to build premium, specialized packages for high-income travellers seeking all-inclusive experiences, potentially increasing the turnover of service exports, especially in tourism.
- Hoàng Nhân Chính, head of the Việt Nam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB), suggests accelerating negotiations for visa waiver agreements with strategic partners such as ASEAN, the EU, and developed countries, collectively contributing to lifting Vietnam's passport strength, thereby expanding outbound tourism potential, encouraging Vietnamese travelers to explore more destinations easily, and reinforcing Vietnam's position in global mobility and economic integration.
