Vietnamese Passport Alongside Neighbors: Same Score, Different Access List

Quick Summary: According to QuocTich.com data, the Vietnamese passport scores 52 points (rank 74), nearly level with Cambodia (53) and Laos (48), but trails China (83) and Thailand (82) by about 30 points. Similar total scores do not mean similar access lists. And here's a hard truth: every destination Vietnamese passport holders can enter without a visa, Thai passport holders can enter too.

When comparing the Vietnamese passport to neighbors, people often stop at the total score. Cambodia leads by 1 point, Laos trails by 4 — reassuring to think "we're in the same group."

But if you open each country's list in detail, the story changes. Cambodia and Vietnam score nearly the same yet access different places. Thailand, meanwhile, doesn't just outscore Vietnam by 30 points — Vietnam's access list fits entirely within Thailand's list, without exception.

This article places the Vietnamese passport alongside four countries sharing borders or geographically closest: China, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand. All figures follow QuocTich.com data, updated 09/2026. A complete table of ten ASEAN passports is available in the article ASEAN passport rankings 2026: scores and gaps.

Data Table: Vietnam and Four Neighboring Countries

"Score" means the number of destinations reachable without prior visa application — visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or ETA. Electronic visas (e-visa) are not counted because applicants must still submit documents and await approval before departure. Detailed counting methodology is at how we count visa-free access.

Two observations stand out immediately. First, Vietnam's "Visa-Free" column (23) actually exceeds Cambodia's (21) — Cambodia pulls ahead by offering more visa-on-arrival destinations. Second, Vietnam has 46 destinations offering e-visas: this is the "not visa-free but not difficult either" group, nearly as large as the score itself.

To see the full list of 52 visa-free destinations, visit countries and territories Vietnam citizens can enter visa-free.

By Continent: Where Can Vietnamese Citizens Go?

All five passports are essentially shut out from Europe and North America. This is a regional pattern, not unique to Vietnam.

The major differences lie in Asia and Africa. Thailand has 34 destinations in Asia versus Vietnam's 20; China has 28 in Africa versus Vietnam's 18. In other words, the 30-point gap doesn't come from the West—it comes from nearby and middle-income regions.

Where Does Thailand's Passport Outperform Vietnam's?

According to the data, there are 30 destinations where Thai passport holders can enter without a prior visa requirement while Vietnamese citizens must apply (e-visa or visa). The reverse: zero destinations. No country opens its doors to the Vietnamese passport while closing them to the Thai passport.

Notable destinations in these 30 countries:

• East Asia: Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, and China allow Thai visa-free entry; South Korea uses ETA. Vietnamese travelers to these destinations must apply for e-visas or visas.
• Middle East: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan offer visa-on-arrival to Thai citizens.
• South America: Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador allow Thai visa-free entry — while Vietnam requires visas for nearly all countries in this region.
• Others: Turkey, Russia, Georgia, South Africa, Dominican Republic.

You can verify individual pairs, for example Vietnam passport to Japan compared to Thailand passport to Japan.

Where Does China's Passport Outperform Vietnam's, and Vice Versa?

China can enter 41 destinations where Vietnam requires a prior visa. But unlike Thailand, the reverse also applies: Vietnam can enter 10 destinations where the Chinese passport requires a visa.

The left column shows China's strategy: bilateral visa-free agreements with Middle Eastern, Balkan, Caribbean, and African nations. The right column consists largely of countries offering Vietnam special treatment or those with restrictive policies toward Chinese visitors.

Three Caribbean nations in the left column — Grenada, St. Kitts, Antigua — are three of five Caribbean nations currently operating citizenship-by-investment programs. All three have had visa-free agreements with China for years, while agreements with Vietnam are still pending.

Cambodia and Laos: Similar Scores, Different Access

Cambodia can access 7 destinations Vietnam cannot: Egypt, Macau, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Nicaragua (visa-on-arrival), Ecuador, Gambia (visa-free). Vietnam can access 6 that Cambodia cannot: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Chile, Papua New Guinea.

Laos mirrors Cambodia in destinations where it exceeds Vietnam, plus Russia (visa-free) and Zambia. Conversely, Vietnam exceeds Laos in 12 destinations, including Panama, Chile, Barbados, St. Lucia, Mauritius, and three Central Asian countries.

The lesson: two passports with nearly identical scores can serve two very different travel profiles. Vietnamese travelers find Central Asia and Mongolia more convenient; Cambodian and Laotian travelers find Egypt and Macau more convenient.

Neighbors Entering Vietnam: Is the Privilege Symmetrical?

With three ASEAN neighbors, visa-free entry runs both directions. Thailand uniquely allows Vietnamese citizens 60 days — double the reciprocal — as a result of its unilateral visa-exemption expansion introduced in mid-2024. With China, both directions require advance paperwork: Chinese citizens apply for Vietnamese e-visa; Vietnamese citizens apply for Chinese visa.

Limitations of This Comparison Method

Some entries have conditions. A few destinations in the list only exempt visas or offer ETA if travelers already hold a valid visa from a third country (typically USA, Schengen, or Japan), or apply only at specific ports of entry. Taiwan is an example: its pre-notification system applies only to travelers meeting certain criteria. Always verify specific pairs before traveling.

Unilateral policies are subject to change. Thailand and China both use time-limited unilateral visa exemptions to attract tourists. Today's numbers may differ within months.

Score doesn't measure approval rates. Two passports both "requiring visa" entry to one country may still have vastly different approval rates. Rankings don't reflect this.

Sources differ. Our data, Henley's rankings, and other indexes count differently, so Vietnam's rank varies across publications. The article Vietnamese passport rank — why each publication reports different numbers explains these discrepancies.

Checklist When Comparing the Vietnamese Passport to Another

• [ ] Compare destination lists, not just total scores.
• [ ] Separate three categories: visa-free, e-visa, visa required.
• [ ] Mark which entries have conditions (third-country visa, specific port of entry).
• [ ] Note the data date — unilateral policies have expiration dates.
• [ ] Focus on the region your family will visit, not the entire world.

Next Steps

If you or your family travel frequently to East Asia, the Middle East, or South America, the table above shows the Vietnamese passport will always require an additional procedural step compared to Thai travelers. The quickest way to see how a second passport would change this is to open the passport combination tool, select Vietnam plus the country you're considering, and review the "newly accessible" list. Detailed analysis of the Vietnamese passport's position appears in Vietnamese passport ranking.