Vietnam
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- Unclear restrictions - it is not clear to what extent restrictions apply.
Restrictions on entry to Vietnam
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to Vietnam based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Vietnam does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.
The Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States has a list of supporting documents that should be included with a visa application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Vietnam
Sources are mixed on whether Vietnam imposes restrictions on short-term stay of people living with HIV.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Vietnam does not have any HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
The Vietnam Government Portal states that according to Labor Code 2019, Article 151.1., conditions for foreign workers working in Vietnam include ‘suitable health as stipulated by the Minister of Health.’
An unofficial website states that ‘A mandatory health check-up is a prerequisite for obtaining a work permit in Vietnam. This requirement aims to protect public health and ensure the physical fitness of foreign workers’ and these typically include ‘Laboratory Tests: Blood tests, urine analysis, and other relevant laboratory examinations.’
However, this does not appear to include HIV testing. According to the ILO and IOM report ‘Mandatory HIV testing migrant workers South-East Asia‘ mandatory HIV testing and discrimination in the workplace are banned by law in Vietnam.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Vietnam
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on long-term stay in Vietnam based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Vietnam does not have any HIV-related restrictions on long-term stay.
The Ministry of Public Security provides a list of supporting documents that should be included with an application for a Permanent Residence Card and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Treatment access in Vietnam
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Vietnam. There is some evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.
CHARM (Center for Health and Rights of Migrants), a citizen’s group that supports HIV-positive people that aims to bring about a society where everyone live in good health, provides details on treatment access for non-nationals in Vietnam.
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
People living with HIV are criminalised in Vietnam. There are HIV-specific criminal laws in force which target alleged HIV ‘exposure’, non-disclosure, and/or transmission. We are not aware of any reported prosecutions under these or other laws.
Visit the Vietnam page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
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