Following 2025 - an ambitious year marked by rapid growth and development, 2026 is shaping up to be a year where Vietnam pairs high economic ambition with tighter regulation and long-term infrastructure investment.
For residents, businesses, and foreign professionals, the changes will reshape how people live, move, work, and plan for the future in Vietnam. Here’s what to expect in 2026.
Two new types of visa for foreigners
Vietnam will introduce two new visa types from July 1, 2026. The UD1 visa is intended for high-quality talent or foreigners eligible for preferential treatment under Vietnamese law, while the UD2 visa is for their spouses and children under 18. Both visas will be valid for up to five years. These measures aim to attract skilled and high-caliber human resources to support Vietnam’s socio-economic development.
In 2026, Vietnam will also add 41 new border gates accepting e-visa holders, including the new Long Thanh Airport, as well as offering 90-day multiple-entry e-visas to citizens from all countries, aiming to boost tourism and attract more international visitors.
Restriction on gas bikes in the central zone of Hanoi
From July 1, 2026, Hanoi will impose time-based restrictions on gas-powered motorbikes entering Ring Road 1, which covers nine central wards, including Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, and Tay Ho. At the same time, commercial gas-powered motorbikes - including those operating on ride-hailing platforms -will be banned at all times in this area.
This could mean that tourists visiting Hanoi will need to use alternative modes of transportation to get around popular attractions such as the Old Quarter or Van Mieu. The policy aims to tackle air pollution, one of the most pressing environmental issues in this capital city.
Zalo may no longer be Vietnam’s top messaging app
Zalo has long been Vietnam’s most dominant messaging app. From contacting local authorities, schools, and residential management boards to handling work coordination.
However, in December 2025, the platform faced backlash after requiring users to agree to updated terms and conditions that include the collection of personal data, with accounts subject to deletion if users do not consent.
A significant amount of Vietnamese people and businesses have considered switching to alternative messaging platforms. In late December 2025, WhatsApp and Viber reportedly overtook Zalo in usage, marking a notable shift in Vietnam’s messaging app landscape. Zalo has also been required to provide explanations to Vietnamese authorities regarding the policy change.
A complete ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco
Starting from March 2026, all business and investment activities involving e-cigarettes and heated tobacco in Vietnam will be banned, under the amended Investment Law approved by the National Assembly.
Vietnam first announced restrictions on e-cigarettes in 2024, citing public health concerns. The upcoming ban expands these measures to cover all commercial activities, effectively prohibiting the sale, import, and production of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products nationwide.
Hanoi expands sidewalk crackdown
In late 2025, Hanoi has piloted the “model ward” initiative, which starts with three central wards: Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh and Cua Nam, aims to stop the streets and sidewalks encroachment, as well as dismantle awnings to restore public space.
From January 1 to February 15, 2026, the plan enters Phase 3, which focuses on maintenance and preventing repeat violations. This phase will be critical in determining whether Hanoi can finally address sidewalk encroachment and return public spaces to residents. If successful, Hanoi will expand the initiative to other wards across the city.
A new urban creative ecosystem in Hanoi
Organised annually since 2021, Hanoi Creative Design Festival has long been a most dynamic cultural initiative, transforming the capital into a vibrant hub for artistic expression and innovation.
In 2026, the festival will shift from merely a festival to an urban creative ecosystem- a platform for convergence, experimentation, and the dissemination of new ideas - adopting an interdisciplinary approach that connects visual arts, design, technology, architecture, sound, data, crafts, and performance.
With this approach, the festival not only aligns Hanoi’s culture with its designation as a UNESCO Creative City, but also advances its vision of placing creativity and the creative economy at the core of the city’s development into a dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable urban center.
The launch of Long Thanh Airport
After five years since groundbreaking in 2021, Long Thanh International Airport is scheduled to begin operations in June 2026.
In its first phase, the airport is expected to handle 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually, and is designed to take over around 80% of Ho Chi Minh City’s international air traffic. The opening of Long Thanh is expected to significantly ease congestion at Tan Son Nhat Airport, which has long operated beyond its designed capacity.