One visa to explore Southeast Asia

One visa to explore Southeast Asia

30-08-25

The idea of a common visa for ASEAN countries, similar to the European Schengen model, is gaining fresh momentum in the region. The proposal seeks to replace the complex bureaucratic maze faced by foreign tourists when visiting several Southeast Asian nations, offering instead a seamless, frictionless travel experience. Although no concrete timelines have yet been established, the initiative enjoys strong support among countries with tourism-oriented economies, fueling optimism that this project could become a reality in the near future.

Currently, ASEAN citizens enjoy visa-free travel within the bloc, a privilege that member states now aim to extend to international visitors. The goal is to create a single visa, valid for between 30 and 90 days, that would allow tourists to move freely across the ten member countries—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—with the eventual inclusion of Timor-Leste as a new member.

The plan has been particularly championed by Thailand, whose then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin proposed in 2024 a common visa initially covering six countries—Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. Later, in May 2025, the Philippines’ Tourism Secretary, Christina Garcia Frasco, also endorsed the initiative during the Skift Asia Forum in Bangkok, emphasizing that a unified visa would establish ASEAN as a “single destination” for international travelers.

The projected benefits are significant. Various studies estimate that a common visa could generate between 333,000 and 654,000 additional jobs and contribute up to $12 billion to the region’s GDP, while also strengthening its global tourism appeal. In a context where intra-ASEAN tourism already accounts for nearly 50% of total visitors—reflecting strong post-pandemic recovery—simplifying access for travelers from outside the region could further accelerate this dynamism.

Yet the road ahead is far from simple. The challenges facing this ambitious plan are considerable. To implement it, member states must harmonize immigration systems, align lengths of stay, coordinate security protocols, and unify application and monitoring processes—demanding an unprecedented level of intergovernmental cooperation. Legitimate concerns also persist over potential visa overstays, illegal employment, security risks, and data management, requiring clear mechanisms of control and mutual trust.

For nearly a decade, different variations of the common visa have been explored, including a phased approach that would initially involve only the continental Southeast Asian countries—Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Malaysia—before expanding to the rest. As of now, no launch date has been set, and the initiative remains in deliberation, with the speed of overcoming administrative barriers proving crucial to its realization.

It is also worth noting that while the internal ASEAN proposal is being debated, China has introduced a parallel initiative: the “ASEAN visa.” Though it does not function as a common visa within the bloc, this new document allows executives from ASEAN’s ten countries and Timor-Leste to obtain multiple-entry visas for China, valid for up to five years with stays of up to 180 days per visit. This move reinforces the broader regional landscape of travel facilitation and cross-border cooperation.

In summary, although still wrapped in a large “if,” the idea of a common visa for Southeast Asia represents a potential milestone: beyond tourism, it symbolizes deeper integration, where cultural and economic exchanges and global connectivity are strengthened through a shared migration policy. If the region manages to overcome technical and political obstacles, a new global paradigm in international mobility could emerge, positioning ASEAN as a single, accessible, diverse, and attractive destination for the world.

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