thumb|The "VIP Hall" (formerly, Royal Family Hall) at the main train station in Nizhny Novgorod
A Very Important Person, or VIP, is a person who is accorded special privileges due to his or her status or importance.

Examples include celebrities, heads of state/heads of government, major employers, high rollers, politicians, high-level corporate officers, wealthy individuals, or any other notable person who receives special treatment for some reason. In some cases, such as tickets to events, VIP may be used in a similar way to premium, and can be purchased by anyone. The term was coined between 1940 and 1945, by the Royal Air Force. The term often may be used in a facetious or sarcastic manner, depending on the context in which it is being used.