Foreign ministry provides updates on vaccine passport recognition, tourist visa issuance

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo

HÀ NỘI —14 countries and territories have so far recognised Việt Nam’s COVID-19 vaccine certificates, while Việt Nam has recognised those of 79 countries and territories.

Addressing reporters’ questions on the updates of bilateral recognition of vaccine passports, ministry spokesperson Lê Thị Thu Hằng yesterday said that as of February 16, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Belarus, India, Cambodia, the Philippines, Palestine, Maldives, New Zealand, Egypt, Turkey and Sri Lanka have recognised Việt Nam’s vaccines passes.

A number of other partners are actively taking note of the Vietnamese side’s proposal and having further discussions on some technical issues and will soon provide their confirmations, Hằng noted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with Vietnamese missions overseas, are stepping up efforts to promote the official recognition of Việt Nam’s vaccine passports to facilitate the travel of people, she added.

On the other hand, Việt Nam has officially recognised the vaccine certificates of 79 countries and territories that have been made known to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Việt Nam by the foreign ministries of the respective countries, or their representative missions in Việt Nam.

Tourism reopening

Asked about new tourist visa policies when Việt Nam fully resumes international tourism activities from March 15, 2022, Hằng said that earlier this week, the Vietnamese Government has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism to soon finalise the regulations for welcoming foreign visitors and provide complete solutions for reopening tourism.

The tourism ministry is also instructed to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health and others to make a prompt report to the Government with regards to visa policies applicable for international tourists entering Việt Nam.

In essence, the procedures and persons eligible for visas would be in line with existing regulations provided by the 2014 Law on Entry and Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Việt Nam (amended in 2019), she said.

“For our part, under the instructions from the Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, to provide complete measures for reopening of tourism and fully develop policies for granting of visas to foreign visitors,” Hằng added.

Presently, those allowed to enter Việt Nam include foreigners and overseas Vietnamese along with their families who bear valid travel documents, such as temporary residence cards (TRCs), visas and visa exemption documents, Hằng said.

Foreigners wishing to enter Việt Nam for tourism, for now, will continue to follow the pilot vaccine passport programme for foreign nationals implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Also, in accordance with the guidelines from the Ministry of Health, those entering Việt Nam would need to submit negative COVID-19 tests (with the exception of children under two years old), and medical declarations prior to entry.

Fully vaccinated entrants, or those with recent COVID-19 recovery (valid within six months to the date of entry), will only need to quarantine for three days at their places of residence, homes, hotels, guest houses, offices, dormitories, etc.

For others, the medical quarantine period would be seven days. — VnExpress News