Việt Nam waives entry requirements for citizens from 13 countries as tourism reopens

Foreign nationals from Singapore have their documents checked at passport control in Nội Bài International Airport, Hà Nội, on March 15, 2022. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Government on Tuesday agreed to waive entry visa requirements for foreign nationals entering the country from 13 nations.

The details were provided in the newly-issued Resolution No.32/NQ-CP.

Specifically, the waiver would be applicable to citizens from the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic, Italian Republic, Kingdom of Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Russian Federation, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Denmark, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Finland, and the Republic of Belarus, who stay in Việt Nam for 15 days from the date of entry, no matter what visa types they currently hold or their purposes of entry.

The waivers will last for three years, starting from March 15, 2022 to March 14, 2025, and an extension could be tabled in line with Vietnamese laws.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with the assessment, evaluation and putting forward recommendations to the Government with regards to the extension, suspension or termination of the unilateral visa exemption policy specified in this Resolution.

The move, reinstating the waiver policy that came to halt in early 2020 in response to the emergence of the coronavirus, coincides with the day Việt Nam is set to fully resume inbound and outbound tourism activities.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, which is the main coordinator of the tourism reopening plan, along with travel agencies and tourism accommodation businesses in the country have been clamouring for the resumption of pre-pandemic visa policies as well as relaxed COVID-19 protocols given the high vaccination rate in Việt Nam, to entice foreign tourists into the country after two years of severe disruptions.  — VnExpress News