Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son at the National Assembly on March 18, 2024. Photo provided by the National Assembly
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is negotiating mutual visa exemption with 15 countries and diplomatic passport exemption with 80 others.
At a National Assembly session on Monday, Ta Thi Yen, deputy head of the delegates’ affairs committee, said Vietnam is a favorite destination for tourists and has signed several visa waiver agreements to promote tourism.
However, few countries grant visas to Vietnamese nationals, and even obtaining a visa is difficult in some countries.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said work was underway to simplify immigration procedures, including extending the length of stay of foreigners in Vietnam.
In addition to the 13 countries for which Vietnam unilaterally waives visas, the ministry is also negotiating with 15 countries for mutual exemption and 80 for an exemption from official passports.
MP Hoang Van Cuong said Vietnam only grants visa waiver to 28 countries, while other neighboring countries like Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines do so for more than 150 countries to promote tourism .
He asked Son: “The competition is tough for Vietnam. Should Vietnam allow visa waivers for developed, high-income, low-crime countries?
Son said the ministry and other relevant agencies were considering visa waiver in various countries.
Since August 2023, Vietnam has issued electronic visas for all nationalities, extending their maximum stay from 30 to 90 days and allowing them unlimited entries. Those granted visa waivers under Vietnam’s unilateral waiver policy can now stay for 45 days instead of 15 previously.
