Vietnam is scheduled to resume pre-pandemic bilateral and unilateral visa waiver policies for foreigners when the country fully reopens international tourism on March 15, 2022.
In the regular press conference held virtually on March 3 in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Thi Thu Hang said when asked about visa policy updates after two years of disruptions caused by COVID -19: All foreigners and Vietnamese nationals permanently residing abroad, along with their families, can enter the country with valid entry documents, according to the regulations for entry, exit, transit and residence in the country, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
Foreigners who want to enter the country for tourism will abide by the regulations of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for the time being, the spokesman added.
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As reported, Vietnamese nationals are free to enter the country on regular international commercial flights, which resumed earlier this year.
According to the spokesman, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reported to the Vietnamese government on the concrete measures for the visa policy and the visa waiver policy to be implemented from March 15, 2022, in an effort to promote socio-economic recovery, international integration in the new normal, and facilitate trade between Vietnam and other countries and territories.
The Ministry will implement the visa grant and waiver regulations in accordance with the provisions of the Vietnam Entry and Exit, Transit and Stay of Foreigners Act of 2014 (amended and supplemented in 2019), as well as other documents on the implementation and eradication of requests for post-entry quarantine measures or entry restrictions.
Vietnam resumes bilateral visa waiver policies under international treaties and agreements with other countries, or the principle of reciprocity, with requirements for staff and quarantine in places now removed.
The country also resumes unilateral visa waiver for arrivals from 13 countries and territories – Belarus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom – in accordance with the Regulations of Article 13 of the Law of 2014 on Entry, Departure, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam and other government resolutions.
“Once these measures are adopted [by the Government]the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide this information so that people, including foreigners and companies, are quickly aware of the updates,” the spokesperson said.
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So far, 15 countries and territories have officially recognized Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccination certificate, also known as the “vaccine passport”. These are Japan, USA, UK, Australia, India, Belarus, Cambodia, Philippines, Palestine, Maldives, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Turkey and Singapore.
Meanwhile, Vietnam has to date officially recognized the vaccine certificates and/or COVID-19 recovery documents of 79 countries and territories – those disclosed to the government by the respective countries’ foreign ministries or their representative missions in Vietnam.
Ministry of Health protocols criticized
The spokesperson was also asked about the Ministry of Health’s recommended pandemic prevention and control protocol regarding the full reopening of tourism – including items such as daily COVID-19 tests in the first 72 hours for tourists if they want their accommodation. leaving or recommending travel to older people – which have been criticized for being too strict and cumbersome and could deter foreign tourists.
According to the spokesman, the consistent guidance of the Vietnamese government is that Vietnam has moved to a strategy of safe and flexible adaptation and effective containment of COVID-19, while promoting socio-economic recovery and development.
Foreign tourists at Trang An tourist site in Ninh Binh (Photo: VNA)
“I believe that the government’s decision to fully reopen from March 15, 2022 serves not only to facilitate the resumption of tourism, but also to promote people-to-people exchanges and provide opportunities for foreigners to enter Vietnam. come to work, study, do business, invest and so on,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Thi Thu Hang.
The Vietnamese authorities are making every effort to implement the government’s instructions in this direction, she added.
“With regard to the specific items of health protocols from the Ministry of Health, we will work with the Ministry of Health for clarification and provide updates when more information is available,” Vietnam News Agency quoted the spokesman’s speech.
