Belarus

Currently Vietnam exempts only citizens of 25 countries from requiring visas. "One of the barriers for foreign tourists to visit Vietnam is its complicated and restrictive visa policy," Mark Koerner, chairman of EuroCham Vietnam’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector Committee, said in a petition submitted to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the annual Vietnam Business Forum on Sunday. The petition collates opinions from leading tourism experts and hospitality and tourism industry insiders. The petition states: "The visa exemption period is too short for many visitors who want to explore the country’s diverse attractions while the e-visa and visa on arrival processes can be time-consuming and inconvenient." Gabor Fluit, chairman of EuroCham, said that beautiful landscape and rich cultural heritage make Vietnam a top destination for tourists. "To make the most of tourism potential, the one-month visa exemption should be extended to all EU countries. Furthermore, the implementation of … [Read more...] about Europe, US investors urge government to expand visa waiver scheme

An electronic visa, single entry, is currently being granted to citizens from 80 countries via Vietnam’s National Web Portal on Immigration. The amended law, penned by the Ministry of Public Security, also seeks to extend the visa-free duration of stay to 30 days (from the current 15 days) for citizens from countries that Vietnam has unilaterally waived visa requirements. The current countries on the list where 15-day visa-free stays are applicable are mostly in Europe – Belarus, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Russia, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Italy, and the United Kingdom – along with the Republic of Korea and Japan. Tourist visa validity continues to be kept at three months. The Public Security Ministry noted that the government will decide on the list of countries and territories whose citizens are granted e-visas and the list of international border gates that allow foreigners to enter and exit with e-visas, taking into consideration that these activities would not … [Read more...] about Ministry proposes extending visa-free stay to 30 days, e-visa to 90 days