Vietnam will renew visa exemptions for a three-year period for the citizens of five Western European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Vietnam welcomed approximately 1.5 million Western European visitors in 2017 - Illustrative image The decision was approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the regular Government meeting on May 3. Accordingly, citizens from the five aforementioned countries will continue to enjoy visa exemptions to enter Vietnam up to 2020 after the expiration of the visa-free policy in June this year. The PM said that Vietnam should continue to expand its visa-exemption policy as the country has unilaterally offered visa exemptions for citizens from only 24 countries, including nine ASEAN countries. According to Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, the open-door visa policy aligned with enhanced tourism promotion has contributed to maintaining Vietnam's growth rate of foreign visitors at nearly 30 … [Read more...] about Vietnam continues visa exemptions for five European countries
Vietnam 5 year visa exemption
Vietnam to extend visa exemption for Western citizens
Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung yesterday evening said that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to proposals to continue extending the visa exemption policy for three more years, from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2020, for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Currently, the policy will expire in a year. The 2015 start of the policy set off a swift rise in the number of tourists from these five countries. Illustration photo: theguardian.com Under the new policy, the duration of stay will remain 15 days from the date they receive the entry permit. A resolution on the move is expected to be enacted this week. Earlier, the ministries of Defence, Public Security, Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) sent proposals to the prime minister to continue extending the visa exemption policy for citizens from these five nations. This will be the third time the … [Read more...] about Vietnam to extend visa exemption for Western citizens
More European tourists to Vietnam thanks to visa exemption
The Hanoitimes - Vietnam welcomed 5.55 million international visitors in the January-July period, a 24% year-on-year increase, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). The country's tourism sector recorded a strong growth in tourist arrivals from Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany and France during the reviewed time as the Government on June 30 issued the resolution to extend the visa exemption for citizens from these five Western European countries. Citizens from the five European countries are allowed to enter and stay in Vietnam for up to 15 days without a visa. According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), 846,300 foreign tourists came to Vietnam in July, up 41.2% over the same month last year. The stastics pointed out that Italian tourist arrivals in the period rose by 30.5% year-on-year to 27,425; Spain up 24.2% to 22,835; the UK up 23.4% to 147,673; Germany up 17.5% to 97,421 and France up 13.2% to 142,214. In July alone, the number from Italy was … [Read more...] about More European tourists to Vietnam thanks to visa exemption
5 key new policies for foreigners in Vietnam this year
Motorcyclists ride at a residential quarter in Hanoi. The amendments to the Law on Housing, which took effect July 1, allow foreigners with valid visas and international organizations operating in Vietnam to buy up to 30 percent of an apartment building or 250 houses in a ward -- a subdistrict-level administrative area. Photo: AFP Here are some major policies related to foreigners and overseas Vietnamese that have been introduced by the Vietnamese government this year. 1. Visa exemption for foreign visitors In an explicit gesture to resuscitate the ailing tourism sector, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung signed off on visa waivers for five more nationalities, a move highly welcomed by industry insiders. Under a decision dated June 17, Vietnam has offered visa exemptions for single-entry visits of up to 15 days for visitors from Germany, France, the UK, Italy, and Spain starting July 1. The country now also waives visas for single-entry visits for Danish, Finnish, Japanese, Norwegian, … [Read more...] about 5 key new policies for foreigners in Vietnam this year
Vietnam ministries float visa waiver for tourists from 9 more countries
The Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have proposed that the Vietnamese government expand its visa waiver scheme for nine more international tourists, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). … [Read more...] about Vietnam ministries float visa waiver for tourists from 9 more countries