NDO – As many as 96,478 foreigners requested and received e-visas in the past nine months (since February 1), including 93,266 that accessed the application system by themselves and 3,212 that completed the procedures through domestic agencies and organisations.The information was released at a press conference held by the Immigration Department, under the Ministry of Public Security, in Hanoi, on December 12, to evaluate the results of a nine-month trial period of granting e-visas for foreigners, as well as to announce that more countries have been added to the e-visa programme.According to Major General Le Xuan Vien, Director of the Immigration Department, over the past nine months, the programme of granting e-visas for foreigners has been appreciated by both domestic and international travellers, as well as attracting the interest of citizens from the US and Europe.He also noted that the issuance of e-visas has attracted a larger number of foreigners to visit Vietnam, to … [Read more...] about More than 96,000 foreigners granted e-visa in past nine months
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Canadian visa center in HCMC expanded
Canadian visa center in HCMC expandedDuc Tam HCMC - The Canada visa application center in HCMC has been expanded to meet growing demand and better serve visa applicants. The center at 162 Pasteur Street, District 1 has been widened to around 150 square meters. About 15,000 Vietnamese people applied for visas to visit Canada last year, up around 1,000 people from 2014. The number has surpassed 15,000 in the year to date. Dion told reporters that his visit to Vietnam aims to foster ties between the two countries. He added around 5,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Canada. Earlier in Hanoi, Dion met State President Tran Dai Quang, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha. He paid a courtesy call to HCMC Party chief Dinh La Thang during his trip in the city. Canada-Vietnam trade grew by 20-25% to more than US$4 billion last year, the Vietnam News Agency reported. … [Read more...] about Canadian visa center in HCMC expanded
E-visa issuance grows each month: immigration official
The press conference, held by the department, reviewed Vietnam’s nine-month pilot e-visa scheme and announced six more nations whose citizens are eligible to the scheme.Since February 1, the National Web Portal on Immigration has reported about one million visits; and approximately 96,500 foreign citizens were granted e-visas, 97 percent of whom got their e-visas through the portal, Vien unveiled. The country’s new e-visa scheme has been well-received by both people at home and overseas after nine months of implementation, and particularly attracted greater attention from citizens from the US and European countries, he noted. Major General Le Xuan Vien, head of the Immigration Management Department, speaks at the press conference to review the nine-month pilot e-visa scheme. Source: vietnamnet. vn The immigration official added that Vietnam provides both e-visa and visa-upon-arrival services. Following the success of the scheme, the government has … [Read more...] about E-visa issuance grows each month: immigration official
Over one million Visa cards issued in Vietnam
Over one million Visa cards issued in Vietnam By Mong Binh - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC - Over one million Visa cards have been issued in Vietnam by bank partners of Visa less than five years after the world's retail electronic payment network opened an office in this market, its executives said on Thursday. Ha told reporters before the meeting the number of Visa cards issued in Vietnam had experienced a 900% increase over the five years, from the small base of 100,000 in 2005 to more than one million today. "Issuing one million Visa cards is an amazing milestone to achieve in such a short period of time," she said. Ha said Visa was committed together with its bank partners to grow electronic payments in Vietnam and would continue to promote the benefits of payment cards to consumers and merchants as a safer, more efficient and better means to pay and be paid. Maher credited the whopping growth to the Government's push for reform and opening the market, especially to foreign banks … [Read more...] about Over one million Visa cards issued in Vietnam
Cuba tells U.S. suspension of visas is hurting families
Cuba told senior U.S. officials during talks on migration in Havana on Monday that the U.S. decision to suspend visa processing at its embassy on the island was "seriously hampering" family relations and other people exchanges. A view of the U.S. and Cuban flags prior to the signing of agreements between the Port of Cleveland and the Cuban Maritime authorities in Havana, Cuba, October 6, 2017 Relations between the former Cold War foes became strained after Donald Trump became the U.S. President, partially reversing the thaw seen during Barack Obama's presidency.In September, after allegations of incidents affecting the health of its diplomats in Havana, the U.S. administration reduced its embassy to a skeleton staff, resulting in the suspension of almost all visa processing."The Cuban delegation expressed deep concern over the negative impact that the unilateral, unfounded and politically motivated decisions adopted by the U.S. government ... have on migration relations between … [Read more...] about Cuba tells U.S. suspension of visas is hurting families