When will foreign birth registration reopen

Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s visa policy should be more open to lure international tourists , insiders have said. Although the country has offered unilateral visa exemption and e-visas, the policy is not competitive enough as the 15-day visa exemption has yet to satisfy the need of visitors from such markets as Europe, North America and Australia, who often stay from three to four weeks in Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Culture , Sports and Tourism (MCST). Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said the ministry should propose the Government instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expand the list of countries and territories qualified for visa exemption and e-visa, and restore visa granting at border gates. She also suggested simplifying visa procedures for visitors who get infected with COVID-19 during their stay in Vietnam and undergo treatment in the Southeast Asian nation. The … [Read more...] about Relaxing visa policy to attract more foreign tourists: insiders

At a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on Wednesday, Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of the HCMC Department of Tourism, proposed the government order the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider waiving visas for more countries, instead of the present 24 . She also urged the government to extend visa-free stays for tourists from Western European countries from the current 15 to 30 days because Westerners tend to make longer trips, Vietnam News Agency reported. She also expected the government to simplify e-visa issuance procedures to facilitate tourist entry. Nguyen Thien Phuc, product manager of Ho Chi Minh City-based Vidotour Indochina Travel, also petitioned the government to remove visa obstacles to attract foreign tourists for the rest of the year. Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, admitted though Vietnam reopened its borders to foreign tourists, its visa policies are less attractive than neighboring countries. Earlier, he … [Read more...] about Tourism industry insiders urge govt to ease visa requirements

Exports increased 17% year on year in the first half of 2022. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam saw a year-on-year increase of 17% in exports in the first six months, but it will be hard for overseas shipments to meet expectations in the last half of the year, according to the HSBC . In its “Vietnam at a glance” report released on August 17, it said after the impressive export growth in H1, a slower-than-expected pace has been recorded since the start of H2. The main cause is a growth slowdown in the electronics industry, especially mobile phones. Samsung’s second-quarter results show that demand for consumer electronics is weakening, thus affecting the smartphone, TV, and other segments. While textile, garment and footwear exports rose sharply, by 30% from a year earlier, the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association forecast the amount ordered will decline in the time ahead. In July, import growth also slowed down to only 3.4% compared to the double-figure … [Read more...] about Export growth may be slower than expected in H2: HSBC

The collection of Czech-Vietnamese and Vietnamese-Czech poems are edited by Sys and writer and translator Do Ngoc Viet Dung (Do.honza), also a writer, co-authored a collection of poems by Czech and Vietnamese poets. The 762-page bilingual book, which includes works of many famous poets namely To Huu, Xuan Dieu, and Jaroslav Seifert, was honored at the 7th National Foreign Press Award. It was published by the Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House. The Vietnamese Embassy in the Czech Embassy held a ceremony on August 17 to present the award to the Czech writer. Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador Thai Xuan Dung appreciated Sys’s contribution to popularising Vietnamese culture and literary works in the Czech Republic, helping promote the relationship between the two countries. For his part, the Czech writer said it was a great honor for him to receive the award. It was difficult to translate from Czech to Vietnamese and vice versa, requiring the cooperation of … [Read more...] about Czech writer wins Vietnamese national information service award

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Kazakhstan should enhance cooperation in areas of good potential such as agriculture, tourism and transportation, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a reception for Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi in Hanoi on August 18. He spoke highly of the visit to Vietnam by the Kazakh official on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, and noted his belief that the visit will contribute to consolidating and promoting the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Vietnam always attaches importance to the good traditional friendship with Kazakhstan, the President said, expressing his pleasure at positive developments of their bilateral political ties, with the regular exchange of all-level delegations through Party, National Assembly and State … [Read more...] about President suggests Vietnam, Kazakhstan enhance cooperation in areas of potential

Nguyen Tien Than (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Investigation Security Agency under the Ministry of Public Security on August 18 arrested Nguyen Tien Than , an official at the Government Office’s department of international relations, to investigate the act of “taking bribes” in line with Article 354 of the Penal Code . The same day, the agency launched criminal proceedings against Than, born in 1980, and issued a warrant to search his residence and workplace. The arrest is in connection with the case of "giving and taking bribes" at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Consular Department , in Hanoi and other province and cities. Further investigation into the case is underway./. VNA … [Read more...] about Official at Gov’t Office arrested for suspected involvement in bribery case

Hanoi will play a key role in connecting visitors to tourist destinations in Vietnam. The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism needs to actively support major tourism businesses to build routes linking localities, and restart heritage digitalization with the participation of travel companies to create new tourism products. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the meeting. Photo: VGP This is one of the requirements made by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on August 17 at the meeting on removing difficulties and promoting tourism recovery so that the industry would become a key economic sector. The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to urgently submit to the Prime Minister the adjustment of electricity prices so that accommodation establishments would be entitled to energy rates equal to those of manufacturing facilities. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, associations, and tourism businesses … [Read more...] about Vietnam deploys diverse solutions to revive tourism industry

The credit quality of real estate firms is at a good level with financial leverage below 1.5x. During the first seven months of 2022, over VND420 trillion (US$18 billion) was pumped into the real estate market. The figure could be raised to VND800 trillion ($34 billion) by the end of the year in case of favorable conditions. Investors looking at a real estate project in Me Linh District, Hanoi. Photo: Pham Hung Economist Can Van Luc, a member of the National Financial and Monetary Advisory Council, shared the view at a real estate forum held on August 17, noting the figure is huge compared to total investment capital for the economy. According to Luc, while transaction activities have been subdued in recent months, this would pose a golden opportunity to restructure the market for more sustainable growth. “In the past, real estate was widely seen as the first option when people explore fields to invest in, and that is a huge risk to the economy,” Luc said. … [Read more...] about Over US$34 billion set to pour into Vietnam’s real estate market this year

At the talks between Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son , and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi compared notes on measures to foster cooperation between the two countries during their talks in Hanoi on August 18. diplomatic ties , as momentum to strongly beef up traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries. Southeast Asian nation . For his part, Tileuberdi affirmed that Vietnam is a priority partner of Kazakhstan in the region, and that attaching importance to boosting the relationship is an important part of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy towards Asia-Pacific. VNA … [Read more...] about Vietnam, Kazakhstan foster multi-faceted cooperation

Ho Chi Minh City expects to have more urban management projects with Lyon City of France, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen told visiting member of the Council of Lyon City Max Vincent during a reception on September 12. Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh municipal People’s Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen (R) receiving member of the Council of Lyon City of France Max Vincent Tuyen said the two cities share similarities for conducting joint work in urban development. Vincent, for his part, pledged to discuss mechanisms to effectively launch projects. Host and guest agreed that both sides should facilitate exchanges, trade and investment promotion in the near future. During the Pullutec festival slated for November in Lyon city, the two sides are due to discuss a bilateral cooperation program and sign an agreement on lighting Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art Museum. Since Lyon and Ho Chi Minh City signed their cooperation … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City, France’s Lyon City partner in urban management