Bắc giang
Vietnam PM urges visa exemption for tourists from Europe, Middle East, Latin America
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has instructed ministries to consider implementing unilateral visa exemptions for visitors from Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America as part of efforts to simplify immigration.
In a directive issued on March 9, the PM tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security with developing a more welcoming visa policy and enhancing the issuance of electronic visas (e-visas), according to Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.
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Foreign tourists on Nguyen Hue flower street in HCMC, 2025. |
The PM emphasized prioritizing visa exemptions for successful entrepreneurs and affluent visitors.
Proposals on visa policies are expected to be submitted to the government by the end of March.
Since March 1, Vietnam granted visa-free travel to 45 days for citizens of Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland traveling on package tours, adding to a list of 25 countries enjoying visa-free entry.
Last week, Vietnam decided to extend visa exemptions for citizens of 12 countries in this list, including major tourism markets such as South Korea and Japan, until 2028.
Apart from visa-exempt countries, Vietnam grants three-month tourist visas to citizens of all other nations and territories.
The country targets 22–23 million foreign tourists by 2025 after receiving 17.6 million last year.
Xishuangbanna, a famous prefecture in Yunnan Province, China, has officially implemented a visa-free policy for tour groups from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries starting today (February 10).
Tourism industry insiders have appreciated the decision to allow 45-day visa-free entry for citizens of Poland, Czechia and Switzerland, saying it underscores Vietnam's ongoing efforts to attract tourists.
The agreement on visa exemption for Vietnamese and Bulgarian holders of ordinary passports, signed by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and her Belarusian counterpart Evgeny Shestakov in Hanoi on December 8, 2023, will come into effect on January 30, 2025.
Vietnam government on Wednesday issued a resolution on visa exemptions for citizens of Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland as part of a tourism stimulus program in 2025.
Foreign tourists must obtain a valid visa before traveling to Vietnam to ensure a smooth and legal entry unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.
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