Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam’simmigration laws will undergo a radical shake-up this summer in an effort towiden the doors for tourists while protecting the country from foreigncriminals and illegal workers.
Speaking exclusively to Vietnam News, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen VanMinh from the Department of Immigration said major changes would includetemporary permits for tourists, visa exemptions and changes to visa statuses.
“Starting July 1, visitors entering Vietnamwill be granted a temporary residence stamp upon arrival with the duration ofstay matching their visas,” said Minh.
This will lessen the burdenfor foreigners who have visas valid for over 12 months becauseunder current laws, they need to apply for a permit extension even though theirvisas are still valid.
But visitors here on a tourist visa will needto do more paperwork if they want to stay longer than 30 days.
“For tourist visas which are valid for morethan 30 days, tourists are only given a 30-day temporary residence stamp,”Minh said.
Foreign tourists can still get three-monthvisas, but they need their passports stamped every 30 days, which willcost 10 USD each time.
“Tourists can apply for an extension once ormultiple times, but the maximum stay is 90 days. After this period, they mustleave the country and if they want to return to Vietnam, they will have toapply for a visa again,” Minh said.
The new regulation is aimed at preventingcrime and illegal workers.
“There are foreigners who have takenadvantage of the three-month tourist visa to engage in activities that violateVietnamese laws, such as high-tech crime and working illegally,” Minhadded.
He also advised tourists to apply forelectronic visas instead of the traditional paper ones as “it was a much easierand quicker".
Currently, electronic visasare available for citizens of 80 countries.
The new laws will also address concerns ofmany citizens from the 13 countries under Vietnam’s unilateral visa waiverprogramme, especially South Koreans and Japanese, according to Minh.
“A regulation requiring people from thesecountries entering Vietnam without a visa to wait for at least 30 days to beable to come back will be removed. They will be able to come back anytime,”Minh said.
Another major change is for the first time,eligible foreigners are now allowed to change their visa status without leavingthe country.
“They include foreign investors orrepresentatives of foreign organisations that invest in Vietnam and theirfamilies, and foreign workers who receive job offers in Vietnam or enter thecountry on e-visas as long as they have a work permit or confirmation they areexempt from a work permit,” Minh said.
To prevent the misuse of currentrules, the new laws also regulate that foreign investors with capital ofless than 3 billion VND (130,000 USD) can only obtain a one-year visa whilethose investing from 100 billion VND can get a 10-year temporary permit. At themoment, all certified foreign investors can obtain a five-year visa regardlessof their investment.
All the changes are part of the amendments tothe Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners, approved by theNational Assembly late November last year.
The thirteen countries eligible for Vietnam’sunilateral visa waiver programme are: Belarus, Denmark, Japan, Norway, Italy,Finland, France, Russia, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Germany, the UK./.
Speaking exclusively to Vietnam News, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen VanMinh from the Department of Immigration said major changes would includetemporary permits for tourists, visa exemptions and changes to visa statuses.
“Starting July 1, visitors entering Vietnamwill be granted a temporary residence stamp upon arrival with the duration ofstay matching their visas,” said Minh.
This will lessen the burdenfor foreigners who have visas valid for over 12 months becauseunder current laws, they need to apply for a permit extension even though theirvisas are still valid.
But visitors here on a tourist visa will needto do more paperwork if they want to stay longer than 30 days.
“For tourist visas which are valid for morethan 30 days, tourists are only given a 30-day temporary residence stamp,”Minh said.
Foreign tourists can still get three-monthvisas, but they need their passports stamped every 30 days, which willcost 10 USD each time.
“Tourists can apply for an extension once ormultiple times, but the maximum stay is 90 days. After this period, they mustleave the country and if they want to return to Vietnam, they will have toapply for a visa again,” Minh said.
The new regulation is aimed at preventingcrime and illegal workers.
“There are foreigners who have takenadvantage of the three-month tourist visa to engage in activities that violateVietnamese laws, such as high-tech crime and working illegally,” Minhadded.
He also advised tourists to apply forelectronic visas instead of the traditional paper ones as “it was a much easierand quicker".
Currently, electronic visasare available for citizens of 80 countries.
The new laws will also address concerns ofmany citizens from the 13 countries under Vietnam’s unilateral visa waiverprogramme, especially South Koreans and Japanese, according to Minh.
“A regulation requiring people from thesecountries entering Vietnam without a visa to wait for at least 30 days to beable to come back will be removed. They will be able to come back anytime,”Minh said.
Another major change is for the first time,eligible foreigners are now allowed to change their visa status without leavingthe country.
“They include foreign investors orrepresentatives of foreign organisations that invest in Vietnam and theirfamilies, and foreign workers who receive job offers in Vietnam or enter thecountry on e-visas as long as they have a work permit or confirmation they areexempt from a work permit,” Minh said.
To prevent the misuse of currentrules, the new laws also regulate that foreign investors with capital ofless than 3 billion VND (130,000 USD) can only obtain a one-year visa whilethose investing from 100 billion VND can get a 10-year temporary permit. At themoment, all certified foreign investors can obtain a five-year visa regardlessof their investment.
All the changes are part of the amendments tothe Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners, approved by theNational Assembly late November last year.
The thirteen countries eligible for Vietnam’sunilateral visa waiver programme are: Belarus, Denmark, Japan, Norway, Italy,Finland, France, Russia, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Germany, the UK./.
VNA
