HCMC – 11 March 2020 – Due to the Coronavirus worldwide outbreak and the recent cases which appeared in Vietnam, the authorities have temporarily updated Visa restrictions and provisions for foreign individuals entering, exiting Vietnam.
Tourist visa, free-15-day visa, electronic visa are temporarily suspended for Chinese, South Korean, Japan, UK, Norway, Demark, France, Germany, Finland, Sweden and Spain.* The immigration department has also temporarily stopped granting visa on arrival (VOA) and pre-approval letters for business. Travellers should apply for the business visa at the Vietnamese Embassy in their respective country, before undertaking the departure flight to Vietnam.
There is a high chance that visa applications from individuals with the following passports will be not permitted: UK (GBR) – France (FRA) – Germany (D) – Sweden (SWE) – Italy (ITA) – China (CHN) – Spain (ESP) – Denmark (DNK) – Norway (NOR) – Finland (FIN) – Korea (KOR) – Macau (CHN).(1)
Foreign individuals who already have visa letter, visa sticker, 5 – year exemption or TRC might not be able to enter Vietnam or will be asked for government quarantine if they have travelled to European countries and other highly affected areas starting from February 2020, or if they did not pass the entry point’s health check.
Business visa letters can only be approved when the individual has a sponsor company (no agency) and their visa issue location is airport or Vietnam embassies/consulates (no land border). Airport letters are only issued if the country they are flying from doesn’t have Embassy/Consulate.
Foreign individuals already in Vietnam are recommended to not leave the country to extend their visas, but to apply for visa extension whilst in Vietnam, in order to avoid potential complications that may arise within the process of exiting/entering the country. The fee will likely be higher than usual and may vary widely, upon the offerings of various immigration agents.
Health Declaration Requirements
Individuals who are travelling to Vietnam or those who want to apply for a visa extension without leaving the country are required to fill a set of health declaration forms released by the authorities. (2)
There are two mobile applications that assist individuals to complete health declarations: “NCOVI” for Vietnamese and “Vietnam Health Declaration” for foreign individuals entering Vietnam. The form is available in English, Chinese, Korean, Italian, Cambodian, Russian, Spanish, French and Thai. Both apps can be downloaded on Google Play and Apple Store.
App users can update their health status daily. They can also report suspected cases of infection nearby. Health authorities will collect information to identify those needed to be monitored or quarantined, in order to limit the spread of the Covid-19. Furthermore, the government will update the current situation and provide further guidance directly on the mobile applications.
Individuals can also fill out the health form on the following website https://tokhaiyte.vn.
As the situation is continuously evolving and immigration policy changes may occur daily, the regulations released by the authorities will constantly be updated and released to public within media and public communication channels.
DISCLAIMER
The information below was gathered from trusted, public media channels, corroborated with materials and clarifications from immigration and visa agents. It does not have the intent to represent an official immigration policy regulation, but a general guide and recommendation to the CEEC members to seek further advice and stay well informed.
Sources:
(1) Vietnam suspends visa exemptions for 8 EU countries, Vietnam suspends visa exemptions for Italian citizens, Vietnam suspends visa exemption for Korean citizens from 29 February
(2) All Vietnamese directed to submit health declaration from March 10
Sunviet Visa Immigration agent – http://sunviettravel.com/
My Saigon City – www.mysaigoncity.com
VN Express: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/health-declaration-apps-to-aid-vietnam-s-coronavirus-campaign-4067058.html
Author
Vlad Savin – currently active in business strategy and development, advising international investors with market entry and compliance governance in Vietnam and across the Asia region. He is a business development, finance and marketing professional, and has resided in Southeast Asia for the last 7 years. Vlad has a wide experience in personal and corporate finance, working with investment firms in Malaysia in Vietnam, with extensive knowledge in business consulting, strategic analysis, client engagement, marketing and events with international exposure. Vlad is Head of Business Development at Domicile Corporate Services, a corporate consulting firm which supports investors with market entry, licensing, incorporation, compliance and tailored advisory services.
Vlad can be reached at savin@ceecvn.org