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Some regulations on Vietnam visa-exemption policy should be expanded
Tuyet Nhung 12:24, 2017/12/20
Some cumbersome regulations for visa exemptions are believed to be hindering efforts to attract more foreign tourists to Vietnam.
Foreign visitors to Vietnam.
Foreign visitors to Vietnam.
For a long time, the visa granted policy for foreigners coming to the country has been considered as less attractive than neighboring countries. Currently, Vietnam only exempts visas for residents of 23 nations and territories, while Indonesia grants visa exemption for 169 nations and territories, the Philippines 165, Malaysia 164, Singapore 160, and Thailand 61.
In addition, foreigners who receive visa exemptions are allowed to stay here for only 15 days, less than the average time tourists often want to stay. To enter Vietnam on a visa exemption, foreigners’ passport must be valid for at least six months and must not have been in Vietnam for the 30 previous days.
According to Phan Dinh Hue, director of Viet Circle Tourism Company, these irrational regulations have been complained about and inhibit foreigners from visiting Viet Nam. Right now, tourism companies are trying to promote linked tours with neighboring nations, such as Vietnam – Laos – Cambodia.
Laos and Cambodia don’t have big international airports, European guests often fly to Vietnam first, go to visit Laos and Cambodia, then come back. 15 days are not enough for them so they have to pay a visa fee, from US$25 to $30 to re-enter Vietnam. The problem here is Vietnam has already exempted visas but now foreigners must pay a visa fee. This kind of policy can’t promote tourism.
According to Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and PR director of FidiTour company, not allowing tourists with visa exemptions to re-enter Vietnam for at least 30 days is not a good policy to attract foreigners coming back. She suggested that security and immigrant worker limitations should be regulated by the law and separate from tourists. “If we can separate such issues, Vietnamese tourism would take off,” she said.
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