Health ministry required to ease pandemic-related rules for foreign tourists

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on Monday required the Ministry of Health to relax regulations concerning Covid-19 for foreign arrivals before March 15.

Previously, the government said it plans to fully open the country’s tourism market to international visitors from this date.

Accordingly, foreign visitors to Vietnam do not need to register for a tour, and only need to have a certificate proving they are fully inoculated against Covid-19 or recovered from the disease.

A negative test result for Coronavirus is compulsory, but an ART (antigen rapid test) in 24 hours or an RT-PCR test in 72 hours is allowed, before leaving the country.

For passengers entering the country via air, those with suspected symptoms must take an ART immediately at the airport. Others can go straight to their pre-registered places of residence, self-isolate within 24 hours and undergo an ART or RT-PCR test before continuing medical monitoring within 14 days under the guidance of the health ministry.

International visitors entering by land are tested at the border gate before entry. Travelers must install the prescribed health management application and keep it on continuously during travel. A minimum of $10,000 in Covid-19 insurance coverage is required. If a guest tests positive for the virus, she or he will be isolated, managed and treated like a Vietnamese patient.

The Ministry of Health on February 26 proposed tightening regulations, not accepting ART quick test results and not allowing visitors to leave their place of residence within 72 hours after entering the country.

On March 3 and 12, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism twice submitted to the Government the plan to fully open the tourism market in the “new normal” context from March 15, with pandemic-related rules eased according to health ministry directives.