Vietnam to pilot 6-12 month visa exemption for high-spending visitors

Vietnam is set to expand the list of countries it grants unilateral visa exemption to; as also pilot 6-12 month exemptions for visitors from large, high-spending countries.

It will also pilot long-term, multi-entry visas of 12-36 months for visitors from “high-end” markets in Europe, Northeast Asia, North America, India and the Middle East.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed the Ministry of Public Security to prepare to implement the above-mentioned measures as part of efforts to achieve comprehensive, fast and sustainable tourism development.

The PM has also requested the ministry to promote administrative reforms and deploy automation solutions in handling procedures for foreigners to enter, reside and travel safely in Vietnam.

The ministry should propose and apply online exit and entry procedures, use facial recognition and e-passports to create convenience for visitors, the PM’s directive says.

Furthermore, the ministry should consider piloting the issuance of border visas for international tourists on the basis of on-site personnel and report to the Prime Minister in the second quarter, he added.

The directive enjoins provinces and centrally-managed cities to create a favorable business environment, encourage innovative and creative startups to develop strong tourism brands and effectively deploy the public-private partnership (PPP) model in tourism development.

It says they should come up with preferential mechanisms and policies that facilitate optimum use of resources by businesses in tourism development.

Provinces and cities need to promote regional links and connections between themselves to form tourism growth engines under the "one route - many destinations" motto; develop distinctive tourism products and boost cooperation in tourism development and promotion, the directive says.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as the standing agency of the State Steering Committee on Tourism, should urgently develop and organizing nationwide implementation of the national action program on green tourism; study and build a green tourism certification system that meets international standards for Vietnamese tourist destinations.

The ministry should work on creative and innovative content and methods to promote tourism; strengthen infrastructure connections, and develop diverse products based on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism, golf tourism, night tourism, community-based tourism, rural tourism, culinary tourism and wellness tourism.

It should guide localities to develop high-class destinations that offer multiple experiences by creating special, inter-regional and inter-provincial tourism products to attract and retain tourists and pay attention to cultural development, the directive says.

Vietnam currently grants unilateral visa exemption for citizens from 13 countries – Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Belarus.

Since August 15, 2023, it has granted multiple-entry tourist visas of up to three months for citizens from all countries and territories, as opposed to previously 30 days.

Last year, the country welcomed 12.6 million foreign visitors, nearly 3.5 times higher than in 2022. This year, it aims to targets 17-18 million international arrivals, equivalent to pre-pandemic figures.