Vietnam will continue visa exemptions for travellers from the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy from July 1 this year. The visa exemption will last until June 30, 2018. A corner of Quy Nhon Beach The country first offered visa waivers for citizens from the five European countries in July, 2015. The policy has been updated annually and would have expired at the end of June. The continued visa exemption is expected to help the domestic tourism sector obtain the annual growth of international visitors to around 30%. The number of tourists from these countries to Vietnam soared in recent years, with 720,000 in 2015, 855,000 in 2016, and 1,500,000 in 2017. Vietnam has some of the strictest visa policies in Asia. The country currently offers visa waivers to visitors from 24 countries and territories, including the ASEAN member countries. The country has tried to improve the situation with an e-visa policy which is now available to people from 46 countries. According to the … [Read more...] about Vietnam continues visa exemptions for Western European visitors
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Foreign tourists happy with Vietnam’s visa exemption policy
Foreign tourists visit Hue Imperial City. (Photo: VNA) - Foreign visitors have warmly welcomed Vietnam’s continued visa exemptions for guests from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, saying the policy is good for the country to spur tourism. From the beginning of July, citizens from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy will enjoy visa exemptions for the next three years, until June 30, 2021, as approved by the Prime Minister. “Visa exemption is good for the country to open to tourism,” said Anthony Dme, a visitor from France. Vietnam first offered visa waivers for citizens from the five European countries in July, 2015. The policy has been updated annually and would have expired at the end of June. French guest Anastasia Belkacemi said the policy made people want to go because they did not have to pay. “We feel like part of Asia that we can come in easily like Indonesia, no need visa,” Matteo Lelli, an Italian, said. Vietnam is among … [Read more...] about Foreign tourists happy with Vietnam’s visa exemption policy
Vietnam continues visa exemptions for five European countries
Vietnam will renew visa exemptions for a three-year period for the citizens of five Western European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Vietnam welcomed approximately 1.5 million Western European visitors in 2017 - Illustrative image The decision was approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the regular Government meeting on May 3. Accordingly, citizens from the five aforementioned countries will continue to enjoy visa exemptions to enter Vietnam up to 2020 after the expiration of the visa-free policy in June this year. The PM said that Vietnam should continue to expand its visa-exemption policy as the country has unilaterally offered visa exemptions for citizens from only 24 countries, including nine ASEAN countries. According to Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, the open-door visa policy aligned with enhanced tourism promotion has contributed to maintaining Vietnam's growth rate of foreign visitors at nearly 30 … [Read more...] about Vietnam continues visa exemptions for five European countries
Vietnam extends visa exemption for Europeans for another three years
Visitors from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom will continue to receive visa exemptions for the next three years in Vietnam, officials said at a government press conference on Thursday. Vietnam first offered visa waivers for citizens from the five European countries in July 2015, and in the past the policy has been updated annually and would have expired at the end of June. However, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has yet to sign off on requests from tourism agencies to extend the visa-free duration from 15 to 30 days. Western Europeans are big spenders, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, and shell out on average $1,316 per trip. In 2015, Vietnam welcomed 720,000 western European tourists. The number increased 19 percent in 2016 and doubled to 1.5 million in 2017. Visitors from these countries increased by 5.5-16.8 percent in the first four months of this year, accounting for 6.6 percent of all foreign arrivals to Vietnam, according to … [Read more...] about Vietnam extends visa exemption for Europeans for another three years
Vietnam extends visa exemption for Europeans with surprising three-year term
By Vy An  May 4, 2018 | 01:37 pm GMT+7 Foreign tourists enjoy the beach in Ha Long in northern Vietnam in April 2018. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong The policy is usually renewed annually, and would have expired at the end of June. Visitors from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom will continue to receive visa exemptions for the next three years in Vietnam. Vietnam first offered visa waivers for citizens from the five European countries in July 2015, and in the past the policy has been updated annually and would have expired at the end of June. However, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has yet to sign off on requests from tourism agencies to extend the visa-free duration from 15 to 30 days. Western Europeans are big spenders, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, and shell out on average $1,316 per trip. In 2015, Vietnam welcomed 720,000 western European tourists. The number increased 19 percent in 2016 and doubled … [Read more...] about Vietnam extends visa exemption for Europeans with surprising three-year term