Although the government has not released a list of these countries, tourism industry analysts in Southeast Asia say it is likely to include Russia, China, Japan and South Korea. Passport holders from France, Germany, the UK and a number of other western nations are also expected to be added to the list once their temporary visa waiver offer expires in July.
The e-visa system will be run on a pilot basis for two years and the government will evaluate the pros and cons before deciding whether to make it permanent. The Tourism Ministry will set up an online portal at which visitors will fill in an application form and pay the fee.
Once the application gets the green light, the system will issue a unique authorisation which the visitor will present to the immigration officer at their chosen entry point. The government says these designated entry pints will probably be restricted to international airports such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
12GO ASIA recently expanded its travel ticketing portfolio for Vietnam. We offer domestic services on all major domestic air, bus and train routes as well as flight reservations from Southeast Asian regional locations such as Bangkok.
Vietnam names the day for start of online visa application trial
News in Asia
The national government of Vietnam has stated it will launch a pilot electronic visa application system on 1 February 2017. According to local media sources in Hanoi, nationals of nations which have friendly relationships with Vietnam will be eligible to apply for e-visas to visit.