Senior Vietnam official says free visa programme should be expanded

News in Asia
Senior Vietnam official says free visa programme should be expanded

The chief of the Vietnam tourism advisory committee says the nation’s free visas for tourists programme needs expanding. Hoang Nhan Chinh told media sources another six countries should be added to the list of those eligible for fee free visas on arrival.

The director continued by saying the validity for the free visas should be upped from 15 days to 30 and a ban on re-entering within 30 days  after utilising a free visa should be scrapped too. His final recommendation was for the lengths of visa-free entry promotions to be increased from one to five years.

Under permanent ongoing arrangements, citizens of 16 nations which include Japan, Denmark, Sweden and fellow ASEAN nations get visa waivers when they arrive in Vietnam. Travellers from the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain are currently given free entry under a scheme which has been renewed annually for the past two years.

If the recommendations of the advisory board get the green light, passport-holders from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland will be added to the list. 12GO ASIA says people travelling to Southeast Asia should always check what the country specific visa requirements are. 

Source

News

Cherry blossom season arrives across Japan

Cherry blossoms blossomed across Japan, including Tokyo and Kyoto, on Friday, a bit later than usual due to lower temperatures experienced in many areas throughout March.

02 April 2024

Foreign tourists in Cambodia up 18% Jan-Feb. Thais lead with 250K

In the initial two months of 2024, Cambodia experienced an 18% surge in foreign tourist arrivals compared to the same duration in 2023, with Thailand leading the influx, contributing 250,000 visitors, as reported by the Ministry of Tourism.

28 March 2024

New implementation rules in Kyoto, Japan: what you need to know?

Kyoto is implementing new regulations for tourists, specifically in its geisha district, Gion. Some private alleys will be off-limits to visitors, marked with bilingual signs and enforced fines of 10,000 yen ($67.97) for non-compliance. 

12 March 2024