Removing visa procedures will help Vietnamese tourism "fly high"...

Members of the National Assembly believe that extending the validity period of e-visas, unilaterally waiving visa requirements, and streamlining visa procedures will help Vietnam's tourism industry attract more foreign visitors.

ĐBQH: Tháo gỡ thủ tục visa là chìa khóa để du lịch Việt cất cánh

Many National Assembly deputies believe that streamlining visa procedures is key to the take-off of Vietnamese tourism.

Participating in the group discussion on the Draft Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam (amended) on the afternoon of May 27th, according to Representative Nguyen Manh Hung, from the Can Tho City National Assembly Delegation, considering policies to facilitate the entry of foreign citizens at this time is somewhat late; implementing them earlier would attract more foreign tourists.

Representative Hung also acknowledged that Vietnam's tourism recovery has been very slow, citing figures from 2019: Vietnam received 19 million international tourists, while Thailand aimed for 25 million. In 2022, Vietnam set a target of 5 million international tourists but only achieved 3.6 million, while Thailand had 11 million and Malaysia 9.2 million foreign tourists.

Pointing to the rapid recovery of neighboring Southeast Asian countries, Mr. Hung said that in 2022, Thailand had implemented policies to facilitate tourism, such as visa extensions, length of stay, and online entry procedures.

"Removing visa procedures is one of the key factors for Vietnam's tourism to take off because, in terms of nature and conditions, we are not inferior to other countries. Why is Vietnam's tourism so far behind our neighbors?", said the delegate from Can Tho.

Agreeing with the amendments and additions in this bill, Representative Nguyen Manh Hung also expressed his desire to apply electronic visas to as many countries as possible; to extend the length of stay from 30 days to 90 days, valid for single or multiple entries.

Having personally applied for a passport online, he found it very difficult due to the system frequently being overloaded, crashing, and taking a long time. When applying for a passport for a foreigner, how should the process be handled in such cases? Therefore, thorough preparation is necessary because having a passport but being unable to apply becomes a major obstacle.

Representative Hung also pointed out the difficulties in issuing visas to experts coming to Vietnam for work, as they have to return to their home countries and reapply almost from scratch when their visas expire.

"Why don't we allow the procedures to be carried out on-site for connectivity? Many foreign businesses have suggested that we should consider expanding the scope of eligible entities," said the National Assembly representative from Can Tho City.

Regarding border gates that agree to issue visas on the spot, Mr. Hung suggested opening as many eligible border gates as possible to directly process visas for visitors, aiming for wider, faster, and more frequent service to attract tourists. He noted that surveys show visa application is a major barrier, alongside the quality of service, which also affects Vietnam's ability to attract tourists.

Expressing support for e-visas, Representative Nguyen Thanh Phuong, from the Can Tho City National Assembly Delegation, said that previously, foreigners wishing to enter Vietnam had to send their passports to the embassy to complete the application process.

Since the pilot program for e-visas was launched, Mr. Phuong has found it very convenient, applying online and then receiving the documents via email. Most foreigners say they really like it, as it doesn't take much time, and this will help streamline procedures and boost tourism in Vietnam.

Representative Nguyen Quoc Han from Ca Mau province stated that since Vietnam has already implemented electronic identification and utilized information technology, amending this law is necessary to meet social needs and align with international practices.

Regarding the application of visas for foreigners, Mr. Han observed that other countries grant long visa periods, while Vietnam's are short, and the number of countries granted visa exemptions is limited, while the Covid-19 pandemic has restricted travel for tourists. Maintaining the old regulations would create difficulties.

While agreeing on the necessity of amending the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam, many National Assembly deputies also suggested that the drafting agency should add the function and responsibility of border guard stations at border gates to include the responsibility of being a place for registering temporary residence for foreigners.

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