This is one of the exemplary units in applying information technology and digital transformation within the Ho Chi Minh City Border Guard Force. According to its functions and duties, the Ho Chi Minh City Port Border Guard is responsible for protecting the security of the port and managing and controlling immigration and emigration in the area along the lower reaches of the Saigon, Dong Nai, Nha Be, Long Tau, and Soai Rap rivers. Every day, the port area sees a large number of ships entering, leaving, and anchoring, along with hundreds of small watercraft and tens of thousands of road transport vehicles entering and leaving the ports.

To facilitate businesses and citizens in production, business, and tourism activities, the unit actively reforms administrative procedures through many effective solutions; notably, the application of information technology to electronic border control procedures at seaports in the inspection and control of people and vehicles entering, exiting, and transiting; issuing various types of permits at port checkpoints; and monitoring areas and procedures under a one-stop mechanism at the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City Maritime Port Authority and other specialized state management agencies in the field of seaports. Major Tran Ha Vy, Head of the Procedures Team, said: “Our work is very demanding, but thanks to actively reforming administrative procedures, applying information technology, and implementing the ‘one-stop’ system, border control procedures are carried out quickly, safely, and with reduced waiting times for citizens and businesses.”

Border Guard officers and staff at Ho Chi Minh City Port receive and process customer documents.

In recent years, in accordance with the decisions of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of National Defense on administrative reform and digital transformation in the field of border gates and immigration control, the Border Guard of Ho Chi Minh City in general, and the Border Guard of Ho Chi Minh City Port in particular, have implemented electronic border control procedures at seaports under the national single window mechanism, creating convenience, reducing costs and time for immigration procedures for businesses, and meeting the trend of international integration; implementing immigration control using barcodes at port checkpoints, shortening the processing time for passengers.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Dinh, Commander of the Border Guard at Ho Chi Minh City Port, the application of information technology in electronic border control procedures has almost completely shortened the time ships and boats wait to complete procedures; ensured transparency in administrative procedures; avoided inconvenience and overlap between state management agencies at the port, creating a smoother flow of traffic at the border gate and port area.

Mr. Do Huu Lai, a satisfied owner of a waterway transport service agency, said: “The formality, modernity, and professionalism of border guards in handling procedures and documents related to seaports and immigration have contributed to the benefit of businesses. We have great confidence and peace of mind when carrying out border procedures at the port of Ho Chi Minh City.”

Text and photos: GIANG KIEM

 

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/xay-dung-quan-doi/hieu-qua-chuyen-doi-so-thu-tuc-bien-phong-827923