Vietnam raised the total number of countries with citizens to be granted e-visas to be 80.

The Government has just issued Decree 17/2019 amending and supplementing the list of countries with citizens to be granted e-visas and a list of border gates allow foreigners to enter and exit by e-visas.

Accordingly, in the list of 46 countries with citizens to be granted e-visas to Vietnam which are stipulated in Decree No. 07/2017, Chinese citizens (not applicable to citizens bearing electronic ordinary passports) is now revised to include Chinese citizens holding Hong Kong passports and Macau passports.

In addition, Decree 17 adds citizens of 34 countries to the list, including: Iceland, Austria, Portugal, Belgium, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Macedonia, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Croatia , Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Slovenia, Switzerland, San Marino, Serbia, Cyprus, Qatar, Fiji, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Brazil and Mexico.

Up to now, Vietnam offers e-visas to visitors from 80 countries in pilot program.

Regarding the list of entry ports that allow foreigners to enter and exit via e-visas, the Decree adds a list of 5, including 3 land border gates (Tay Trang international border gate (Dien Bien province); Na Meo international border gate (Thanh Hoa province); La Lay international border gate (Quang Tri province)) and 2 seaports, including Duong Dong port (Kien Giang province) and Chan May port (Thua Thien-Hue province).

Vietnam currently has 8 airports, 16 land border gates and 9 seaports that allow foreigners to enter and exit by e-visas.

The new Decree takes effect for two years from February 1.2019.

The expansion of the list of countries with citizens to be granted e-visas and border gates to allow foreigners to enter and exit by e-visa is considered a move to show the Government’s determination administrative reform in visas. It is creating more favorable conditions for foreigners to enter Vietnam to attract investment and cooperation. Especially contribute to promoting and developing tourism into a key economic sector under Resolution 08 of the Politburo.