Immigration update: Vietnam | Visa suspensions due to COVID-19
Vietnam suspend Visa issuance for ALL foreign travellers starting from 18th March 2020
Vietnam will suspend the issuance of visas to all foreign nationals for 30 days to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Who will be affected?
• All travellers to Vietnam
• All Vietnamese nationals returning to Vietnam
• All employers with foreign nationals working in Vietnam
Impact
Subsequent to our recently released alert, regarding the Resolution 28/NQ-CP dated 10th March 2020, Directive13/CT-TTg dated 11th March 2020, Announcement 102/TB-VPCP from Office of Government date 17th March 2020, Express Official Dispatch 2364/ BGTVT-VT and 2405 /BGTVT-VT date 17th March 2020,the Vietnam Government will continue to make efforts in preventing the spread of the disease by putting measures in place to restrict travel.
- Vietnam will stop issuing new visas for all foreign travellers starting from 00.00 date 18th March 2020.
- The Vietnamese Government confirmed situations of visa exempt travellers or those travelling for special purposes will have to be certified as negative to COVID-19. A certificate must be issued by the competent authority in host country and approved by Vietnam authorities.
- The measures do not apply to people travelling for diplomatic or official purposes, those entering must undergo medical checks according to regulations.
- All travellers from outside Vietnam, both foreigners and overseas Vietnamese living or transiting through the USA, Europe and other Asian countries in the past two weeks, will face a 14-day quarantine at centralised facilities.
- Ministry of Labors Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) has temporarily suspended the granting of new work permit to applicants. MOLISA may consider the new application if a foreigner has resided in Vietnam for the previous 14 days prior to submission with a clean health certificate.
- Schools will be kept closed national wide. Authorities have ordered the closure of events, clubs, bars, cinemas, karaoke lounges and games centres until end of March
- Health declarations for foreigners entering Vietnam is compulsory.
Implementation
These measures have already been implemented and will remain in effect until further notice is received from the authorities.
Santa Fe Analysis
In the lieu of the latest measure being rolled out, the authorities have not stipulated any timeline for the additional measures implemented on travellers. We recommend all travellers should refrain from making travel plans to Vietnam until further advice is received from the relevant government bodies.
Travellers are advised to defer all non-essential travel and review their travel plans as they may need to adhere to existing and any updated measures imposed by the destinations travelled to and upon their return to Vietnam.
For employers, it is advised to keep assignment start dates flexible for affected travellers and to keep business travel to a minimum.
We will keep you all updated on this at soonest possible.
Should you have any questions, please contact the followings:
Trang Nguyen
Immigration Manager – Vietnam
Santa Fe Relocation
Vietnam
D: +84 (0) 3933 0065
E: trang.nguyen@santaferelo.com
Robert Day
Group Head of Immigration Operation
Santa Fe Relocation
London, UK
D: +44 7990 021125
E: robert.day@santaferelo.com
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