Hanoi (VNA) – The National Assembly (NA) StandingCommittee decided on October 16 to extend the pilot e-visa programme forforeign visitors to Vietnam by another two years.

On November 22, 2016, the NA issued Resolution No.30/2016/QH14on the pilot programme, which was scheduled to last until February 1, 2019.

According to a report at the 28th sitting of theNA Standing Committee, between February 2017 and August 31, 2018, Vietnamapproved 298,113 e-visas for foreigners, of which 298,507 were self-submittedand 8,606 done by sponsoring organisations. As of August 31, there had been241,875 e-visa holders entering Vietnam.

Presenting the Government’s report on the implementation ofthe pilot programme, Deputy Minister of Public Security Le Quy Vuong said theoutcomes showed that the policy has contributed to attracting foreigners toVietnam for tourism and investment, forming a driving force behind the tourismsector.

Many diplomatic agencies of foreign countries in Vietnam applaudedthe policy, saying it facilitates the nation’s external diplomacy amid globalintegration, Vuong added.

He proposed that the pilot scheme should be continued to providethe basis for a more complete assessment of the policy’s impacts on localsocio-economy, defence, security, and foreign diplomacy.

The official pointed to some existing shortcomings, whichinclude the low number of e-visa holders entering Vietnam due to ineffective workon popularizing the policy, and the high number of countries yet to be subject tothe policy. 

According to Vuong, the extension of the pilot plan willhelp complete regulations on e-visa issuance when amending the law on the entry,exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

At the session, the NA’s Defence and Security Committeerequested that the Government direct the Ministry of Public Security andrelevant agencies to review and assess the implementation of the law on the entry,exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, with a view to addingthe law to the NA’s law building programme for 2019.

Concluding the function, NA Vice Chairman Do Ba Ty announceda decision on the two-year extension of the pilot programme, saying that duringthis period, the Government is required to prepare amendments to theimmigration law for submission to the NA. –VNA