Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam will suspend the granting of visa toforeigners for 30 days beginning 00:00 on March 18, the Foreign Ministryannounced on March 17, stressing that the move aims at curbing the spread ofCOVID-19 in the community.

As from 00:00 on March 18, those who are exempt from visa orpossess visa exemption certificates for overseas Vietnamese and their familymembers, and some other special cases (specialists, business managers andskilled workers) are required to have certificates of testing negative to SARS-CoV-2 issued by an authorizedagency and accepted by Vietnam in order to enter Vietnam.

The requirement is not applicable for those who enter Vietnam fordiplomatic or business purposes.

All people entering the country must undergo medical checks and followepidemic preventive measures as required.  

Besides cases of arrivals already subject to concentrated quarantine,people arriving from the US, European and ASEAN countries are now also requiredto be quarantined in concentrated facilities; and those who are not subject toconcentrated quarantine must be self-quarantined and put under medical monitoringat their houses, enterprises and accommodations or in groups.  

Vietnam has informed this decision to diplomatic representativemissions, consular offices, and representative offices of internationalorganisations in Vietnam. The country will continue to keep a close watch ofthe situation and coordinate with other countries and internationalorganisations and partners to timely adjust epidemic prevention measures forthe highest goal of protecting the health and safety of Vietnamese people andforeign citizens in Vietnam./.