On June 17, the Embassy of Sweden in Hanoi and VFS Global introduced visa application services for visa to Sweden in order to cater to the growing demand of Vietnamese travellers to Sweden and Europe. This new initiative is aimed at offering enhanced services, facilities and benefits to visa applicants in both North and South regions. Visa applicants to Sweden can present their passport and application in persons to VFS Global in its offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city from June 17 and June 24, respectively. All necessary information and other kinds of services will be made available for applicants. When a decision has come through, within 15 days, they can again collect their passport and their visa decision at a VFS Global office. At the signing of an agreement with VFS, Ms. Camilla Mellander, Ambassador of Sweden stated that “We appreciate the cooperation with VFS and believe it is in the right direction. With VFS offices in Vietnam’s … [Read more...] about Swedish Embassy improves services for visa applicants
Vietnam business visa application
NA to vote on issuing 12-month visas to US citizens
“In the past, tourist visas have generally been issued for single or multiple entries with a validity of one or three months according to the applicant’s request,” said NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong.Chairwoman Phong said Vietnam business visas were normally valid for 6 months or one year, although a business traveller always had the option of applying for a tourist visa is the business trip was shorter.The fee for the visa varied depending on the length of stay, said Phong, and there have always been more complicated rules for spouses of Vietnamese citizens and others to get one year visas.Under the new rules proposed by State President Tran Dai Quang, US tourists and businesspeople would be able to apply for a multi-entry, 12-month visa upon arrival at the airport or other border crossing, said Vice Chairwoman Phong. Tourist and business travelers would still have all of the other options available to them and could select the best choice depending upon their … [Read more...] about NA to vote on issuing 12-month visas to US citizens
Vietnam streamlines VISA processing
The newly established portal is part of the government’s bid to streamline and simplify the VISA application process.The MoFA also inaugurated a data centre to support the online visa process and simplification of administrative procedures.Visa application dossiers will now be sent to the MOFA’s data centre, which is established under the sponsorship of the World Bank, and connected to a number of Government agencies.Addressing the March 14 inaugural ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed Vietnam’s strong determination to boost administrative reform and encourage information technology application in all sectors.The newly-launched online service is expected to aid in the attraction of more foreign tourists and businesses to Vietnam, promote people exchange, and accelerate socio-economic development, he noted.World Bank Vietnam Country Director Victoria Kwakwa highly valued the online visa service, saying it will help reduce … [Read more...] about Vietnam streamlines VISA processing
New centre for visa application to Australia and UK opened
Nhan Dan Online- Vietnamese nationals wishing to apply for a visa to Australia will find the process easier with new joint visa application centres (VAC) opening in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on May 20 and 22.Australia will share these facilities with the United Kingdom.A spokesman for the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection said the centres were the result of a joint commitment between Australia and the United Kingdom to further enhance customer services for Vietnamese visa applicants.“These services will include extended operating hours, with telephones open until 5pm weekdays, and internet kiosks with an online application tracking facility, so clients can view the status of their applications,” the spokesman said.At the opening, Australian Ambassador Hugh Borrowman said, “Australia highly values the deep linkages Australia and Australians have with the people of Vietnam. New linkages are forming rapidly through increasing travel and tourism, … [Read more...] about New centre for visa application to Australia and UK opened
Tourism and Business Travel in Australia
In recent years, an increasing number of Vietnamese citizens have visited Australia, both for private travel, often to visit relatives, and for official and business purposes. In addition, a number of Vietnamese have migrated to Australia, mostly to reunite with close family members there. These visits and movements help enrich the people-to-people relationship between Australia and Vietnam, and contribute to strong trade and economic links. Approximately 40 per cent of visitor visas granted in Vietnam are to business people and government officials travelling to Australia for official purposes. The Visa and Immigration Office at the Australia Embassy in Hanoi facilitates most of the official visits. The Ho Chi Minh City office also offers a significant number of business visa applications from people living in southern Vietnam. In term of international tourism, Australia is Vietnam’s 7th largest market. There were 145,539 Australian visits recorded in 2005, … [Read more...] about Tourism and Business Travel in Australia
UK and Australia visa application centre opens in Da Nang
Representatives of UK and Australian Embassies join in an inauguration of the new joint United Kingdom and Australia Visa Application Centre in Da Nang. (Photo courtesy Da Nang visitor centre) Da Nang (VNA) - The new joint United Kingdom and Australia Visa Application Centre hasbeen inaugurated in the central city to help those in central Vietnam apply forUK and Australian visas.The centre, which islocated at ACB Tower, 218 Bach Dang Street, is open from Monday to Friday, andwill also be open on Saturday mornings for those willing to pay an extra fee.Applicants in central Vietnamno longer have to travel to either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to apply forvisas.The British Deputy Headof Mission Stephen Lysaght hoped that the visa centre would encourage morevisitors from central Vietnam to come to the UK.“The British Governmentis committed to improving the visa service for our Vietnamese customers and aswell as the new Application Centre, this year we have introduced a new … [Read more...] about UK and Australia visa application centre opens in Da Nang
Vietnam popularizes northwestern tourism year in ASEAN
During the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Singapore from January 16-20, Vietnam introduced information about its tourism, support policies and new tourism products in the northwest.Vietnam and Thailand signed a tourism cooperation agreement for 2017-2018, under which, both sides will increase information exchanges, partner in marketing, personnel training and business facilitation, making it easier to bring new northwestern tours to Thailand and other regional countries. Agreeing with Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul about utilizing social media to promote tours, Director of East Travel tourism company Dong Hoang Thinh said his firm has released a cloud-based application to sell tours online. This year marks the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN, so member states are preparing new tourism marketing campaigns, which will be highlighted on the bloc’s website. At the Travex exhibition 2017 as part of ATF, deputy head of Tourism Market Department under the … [Read more...] about Vietnam popularizes northwestern tourism year in ASEAN
Food and drink – a ‘rally cry’ for Vietnam’s tourism industry
The tourism and hospitality industries should shift their focus to the exceptional food and wine experiences from around the country to whet the global appetite for Vietnam as a top travel destination and entice more inbound visits. “It is no secret that people travel for great food and wine experiences,” Chef Bobby Chinn, travel Vietnam Ambassador to Europe, told the China Spectator.Food is the fastest way to promote the image of any country Chinn said, adding that incredible food and wine experiences are being served up every day throughout Vietnam.Priority one should be a global campaign bringing together the real-life stories of travellers and sharing their stories through the creation of rich and compelling content that appeals to the tastes of international travellers.Vietnam is struggling with a big perception problem and international travellers don’t usually think of Vietnam as a place to have the ultimate dining experience, but rather most think of it is a … [Read more...] about Food and drink – a ‘rally cry’ for Vietnam’s tourism industry
Online visa application system launched
Foreigners are from now on able to register and fill in visaapplication forms provided at the website http://visa.mofa.gov.vninstead of getting the forms at Vietnamese representative agenciesaround the world. DPM Pham Binh Minh asks relevant agencies to coordinate to operate the system effectively The system, part of a project on managing the online visa issue run bythe Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), was formally launched on March14.This is the first time Vietnam has opened a websitefor online visa application and unified the process of issuing visa forforeigners.Foreigners and Vietnamese who bear foreign passportscan also access the information related to visa to enter the country andtheir applications’ status on the website.The MOFA also inaugurated the Database Center toenhance automation in job handling and administrative reforms, link theministry’s organs together in a unified … [Read more...] about Online visa application system launched
Vietnam pursues policy to protect human rights
On this occasion, and to markInternational Day for Human Rights (December 10), Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is a member of the PartyCentral Committee, wrote a news article on the country’s achievements inprotecting and promoting human rights, as well as on its contributionsto international cooperation in this field. TheDeputy PM and FM affirmed that Vietnam’s bid to join the Human RightsCouncil has its roots in the consistent policy of the Party and State onprotecting and promoting human rights and actively participating ininternational cooperation in this field. Vietnam’selection to the UN HRC with such a high vote is of great significance.First of all, it is the international community’s recognition of theachievements the country has made in its comprehensive reform, policiesand efforts regarding human rights. It is also a success of theVietnamese Party and State’s external relations policy, reflecting … [Read more...] about Vietnam pursues policy to protect human rights