Frenchman Thomas and Thai girlfriend Araya had big plans for Vietnam. Their first visit to the country in August had impressed them so much that they wanted to return for a much longer trip. The first trip happened after they’d traveled from France to Bangkok to visit Araya's parents. As they socialized with Vietnamese people and learnt about different places in the country, they regretted not visiting Vietnam sooner. After the trip, Thomas researched more information about other travel destinations in Vietnam. Fond of motorbikes, he planned to enjoy exploring the northern mountains on one, apart from a leisure trip to Nha Trang, a resort town in central Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City for Araya. Vietnam’s beaches are a popular draw among foreigners, but those who want long holidays in the country face complicated visa rules and procedures. Photo acquired by VnExpress The plan was to spend the entire month of November exploring Vietnam, before Thomas starting a … [Read more...] about Vietnam visa hassles could deter long holidayers
Vietnamese visa requirements
Japan, South Korea most lucrative for Vietnamese workers
A Vietnamese migrant worker can make $1,000 to $1,200 a month in Japan and South Korea, four times the average monthly salary in Vietnam, which was VND6.5 million ($290) last year. The average wage that Taiwanese employers pay to Vietnamese workers is around $700- $800 a month; and $400-$600 in the Middle East, the National Assembly (NA)’s Committee for Social Affairs reported at a conference last week. The attractive salaries have made Japan and South Korea the largest export labor markets for Vietnam and witnessed the fastest growth in recent years among Vietnamese citizens going abroad to work. Last year, 54,504 Vietnamese workers went to Japan, a 36.5 percent increase from a year ago, ranking second in the list of countries and territories receiving Vietnamese migrants workers after Taiwan, according to official reports. South Korea, meanwhile, continues to be a promising job market for Vietnamese after the South Korean government re-launched its Employment Permit System … [Read more...] about Japan, South Korea most lucrative for Vietnamese workers
Visa waiver extended for Western European visitors
Visa waiver extended for Western European visitorsBy Dao Loan French tourists are seen in HCMC. The visa waiver for five Western European countries has been extended for three years starting early this month - PHOTO: DAO LOAN HCMC – The visa waiver for visitors from five Western European countries has been extended for three years starting early this month. Tourists from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy are exempt from Vietnam entry visas until June 30, 2021 for stays of up to 15 days. Tourism firms expect the visa exemption will help bring in more Western European tourists, who tend to have long stays in the country and spend more US$1,400-1,600 per trip per person. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is planning tourism marketing programs for Western European markets, with the visa waiver to be used as a leverage. To carry out the programs, the administration is working with the International Cooperation Department, the Vietnam … [Read more...] about Visa waiver extended for Western European visitors
EuroCham urges Vietnam to relax visa requirements
EuroCham urges Vietnam to relax visa requirementsDao Loan HCMC – The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) has proposed the Vietnamese Government relax visa requirements including visa exemptions for more countries, visa on arrival and specific visa rules for those tourists re-entering the nation in less than 30 days. At a dialogue meeting on mechanisms, policies and administrative procedures related to business operation and activities of European firms in Vietnam, held in Hanoi on January 22, EuroCham called for a visa waiver for visitors from the countries which have signed free trade agreements with Vietnam. The visa requirements should also be eased for Vietnam’s investment partners and target tourism markets like India and Australia, according to EuroCham. Vietnam should also extend the visa waiver to passport holders of five Western European countries to five years from the current one year and lengthen the visa-free stay from 15 days to 30 days. In … [Read more...] about EuroCham urges Vietnam to relax visa requirements
ROK to waive visa requirement for Vietnamese tourists during 2018 PyeongChang Olympic
Photo for illustration According to representative office of Korea Tourism Organization in Vietnam, the policy has been approved by the Ministry of Justice of the RoK to attract international visitors to the country on the occasion of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games at PyeongChang, Jeongseon and Gangneung cities in Gangwon province. Together with Vietnam, tourists from the Philippines and Indonesia will also benefit from the policy. Accordingly, the visas called PyeongChang Olympic No B-2-94 have a maximum stay of 15 days. The designated travel companies register information and list groups of tourists entering through the Korea visa portal at https://www.visa.go.kr/. Vietnam is among the markets seeing the highest tourist growth in the RoK. In 2017, the land of kimchi greeted more than 323,000 tourist arrivals from Vietnam, a year-on-year rise of 28.8%./. BTA … [Read more...] about ROK to waive visa requirement for Vietnamese tourists during 2018 PyeongChang Olympic
Tour operators laud Cambodia visa exemption pact
Tour operators laud Cambodia visa exemption pactBy Dao Loan - The Saigon Times DailyHCMC – Many local tour operators have run into rapture at the news of visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports between Vietnam and Cambodia, saying the pact would be a springboard to spur travel between the two countries.Vietnam and Cambodia on Tuesday inked an agreement to this effect during the Vietnam visit by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.The majority of local visitors travel to the neighboring country via Moc Bai border gate in the southern province of Tay Ninh for trips to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap during four to five days, and each of them is now charged a visa fee of between US$20 and US$25.Ta Thi Cam Vinh, head of Ben Thanh Tourist’s outbound department, which is arranging tours for around 2,000 Vietnam travelers to Cambodia this year, showed her happiness at the new agreement.“The number of the guests will increase if tourists can travel to the country without … [Read more...] about Tour operators laud Cambodia visa exemption pact
More time needed to apply for Japan visas
More time needed to apply for Japan visasDao Loan HCMC – Vietnamese passport holders will spend three more days applying for Japan visas at the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi City, with effect from early next year. The embassy said in a statement on December 18 that the time required for processing a visa application would rise from five working days to eight, starting January 4. However, those applying for Japan visas through the local travel agencies accredited by the embassy will not be affected. These agencies are Ben Thanh Tourist Co, Hanoitourist Travel Co, Hoang Nguyen Tourist JSC, International Golden Services Provider JSC, JTB-TNT Co Ltd, Nam Cuong Tourism Service Co Ltd, Hanoi branch of Saigontourist Travel Service Co Ltd, Song Han Trading and Tourist Co Ltd, Transviet Travel, VFS Global, Viet Foot Travel and Investment Services JSC, Vietnam Golden Team International Travel JSC, Vietnam Tourism-Hanoi JSC, VT-Tour Co Ltd, and Hanoi Redtours JSC. Meanwhile, the consulate … [Read more...] about More time needed to apply for Japan visas
Thailand still waives visa requirement for tourists
Thailand still waives visa requirement for touristsDao Loan By Dao Loan - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Thailand has unexpectedly tightened its immigration requirements on people coming from many countries, but the new rule does not apply to tourists, according to Thailand’s tourism authority in HCMC. Citizens from many countries including Vietnam are forced to apply for a visa before visiting Thailand, except visitors who can prove they go there for leisure purposes, according to the new immigration policy as reported in local media. An official of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in HCMC confirmed to the Daily yesterday that tourists are exempted from the new rule, but others must apply for entry visa. The regulation is to prevent foreigners from taking advantage of the 30-day visa-free policy to work illegally. The Thai Embassy in Hanoi confirmed the visa-free policy is now applicable to tourists only. The Thailand Immigration Bureau will implement tough measures … [Read more...] about Thailand still waives visa requirement for tourists
Vietnamese travel firms raise concerns over ‘cost-free’ tours
Vietnamese travel firms have launched cost-free tours, copying a promotional model commonly used by airlines, to both domestic and outbound destinations. Offers include taking tourists to the U.S. at half the normal price via ‘budget packages’.The low-cost travel products are heating up the travel market during peak season, however they have also sparked skepticism from holidaymakers and industry insiders. Incredibly cheap pricesIn early November, a local travel firm known as V. stunned customers with a promotional campaign called “Hunting zero dong tours,” offering 1,000 packages at zero Vietnamese dong to several European and Asian countries, including France, Switzerland, Japan, China and Vietnam.The company’s general director, Tran Van Long, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that they were willing to suffer losses with the campaign, held on the occasion of the launch of its new headquarters.“Just as with zero-cost air tickets, customers of the … [Read more...] about Vietnamese travel firms raise concerns over ‘cost-free’ tours
How to better Vietnamese workers in Czech Republic
Overview of the seminar (Photo: VNA) This was a forum to discuss and exchange basic information on the supply capacity of Vietnamese laborers, and the need and ability to receive foreign workers from the province of Karlovy Vary. At the seminar, Vietnam affirmed that it had a lot of experience in international labour cooperation and provided skilled labourers for many countries in the world such as Japan, the Republic of Korea and Qatar. At present, more than 500,000 Vietnamese are working in more than 40 countries in the world in many fields, including nurses, caregivers, mechanical workers, and machine manufacturers. Therefore, Vietnam can supply the technical and quality human resources as required by Czech companies. Karlovy Vary province said that it lacked 6,500 laborers and Vietnamese are an important direction that businesses located in the area look towards. The Czech Republic lacks 200,000 skilled laborers and in the future it may need 700,000 ones in various types. … [Read more...] about How to better Vietnamese workers in Czech Republic