Vietnam to halt entry to all foreigners since March 22 due to COVID

Announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam on updates of the Vietnamese entry and exit rules for foreign nationals.

VNT/VPG

March 22, 2020 | 14:26

Vietnam to halt entry to all foreigners since March 22 due to COVID-19

The latest move was made amid quick increase of the number of new infections cases (77 as of 8 pm on Saturday) over the past two weeks and influx of incoming flights from foreign countries, including pandemic-striken ones.

For those entering Viet Nam for diplomatic and official purposes, for participation in major diplomatic events, or being experts, business managers, highly skilled workers, the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of National Defense shall coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, and other relevant agencies to issue visa if necessary.

Entrants mentioned in the above paragraph shall be subject to mandatory medical declaration and other effective regulations at designated areas at ports of entry and shall have to isolate themselves at places of residence as currently regulated.

Temporary suspension of entry shall also be applied to all overseas Vietnamese and their spouses and children who have been granted with certificate of visa exemption, also effective since March 22.

The Government also ordered competent agencies to strictly control entry into the nation by road, by sea, and by air.

In a bid to avoid overload pressure on quarantine facilities, the Government asked for prompt and maximum cuts of incoming passenger flights, including those of foreign airlines, effective immediately.

The Ministry of Transport was tasked to create favorable conditions for departure of flights carrying foreign passengers.

On March 20, Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan announced that all incoming travelers to Viet Nam shall be subject to mandatory centralized quarantine for 14 days, applicable since March 21, at the request of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The above measure shall NOT be applicable to entrants for diplomatic and official purposes but they shall have to isolate themselves at places of residence under the supervision of local authorities, Tuan said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam on updates

Amidst the swift and complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic around the globe, the Vietnamese Government has made the following decision to effectively contain the spread of the disease:

- Temporarily suspend entry of all foreign nationals into Viet Nam, with the exception of those entering Viet Nam for diplomatic, official and other extraordinary purposes (including foreign guests attending or otherwise in service of important foreign affairs events, experts, corporate managers, high skilled workers).

- Vietnamese authorities shall grant appropriate visas (if necessary) for entrants with diplomatic, official and other extraordinary purposes as mentioned above. These entrants shall be subject to mandatory health declaration and medical screening in designated areas at ports of entry, and appropriate quarantine at their place of residence in line with the regulations. In that connection, Representative Missions in Viet Nam shall submit a commitment to fulfil the medical monitoring of their citizens during their stay in Viet Nam.

- The validity of the Visa Exemption Certificates for persons of Vietnamese origin and their families shall also hereby be temporarily suspended.

The aforementioned measures shall take effect from 00:00, 22 March 2020.

- Entrants into Viet Nam shall be subject to medical screening and mandatory quarantine at designated facilities, with the exception of foreigners entering Viet Nam for diplomatic and official purposes, or other such extraordinary purposes (including foreign guests attending or otherwise in service of important foreign affairs events, experts, corporate managers, high skilled workers…).

- Foreign experts, corporate managers and high skilled workers, who have obtained COVID-19 negative certificates issued by their host countries’ competent authorities and approved by Viet Nam prior to their arrival, shall be able to enter Viet Nam and subject to tight quarantine at their place of residence in line with the regulations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed all diplomatic missions, consular missions, representative offices of international organizations in Viet Nam and Vietnamese diplomatic missions overseas of the decision for full compliance of Viet Nam’s regulations against the COVID-19

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