Visa Waiver Program Extended for One Year
July 07, 2016
The Vietnamese government has extended the visa waiver program thanks to which nationals of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, when travelling to Vietnam for visits up to 15 days, are visa exempt until 30 June 2017.
According to Vietnam immigration law, to be eligible for a visa exemption a foreign national must have a passport that is valid for six months. They cannot extend their stay and must exit the country after 15 days. If citizens of the above mentioned countries would like to re-enter Vietnam without a visa, the new entry date must be 30 days or more after the last exit date. All purposes of stay are allowed, however, it is recommended to use the visa waiver program for business meetings only.
What this means for you as an employer?
Employers should consider using the visa waiver program for business trips for the nationals of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom who are travelling to Vietnam. The law is set to expire on 30 June 2017, at which time the government will consider extending it.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to your usual PwC Legal contact for further details.