Vietnam finally opened for international tourism yesterday (15 March) – after more than two years of being closed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Having reported last month that the country was looking to open its borders for tourists, Vietnam has finally done so – with travelers now able to enter for tourism purposes once again.
And, the news is no doubt going to be welcomed by the nation’s tourism industry – with the country having seen more than 18 million international visitors – in pre-pandemic times (2019) – enjoy all that this fascinating southeast Asian nation has to offer.
This is a huge contrast compared to the reported 157,000 foreign arrivals that entered the country throughout last year (2021).
Vietnam To Once Again Allow Visa Exemption For Visitors From Some Countries
With Vietnam once again allowing tourists to enter the country for tourism purposes – and without the requirement to book themselves onto a government-approved group tour, as was the case before – some visitors will be able to enter the country without a visa.
This is because Vietnam is restarting their visa exemption scheme for nationals from the following 13 countries:
- Belarus
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Norway
- Russia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
Visitors that hold passports for the above countries will be able to arrive into Vietnam – without having obtained a tourist visa before their arrival – and be allowed to stay for up to 15 days.
Vietnam Reopens Its E-visa Website
As well as allowing some visitors to enter the country without having to obtain a tourist visa before their arrival, Vietnam has also reopened its E-visa website – where citizens from 80 countries, including the U.S., Canada and the UK, can apply for a tourist E-visa.
A tourist E-visa – which costs US$25, and must be applied for online – allows visitors to stay inside the country for 30 days (for single entry use only though). The processing time for E-visa applications is 3 working days.
What Are The Entry Requirements For Tourists Wanting To Visit Vietnam?
Once visitors have obtained their tourist E-visa – unless they are eligible to enter on visa exemption – there are still a few requirements that must be followed in order to enter Vietnam.
Although visitors arriving into the country are no longer required to undergo quarantine – which has been lifted by the country’s Ministry of Health – they must:
- take a RT-PCR or RT-LAMP Covid-19 test 72 hours before departure or rapid antigen test – no more than 24 hours – prior to traveling to Vietnam. Those under the age of 2 are not required to do so, however.
OR
- alternatively – if you are unable to take a pre-departure Covid-19 test – you will be required to undergo Covid-19 testing within 24 hours of your arrival into Vietnam.
All visitors must also monitor their health throughout the first ten days of their arrival into Vietnam, and inform the health authorities if they experience any symptoms of Covid-19 – such as a fever, cough, sore throat or headache.
You are also required to wear a face mask at all times when in public.
The above requirements must be adhered to by all visitors – whether fully vaccinated or not.
What About Other Countries In Southeast Asia?
With more and more Southeast Asian nations relaxing their entry requirements – with the hope of once again attracting the millions of tourists that they did prior to the Covid-19 pandemic – here is the latest news on some of the most popular tourist destinations in the region.
