Vietnam Plans Full Reopening by June 2022
After a long and extending suspension of international travels, many countries start to revive the tourism industry by reopening borders and allowing tourists again. Upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has introduced immediately strict border controls to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This preventive measure turned out to have both positive and negative effects. Since the Vietnamese tourism sector accounts for around 10%-12% of GPD in the country, this sector has suffered greatly from the pandemic-related travel restrictions.
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When can we expect the reopening of the Vietnamese borders?
In September, Vietnam already announced the plans to reopen one of its islands, the Phu Quoc. The island will be reopened for vaccinated travelers this November. On October 6, 2021, the Vietnamese government revealed even more optimistic plans for the full reopeningof the country by June 2022. Starting from December 2021, tourists from certain countries will be allowed to explore UNESCO world heritage sites, namely, Hoi An, Halong Bay, Nha Trang, and Dalat.
Who will be able to travel to Vietnam soon?
It is yet to be announced which countries will be first able to travel to Vietnam, and the entry criteria also will be specified soon. According to the governmental statement, the full opening will be possible only when the country has safety certainty. Currently, only 13% of the Vietnamese population has been vaccinated. It is one of the lowest vaccination rates in the continent of Asia.
Definitely, the reopening of the country will be a gradual process stretched over time. The process can be re-looked at due to the ongoing pandemic. After the opening of the Phu Quoc island in November, the Vietnamese authorities will be able to draw conclusions and make further decisions aiming at the next stages on the way to the final full reopening.
e-Visa to Vietnam information
Some countries can enter Vietnam visa-free, while others need to obtain a visa before the planned trip. Citizens of many non-visa-free countries can apply for an electronic visa to Vietnam. All the formalities can be handled entirely online without the necessity of visiting the Vietnamese Embassy located in the home country of a person making an online application. The entire process takes up to 5 business days, and a holder of an e-Visa to Vietnam can enter the country once and stay for up to one month there. The electronic visa to Vietnam covers both tourism and business-related activities. It may also be used for transit purposes.
