HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged the Ministry of Public Security to improve visa policy to boost tourism, including issuing electronic visas for foreign tourists at Vietnam’s border gates.

He directed the authorities to make it easier for foreigners to visit Vietnam by contemplating a visa waiver extension to 30 days, boosting the application of technology and simplifying administrative procedures, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, arrivals from 80 countries and territories are currently given an e-visa without requiring the confirmation of inviting or guarantor agencies.

The authorities currently permit a 15-day visa exemption entry for visitors from 24 nations and territories.

For some Southeast Asian countries, the visa waiver ranges from 30 to 90 days. Malaysia and Singapore have visitors from 162 countries and territories eligible for visa exemption, the Philippines has 157, and Thailand has 65.

Vietnam’s tourism industry has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, entailing significant drops in annual revenues and passenger counts. The industry’s performance has yet to meet expectations despite the nation’s reopening since 2022.