Vietnamese PM instructs to revise law to facilitates visa granting for foreign visitors

Vietnamese Prime Minister has assigned relevant authorities to facilitate granting of visas for foreign visitors who entered Vietnam via sea routes.

The instruction follows a new law on immigration, emigration, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam taking effect since Jan. 1, 2015 that regulates a nine-time hike in visa fee for foreigners entering Vietnam by sea.

According to the new law, visa granting fee for foreigners entering Vietnam by sea will increase from five U.S. dollars to 45 U.S. dollars per person.

Also, the new law requires as many as seven stamps to be applied on foreigners' passports instead of one as previously.

Following the instruction of the prime minister, the ministry of finance will coordinate with relevant agencies on revising the law. While waiting for a new regulation, the visa granting fee applying for foreigners entering Vietnam by sea will be kept unchanged, which stays at five U.S. dollars.

The move of the Vietnamese Prime Minister is seen as a measure of the government to guarantee security and diplomatic protocol and prevent jams at transfer points as well as to simplify procedures to make it easier for international travelers to Vietnam, said the website of the Vietnamese government on Monday.

Vietnam received some 7.87 million foreign visitors in 2014, a year-on-year growth of four percent, lower than the rate of 10.6 percent in 2013, according to Vietnam's General Statistics Office.

Foreign tourists traveling by air to Vietnam stood at around 6. 22 million (up 4 percent), while those came by land and sea may reach 1.606 million (up 14.8 percent) and 47,600 (down 75.4 percent), respectively. Endi