Thursday, 22/09/16
HANOI, April 11, 2016 – On April 9, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam approved a plan to issue 12-month, multiple-entry visas to American citizens who travel temporarily for business or tourism.
The new reciprocity arrangement, which is expected to enter into force in late May or early June, will benefit American and Vietnamese tourists and business travelers, generating new opportunities for trade, investment and tourism.
The successful conclusion of the arrangement underscores the commitment of the U.S. and Vietnam to improve the bilateral relationship by expanding existing trade and economic opportunities and developing people-to-people ties.
Based on the arrangement, Vietnam will issue multiple-entry visas valid up to one year to U.S. citizens who wish to travel for short-term business or tourism and who otherwise meet the requirements to enter Vietnam. The previous maximum validity for Vietnamese visas issued for these purposes was, in most cases, three months with just a single entry. The United States will continue to issue multiple-entry visas valid up to one year to Vietnamese citizens entering the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or tourism (B-2).
While the United States and Vietnam will, in principle, issue maximum validity visas to each other’s citizens, each side may limit visa validity and entry times for individual applicants on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
In FY2015, the U.S. Mission to Vietnam issued a record number of non-immigrant visa applications for Vietnamese citizens – nearly 75% of these were for temporary business and tourism in the United States.
(By: vn.usembassy.gov)
