Extending visa validity for US citizens

The increase in visa validity from 3 months to 1 year and multiple entries for US citizens is the content of the Diplomatic Note on Visa Granting Agreement between Vietnam and the US, which was just presented by President Tran Dai Quang to the National Assembly on the morning of April 4.

President Tran Dai Quang.

The President's report stated that according to the Government's report, after the Law on Entry, Exit, and Transit in Vietnam was passed by the National Assembly, US citizens were only granted 3-month visas and were not allowed to extend their stay. The US side said that this was a difficulty for US citizens to apply for visas to enter Vietnam.

“The US side believes that this policy of Vietnam is not commensurate with the US policy towards Vietnam and is not commensurate with the relationship between the two countries. The US side proposes to increase the validity of visas issued to US citizens to one year multiple entries for tourism, conferences, personal matters and other entry purposes…”, the President said.

Based on the consensus of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Government, exchanged with the US side a diplomatic note on visa issuance between Vietnam and the US. The US side also agreed with the diplomatic note of the Vietnamese side.

Overview of the National Assembly session.

The main content of the agreement is that the Vietnamese Government will issue multiple-entry visas valid for up to one year to US citizens entering Vietnam for the purpose of tourism, seminars, conferences, personal business or working with business organizations in Vietnam and meeting other conditions for entering Vietnam according to the provisions of Vietnamese law.

The United States Government issues one-year, multiple-entry visas to Vietnamese citizens entering the United States for the purpose of tourism, seminars, conferences, private business or work with business organizations in the United States and meeting other conditions for entry into the United States as prescribed by U.S. law.

The agreement also states that each country can shorten the visa duration and number of entries for each specific case according to current laws and regulations.

However, the above content and agreement are contrary to the provisions of the 2014 Law on Entry and Exit, which is the agreement allowing the issuance of one-year visas for the purposes of seminars, conferences, and private matters, while Clauses 2 and 3, Article 9 of the 2014 Law on Entry and Exit stipulate that only 3-month or 6-month visas can be issued.

Pursuant to the 2013 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the 2005 Law on Signing and Accession to International Treaties, the President requests the National Assembly to consider and decide to ratify the Diplomatic Note on Visa Agreement between Vietnam and the United States, and at the same time requests the Government to report and explain specific contents.

On April 9, the National Assembly will vote to approve the above proposal of the President.

According to Chinhphu.vn