Airplanes grounded at Noi Bai International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new law on immigration takes effect from July 1st amid Vietnam's foreign entry ban.
The decree takes effect from July 1st, 2020. Accordingly, coreigners who enjoy visa exemptions for travel to border or coastal economic areas, in case of wanting to go to other locations, will need to be guaranteed by organisations or individuals in Vietnam, following visa application procedures at the immigration authority according to Article 19.
Citizens of countries unilaterally exempted from visa for travel to Vietnam’s border or coastal economic areas who want to go to other locations in Vietnam must have immigration authorities cancel their old temporary residence certificates and issue new ones if their stays are under 15 days. If their stays are longer than 15 days, they have to apply for visas, reported VNA.
For foreigners exempted from visas for travelling to Vietnam’s border or coastal economic areas under international treaties to which Vietnam is a member, if their temporary residence duration expires and they wish to go to other places in Vietnam, the granting of visas must comply with international treaties.
The immigration control unit grants temporary residence certificates to foreigners on entry by stamping their passports or separate visas. The immigration control unit does not issue temporary residence certificates for foreigners entering through automatic gates.
Vietnam's borders are still closed to foreigners to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, however, a limited number of experts and highly skilled workers are among the exceptions.
Vietnam goes through 81 straight days without community COVID-19 infections
Vietnam has gone through 81 straight days without community COVID-19 infections as of 17h00 on July 6th, 2020. Everyone who enters the country must undergo 14 days of quarantine.
Bringing home over 300 Vietnamese citizens from Malaysia
Some 310 Vietnamese citizens have been brought home from Malaysia. This was a joint effort of competent Vietnamese agencies, the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and competent Malaysian agencies.
Vietnamese citizens at the airport in Malaysia (Source: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
The passengers included those under 18 years old, elderly and sick people, workers with expired visas and labour contracts, stranded tourists and students who did not have accommodations due to dormitory closures.
Upon their arrival at Can Tho international airport in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, the passengers were kept under quarantine and had medical checks-up in line with regulations.
In the coming days, more flights will be arranged to bring back Vietnamese citizens home from other countries depending on the pandemic's developments, quarantine capacity of Vietnamese localities, and demand of Vietnamese citizens living abroad.
Hoa people’s Nguyen Tieu Festival recognised as national intangible heritage
On July 5th, Ho Chi Minh city’s District 5 People’s Committee held a ceremony to receive a certificate to recognise the Hoa people’s Nguyen Tieu Festival as a national intangible cultural heritage.
Arts performance at the ceremony (Source: baochinhphu.vn)
The festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the first lunar month by Vietnamese people, especially the Hoa community living mostly in Ho Chi Minh city, to mark the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. During the occasion, people often pray for peace and wish for luck in the new year.
The Hoa group (Vietnamese of Chinese origin) in Ho Chi Minh city number around 500,000. They live mainly in Cho Lon (District 5, District 6, District 10 and District 11), which is seen as a local Chinatown./.