The mystery of the extension of the Visa waiver for Vietnam is dissolved. Today (at the first of July.2016) we received official reports from Vietnam where announced that the wishes of the Vietnamese Ministry of Tourism are realized and the Visa exemption for citizens of five European countries is extended for one more year, until the 30.06.2017 becomes. But for some Vietnam vacationers this news comes too late, as they have already applied for their Vietnam Visa.
Review:abolition of Visa requirements for Vietnam
In June 2015 the Vietnamese government announced the abolition of Visa requirements for citizens of five European countries. This Visa exemption for Vietnam concerned the citizens of France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK, with a maximum stay of 15 days in Vietnam. Before re-entry without a Visa in Vietnam also one month needed to be elapsed. This Visa project of Vietnamese was bounded for on a year from 01.07.2015 to 30.06.2016 (ITI HOLIDAY reported in detail). In recent weeks, before the deadline there were numerous of speculations because the Vietnamese government took its time with official information’s about the end of the Visa exemption. From official Vietnamese side there was neither an endorsement nor a denial to whether these regulations will be ending or extended.
Speculations: Visa exemption for Vietnam
While the affected Vietnamese embassies (for example, the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin) in recent weeks gladly claiming that the currently valid Visa exemption expires on 30.06.2016 and will not be renewed, came from some unofficial site in Vietnam other notifications. From Vietnam it was said unofficially that the Visa exemption in Vietnam for the citizens of France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK not will be just extended but also enhanced for stays up to 30 days. Several months ago for example the Vietnamese daily press reported about these new regulations but unfortunately without providing any relevant evidence.
the cat is out of the bag:Vietnam Visa exemption extended
Today at the 01.07.2016 it has become officially established. The Visa waiver in Vietnam shall be extended for citizens of France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK for one year more to the previous terms and ends on 30.06.2017. The first concerned Vietnamese diplomatic missions, like the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin have been published these news already on their websites. Others, like the Vietnamese embassy in London still claimed yesterday that there is no official confirmation from Vietnam about these rumors.
01.07.2016: Heiko Grimm for ITI-HOLIDAY
Vietnam Visa on Arrival - Airport Cam Ranh
Vietnam Visa on Arrival is now again available at the airport Cam Ranh. The Visa on Arrival for Vietnam has been to enable travels to Vietnam for several weeks again with arrivals at the international airport of Cam Ranh in the center of the country.
Environmental disaster in Vietnam
In Vietnam occurred the biggest environmental disaster since the deployment of Agent Orange by the Americans during the Vietnam War. It happened almost unnoticed by the world while Europe was busy with the refugee crisis and America with the forthcoming presidential elections of the USA. The perpetrators of the environmental disaster come from abroad and are supported by the Vietnamese politicians, similar as it was happen at the Vietnam War.
Tourists killed in Vietnam!
How safe is Vietnam? Vietnam belongs for tourists to the most popular and safest travel destinations in the world, as long as one can believe officially widespread reports. However, this information may not been longer current since a long time. More and more tourists in Vietnam were killed at criminal offenses as well by tragic accidents. These accidents occur mostly due to insufficient checking for compliance with statutory safety regulations by the Vietnamese authorities. ITI-HOLIDAY had reported as early as April 2016 about the constantly rising crime in Vietnam , especially in the metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City.
