VIETNAM HALTS VISA EXEMPTION FOR EIGHT EUROPEAN NATIONS

The Vietnamese government has decided to suspend its unilateral visa exemption policy for citizens from eight European countries: Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Spain, which will officially take effect from March 12.

Accordingly, from March 12, travellers from these countries will have to apply for visas issued by the overseas Vietnamese embassies and consulates.

In addition, citizens from countries with more than 500 confirmed COVID-19 cases or more than 50 new cases a day may also expect visa-free travel to be suspended.

Vietnam has announced this decision to the relevant countries and will continue to liaise with other nations, international organisations, and partners in preventing and controlling the disease.

This is the next measure in the Vietnamese government’s efforts to enhance the containment of COVID-19.

Vietnam has temporarily suspended visa waivers for Korean nationals from February 29 and Italian citizens from March 3 as these countries have seen the stronger outbreak of COVID-19.

As of March 11, the novel coronavirus has reached 119 countries and territories across the globe. At the time, Vietnam confirmed a total of 39 COVID-19 cases, 16 of which have been cured and discharged from hospital.

Starting from March 10, all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners who are currently living in Vietnam, or are entering the country, are required to complete health declarations via a website or mobile apps.

Developed by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Health in collaboration with domestic tech firms, the NCOVI app was designed for Vietnamese and Vietnam Health Declaration is for internationals. App users can update and keep track of their health status on a daily basis, in addition to reporting suspected cases of infection in their neighbourhood.

Paper-form health declarations are also available for arrivals.

Those with symptoms like coughing, fever, shortness of breath, and fatigue are required to be examined and quarantined.

Source: VIR

Related News

MEMBER CORNER / PROMOTIONS

KNIC ENGAGES WITH GOVERNMENT AND HIGH-TECH BUSINESS COMMUNITIES IN CHINA

From Beijing to Shandong, KN Holdings and KN Industrial City are continuing to expand their engagement with government authorities, trade promotion organizations, and high-tech business communities in China. In Beijing, the delegation met with the Center for International Economic and Technological Cooperation under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), exchanging perspectives on industrial and technology cooperation between the two markets.

Sep 24, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

VIETNAM’S TRADE TOPS $825 BILLION BY MID-SEPTEMBER

Figures released on September 21 showed goods trade reached nearly $55 billion in the first 15 days of September alone, bringing cumulative turnover since the beginning of the year to more than $825 billion. The strong growth reflects robust trade flows, with demand for consumer goods and production inputs remaining high.

Sep 23, 2026

TECHNOLOGY

VIỆT NAM'S BUSINESSES MOVE TOWARDS AI AGENTS

Việt Nam’s AI landscape is entering a new phase as businesses move beyond generative AI (GenAI) tools designed to assist human users towards autonomous AI, agentic AI and AI agents that can take action with limited supervision, experts have said. The shift comes as Việt Nam seeks to accelerate science and technology, innovation and digital transformation under Politburo Resolution 57-NQ/TW, issued on December 22, 2024.

Sep 23, 2026

GARMENT / TEXTILE

VIỆT NAM TARGETS $48 BILLION IN TEXTILE-GARMENT EXPORTS

Việt Nam’s textile and garment industry is facing both opportunities and challenges amid complex and unpredictable developments in the global market, prompting businesses to improve growth quality, optimise production costs and enhance adaptability in pursuit of an export turnover of about $48 billion this year. The target is considered an important milestone that requires concerted efforts from management agencies and the business community.

Sep 23, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

CUTTING LOGISTICS COSTS KEY TO BOOSTING EXPORTS

Reducing costs has become an increasingly urgent priority for import-export activities, particularly logistics costs, a conference in Hà Nội was told on Tuesday. According to Deputy General Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Agency for Foreign Trade, Trần Thanh Hải, import-export activities has remained a bright spot for the economy in recent years, playing an important role and helping drive macroeconomic growth.

Sep 23, 2026

LEGAL UPDATE / POLICY

FLEXIBLE FISCAL POLICY HELPS DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH

Việt Nam’s fiscal policy has been implemented in a targeted expansionary manner since early 2026, helping maintain macroeconomic stability and supporting the country’s goal of achieving double-digit economic growth. According to the Ministry of Finance, State budget revenue in the first eight months of 2026 was estimated at VNĐ2.02 quadrillion (US$77.7 billion), equivalent to 80 per cent of the annual estimate and up 16 per cent year-on-year.

Sep 23, 2026