Immigration Department of Vietnam Suspends All Types of Visas for visitors from coronavirus-hit areas

"Desperate situations call for desperate measures" We often hear this cliché whenever we have to make some drastic decisions in our lives. However, who would have thought that this same statement would apply to us not only on a personal level but soon will constitutes a global emergency?

The gravity of the situation left the government of Vietnam no choice but to suspend all its e-visa and visa on arrival issuance for all travelers coming from coronavirus-hit areas.

The news of suspension was released today Jan 30th and implemented nationwide right away until further notice leaving travelers from coronavirus-hit areas no warning at all.

The following visa suspensions were implemented to:

1. Citizens of Mainland China or Chinese passport holders (does not include Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) are NOT ACCEPTED to apply for a visa (visa on arrival & e-visa) to enter Vietnam during this time.

2. Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and British National Overseas (BNO) are not accepted to apply for an E-VISA, HOWEVER, they can apply for "visa on arrival" if they provides flight tickets showing that they are not coming from Mainland China. A scan copy of of your ticket is required & name in the ticket must match the name in your passport.

3. Any passengers coming from Mainland China are not allowed to enter Vietnam.

4. All other passengers arriving with symptoms of fever, a headache, vomiting, and dizziness will be quarantined.

5. For other nationalities not included in the visa suspension, you may still apply for Vietnam e-visa & Vietnam visa on arrival.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister announced Vietnam's plans to combat the deadly coronavirus.

Wednesday 29 Jan 2020, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam suspended all flights to and from coronavirus-hit areas in China.

Among the strategic plans is to strictly implement the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese citizens, the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, and the ban on importing wildlife into the country. For more updates please click here.

The ministry required strict entry and exit control at all border gates, from land to air and sea, and including both people and goods.

Although the China border from Vietnam is very far from Wuhan, where the center of the outbreak came from, nCoV viral outbreak is significantly complicated by the fact that Vietnam shares a vast border with China. There are three main border crossings from China to Vietnam: These are Mong Cai – Dong Hung, Dong Dang – Ping Xian, and Lao Cai – Hekou. Currently, all three-border crossings situated in the northeast region of Vietnam will not allow citizens from China to enter Vietnam.

Update news about Wuhan virus in Vietnam

The Ministry of Health confirmed as of Thursday, Jan 30th, that three Vietnamese nationals have tested positive for the new pneumonia virus. Two of the citizens are Hanoians and the other belongs to the central province of Thanh Hoa. All three of them had returned recently from China's Wuhan City, the epicenter of the epidemic.

That makes a record of five cases of individuals infected with the new coronavirus. The other two cases, father and son both Chinese citizens from Wuhan, have been reported in Vietnam since the outbreak. Both are being treated in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. The son has been given the all-clear as of Tuesday, January 28th. The father is reportedly recovering.