Foreigners who entered Vietnam from March 1 can have their temporary stay permits automatically extended for another month until September 30, the Immigration Department announced on August 31.

The Immigration Department. (Photo: hochieuhanoi) 

It is another one-month extension to the current policy, issued in mid-May and extended twice since, to support foreigners stuck in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move means from now until September 30, people who came to Vietnam under visa waiver programmes, e-visas or tourism visas from March 1 can stay or leave Vietnam without doing any paperwork or paying any fees.

Regulations on those who entered the country before March 1 remain the same as the current policy. They can be considered for this permit extension as long as they can prove they are stranded in Vietnam due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They need to provide certificates issued by their diplomatic mission in Vietnam through an official diplomatic note with a translation in Vietnamese or documents issued by Vietnamese authorities to confirm they were quarantined or treated for COVID-19, among other reasons beyond their control.

Those who do not fall under these categories or have committed illegal actions have to abide by the existing laws on immigration.