The National Assembly’s Committee for Foreign Affairs hosted a conference in Hanoi on August 22 to review the implementation of legal policies on the management of foreigners in Vietnam.

At the conference (Source: daibieunhandan.vn) 

A representative of the Ministry of Public Security said its authorized agencies approved the entry in Vietnam for more than 21.6 million foreigners from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018.

 In the reviewed period, 209 people were denied entry in Vietnam, many of whom are members of reactionary and terrorist organisations abroad.

 From February 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018, the ministry’s Immigration Department granted 422,928 e-visas to foreigners. 

 As many as 924 foreigners were granted permanent residence cards from January 1, 2015 to November 15, 2018, mainly in southern Dong Nai province (429) and Ho Chi Minh City (252).

 According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the number of foreign workers in Vietnam increased to 88,845 in 2018 from 72,172 in 2013.

 Speaking at the conference, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan said no country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has such a big investment and trade environment as Vietnam.

 He suggested revising the 15-day visa exemption policy because tourism is very developing nowadays and foreign travellers could stay for months, not only for several days.

 The revision will help promote tourism growth and socio-economic development, he said.