Canadian citizens who want to visit Vietnam can now do so, but only if the reason for their visit is of utmost importance. For instance, if you are a businessman and you need to take care of some important matters in Vietnam, then you will be allowed to enter the country. But in order to be allowed entry, you must first apply for a business visa. As a Canadian citizen, you are required to have a visa before you can enter Vietnam. But take note that applying for a visa to Vietnam these days is different from before the Covid days. Read on to find out more about this.
Changes to Vietnam Visa Applications Due to Covid-19
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs and businessmen who need a visa to Vietnam can apply for their visa directly from the Vietnam Immigration Department. They also have the option to apply for a pre-approval letter online and get their visa upon arrival in Vietnam. But that’s no longer the case these days. You need to have a sponsor company that can apply for the business visa on your behalf.
If a Vietnamese company is inviting you into the country, then that company should apply for your visa. The company must first write a letter to the Local People’s Committee to ask permission for your visit. That way, a travel permit will be issued, which is an important requirement for getting a business visa.
Who Can Enter Vietnam During the Covid-19 Pandemic?
Remember that even though Vietnam has already opened its borders and has started to allow international flights to land at its airports, not everyone is eligible to enter the country. For now, the Vietnamese authorities are only allowing the entry of visitors whose purpose of the visit is absolutely essential. These include the following:
- Foreign entrepreneurs and investors
- Diplomats
- Skilled workers and experts
- Vietnamese citizens going home
- Foreigners on official duty
- Special caseworkers
Vietnam Business Visa Requirements for Canadian Citizens
To get approved for a Vietnam business visa, you should prepare the following:
- A letter from your sponsor company addressed to the Local People’s Committee to ask permission for your visit. It should include details about your travel itinerary.
- Travel permit that will be issued by the Local People’s Committee.
- A confirmed hotel booking for your 14-day quarantine. The hotel booking should also include a pre-booked vehicle for airport pickup.
- Travel insurance that can cover the cost of Covid-19 treatment. Those who don’t have insurance should submit a document stating that the sponsor company must shoulder the cost of treatment if they get sick while in Vietnam.
Process of Applying for a Vietnam Business Visa this Covid-19 Pandemic
Below are the steps to apply business visa to Vietnam during this Covid-19 pandemic.
- First, your sponsor company should send a letter to the Local People’s Committee of the city that you plan to visit. If your visit is approved, they will issue the travel permit.
- Next, your sponsor company should submit the travel permit to the Vietnam Immigration Department to apply for your business visa.
- When your business visa is issued, it’s time to book your flight to Vietnam.
Applying for a visa to Vietnam during this Covid-19 season is somewhat complicated. And if you do not have any sponsor company, things can get even more difficult. In this case, you might want to ask for help from a local agency in Vietnam. The agency could sponsor your visit and send a letter to the Local People’s Committee. That way, Vietnam Immigration will be able to issue you a business visa.
Covid-19 Test and Quarantine Requirements
To ensure that the Covid-19 virus will not spread rapidly into the country, the Vietnamese authorities have required all travelers to submit a negative result of the Covid-19 test and undergo quarantine upon their entry.
For the Covid-19 test, it should be taken at least 3 to 5 days before your flight to Vietnam. It should be taken at a WHO-certified laboratory in Canada and must clearly indicate that you are negative of the Covid-19 virus.
Since all visitors will be asked to quarantine upon their arrival, a hotel booking from any of the designated facilities for quarantine will also be required. The government of Vietnam has provided a list of hotels that have been designated as quarantine facilities in the country. Foreign visitors can spend their quarantine at any of these hotels. They are also required to prebook a vehicle for hotel pickup since they will not be allowed to take public transportation from the airport.
The hotel booking for quarantine already includes the cost of meals for the entire duration of the quarantine. While on quarantine, the visitor will be tested for Covid-19 twice, and will only be allowed to go out of the hotel if both results are negative.
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