Vietnam Likely To Allow Visa-Free Entry For Indians: Report

In a bid to drive tourism recovery, Vietnam's tourism minister has called for short-term visa waivers for major markets like China and India.

Nguyn Van Jung, Vietnam's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism at a conference chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also suggested waivers for visitors from wealthy countries such as Australia, Canada, the U.S., and the remaining 20 members of the 27-member E.U, a report by the Vietnamese news agency VnExpress said.

Currently, only citizens of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland can enter Vietnam without a visa, the report said.

If this policy is implemented, Vietnam will become the third country after Sri Lanka and Thailand to allow visa-free entry for Indians.

Thailand has granted visa-free entry for Indian nationals since November 10.

Last month, Sri Lankan Cabinet approved the policy to issue free tourist visas to travellers from India and six other countries.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Ali Sabry in a statement said that this would be carried out as a pilot project effective until March 31, 2024.

The Cabinet approved free entry to travellers from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand with immediate effect.

India is traditionally Sri Lanka’s top inbound tourism market.

In the September arrival figures, India topped with over 30,000 arrivals or 26% with Chinese tourists trailing at over 8,000 arrivals as the second largest group.

Tourist arrivals to the island had slumped since the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that left 270 persons, including 11 Indians, dead and over 500 injured.

(With PTI inputs)