Vietnam’s Immigration Department has announced the automatic extension of temporary residence permits for foreigners stuck in the country due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic will be continued for another month, until the end of July 31.

The announcement, made in accordance with the direction of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and leaders of the Ministry of Public Security, was released on the department’s website on Tuesday.

Accordingly, foreign nationals who have entered Vietnam on visa-free policies, e-visas, or tourist visas since March 1 will have their temporary residence permits automatically extended until the end of July 31. 

This means that until July 31, they can stay or leave the country without carrying out any procedures to extend their stay permit.

Foreigners who entered Vietnam before March 1 will also be considered for the permit extension as long as they obtain documents from their diplomatic mission in Vietnam or relevant Vietnamese authorities showing they have been quarantined or treated for COVID-19, or that they cannot leave the country due to the pandemic or under other force majeure conditions. 

They must present a diplomatic note, with a Vietnamese translation, or documents when they exit Vietnam.

Those given the automatic extension should declare their temporary stay to local police and complete health declaration as per regulations.

Other foreigners who do not fall into the aforementioned categories or have committed illegal actions shall be subject to Vietnam’s existing laws.

The COVID-19 pandemic has grounded commercial flights between Vietnam and other countries since March, except for a few arranged by the government to return stranded foreigners home and bring back Vietnamese from abroad.

Vietnam’s Immigration Department on May 18 announced Vietnam would automatically extend temporary residence permits for foreigners stranded in the nation because of COVID-19 until June 30.

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