[Vnbiz] Procedures for Overseas Vietnamese to obtain Certificate of Visa Exemption

[Tran Dinh Hoanh]

Dear CACC,

As you know, starting September 1, 2007, overseas Vietnamese do not need a
visa to enter Vietnam.  But for that, they need to carry a Certificate of
Visa Exemption.

Today, the first working day of September (yesterday was the Labor Day in
the US and the Independence day in Vietnam), the Vietnamese Embassy in
Washington DC issued the first 20 Certificates of Visa Exemption to 20
overseas Vietnamese.  Phuong and I were two of them.  There was a small,
friendly half-hour ceremony at the Embassy for the Ambassador to hand out
the Certificates.  (Professor Long, brother Hong Phong's father, was
supposed to have his, but as you know, he has been hospitalized).

The effort by the government to make sure things start on the promised date
and to send a loud and clear message to the OV community is to be
commended.  I can see that there is a very serious effort by President
Nguyen Minh Triet's government to work with the OV community.  I used the
opportunity this morning to press again about the need to allow OVs to own
properties in Vietnam and to hold dual citizenship.

The procedure to obtain Certificate of Visa Exemption is fairly simple.
Each Certificate has an expiration date of five years after the date of
issue, to be renewed after such time.

The Application for Certificate of Visa Exemption is short and simple.  I
have attached 2 files for a copy of the Application here for your use, in
case you need it.

You also need to show ONE document that can prove that you are an OV, such
as your Passort or (US) Travel Document (that has Vietnam as your birth
place), or your old Vietnamese birth certificate, or one of those old
Vietnamese IDs (including IDs issued by the old South Vietnam).  You just
need only ONE document to make the proof.

You also needs two passport photos of yourself (not of your neighbor :-)

Processing fee is US $20 (which is very inexpensive).

According to the official procedure, you should receive your Certificate
seven days after your paperwork is completed.

The government has just installed a new website for this visa exemption
program.  It is at

*http://mienthithucvk.mofa.gov.vn *

The Embassy in Washington DC has two persons you can call to ask:

chi Nguyen Cong Dung is the consular counsellor at (02) 861 0737 x222
anh Nguyen Van Trung is counsellor in charge of OVs at (202) 202) 861 0737
x335

Anh Trung is a really nice person.  Call him and tell him that I refer you
to him.

Of course, if you run into problems in the visa-exemption process, I would
love to know.  Please kindly email me.

I hope this message helps.

Have a great day!

Hoanh
_____________

Tran Dinh Hoanh, Esq., LLB, JD
Washington DC
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