Title: Joint Circular 03/2016/TTLT-BCA-BQP on guiding the entry, exit and residence of foreigners and control and supervision of foreign vehicles entering and exiting border economic zones and sea ports in economic zones

Type: Joint Circular

Issuing Agency: Ministry of Public Security

Responsible Agency: Ministry of Public Security

Issuing Date: 24-06-2016

 

This Circular provides guidance on the supervision and control of the entry, exit and residence of foreigners, the issuance of visas and sightseeing permits to foreigners to visit border economic zones; the supervision and control of foreign vehicles entering and exiting border economic zones and sea ports in economic zones.

Conditions for entry and exit from border economic zones

1. A foreigner who enters a border economic zone must present any of the following documents:

a) The passport or lawful international travel document that is still valid for at least 06 months;

b) The border pass and other lawful documents as regulated by laws and in conformity with international treaties entered into by Vietnam and neighboring countries with remaining validity of at least 45 days.

2. A foreigner must not be subject to the “chưa cho nhập cảnh” (“entry not approved”) and “tạm hoãn xuất cảnh” (“suspension from exit”) cases as regulated in Article 21 and Article 28 of the Law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

Rules for entry, exit and residence in border economic zones

1. Foreigners may stay in border economic zones up to 15 days.

2. Foreigners may stay in accommodations in border economic zones, with the exception of restricted areas and areas where activities are suspended within the land border area or prohibited or restricted areas within the sea border area.

3. Chinese citizens who are in possession of popular e-passports shall comply with specific guidance of the Ministry of Public Security.

4. If a foreigner enters a border economic zone, he/she shall has the seal of that border economic zone authority appended on his/her travel document (the seal shall follow the form No. 01/KC enclosed herein).

5. If a foreigner who is in possession of a valid passport or international travel document under the categories herein and is temporarily residing in a border economic zone is going to travel outside of that border economic zone, he/she must be guaranteed by An international travel company operated in Vietnam that shall apply for a visa granted to that foreigner by the Immigration Department directly under Ministry of Public Security.

6. If a foreigner who enters Vietnam by using the border pass or other documents as mentioned in Clause 1 Article 3 wants to travel to other sites in the province where the border economic zone is located, he/she must be guaranteed by An international travel company operated in Vietnam that shall apply for a sightseeing permit granted to that foreigner by the Immigration Department directly under Ministry of Public Security (using the form No. 03/GP enclosed herein). That foreigner is not allowed to go sightseeing to other provinces in Vietnam. 

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