VietNamNet Bridge – The first-ever online visa grant system of Vietnam was put into use on March 14, allowing users to declare and ask for visa online to at a certain level.

The launching ceremony.

The system was inaugurated on the morning of March 14, by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son and country director of the World Bank Victoria Kwakwa.

Foreigners are from now on able to register and fill in visa application forms provided at the website http://visa.mofa.gov.vn instead of getting the forms at Vietnamese representative agencies around the world.

Foreigners and Vietnamese who bear foreign passports can also access the information related to visa to enter the country and their applications’ status on the website.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also inaugurated the Database Center to enhance automation in job handling and administrative reforms, link the ministry’s departments together in a unified network infrastructure and share database with other agencies and ministries.

The visa applications are sent to the center and shared in the Ministry’s network and the links which the ministry shares with other Government agencies.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh said that the utility of online visa issue is expected to attract more foreign individuals and businesses to visit and work in the country, contributing to promoting people-to-people exchanges and national socio-economic development.

WB Country Director for Vietnam, Victoria Kwakwa said the online visa application system will help shorten the visa issuing duration to two working days. This is a significant achievement of the country compared to many other countries, said Kwakwa.

Tran Cham