Viet Nam reopens for limited international travel
Viet Nam will re-open for international commercial air travel in stages from December 15 for travellers from a number of approved countries, the country’s Ministry of Transport announced.
A statement on December 8 said the plan for the resumption of international services had been sent to Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính for approval. None of the country’s airlines made any immediate announcements, although Vietnam Airlines (VN, Hanoi) on social media reported it had carried out the first direct flight by a Vietnamese carrier from San Francisco, CA (USA) to Ho Chi Minh City on December 1.
The re-opening of international services comes in response to travel demand from Vietnamese citizens over the upcoming year-end and Lunar New Year, and from foreigners wanting to enter Vietnam for work, investment, and tourism reasons, the Ministry said.
The resumption of flights will take place in two phases:
Phase One from December 15:
flights will be allowed from the following nine destinations representing countries that were deemed safe and which are Vietnam’s most important political and economic partners: Beijing Daxing Int’l (China), Tokyo Narita (Japan), Seoul Incheon (South Korea), Taipei Taoyuan (Taiwan), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (Thailand), Singapore Changi, Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), San Francisco or Los Angeles Int’l (USA);
international flights will only operate to two international airports: Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City;
four flights a week per direction will be allowed, representing 14,000 arrivals per week;
these overseas markets hosting a large number of Vietnamese citizens currently living, studying, or working there, resulting in high demand for repatriation.
Phase 2 from January 15, 2022: (within one month from the end of Phase One)
in addition to the above nine markets, Vietnam will open to flights from Kuala Lumpur Int’l (Malaysia), Hong Kong Int’l, Paris CDG (France), Frankfurt Int’l (Germany), Sydney Kingsford Smith (Australia), and Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia);
in addition to Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat, international flights will now also be allowed to land at Da Nang, Nha Trang Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc, and Quang Ninh;
frequencies will increase to seven flights a week per direction, representing 40,000 arrivals per week.
During the second phase, the Transport Ministry will review and re-assess the complete normalisation of international operations. The resumption of flights with other countries will only be considered on a reciprocal basis.
The Ministry also advised the lifting of quarantine regulations for fully-vaccinated passengers or those who have recovered from COVID-19, have tested negative by rapid antigen testing or PCR testing within 72 hours before departure.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently negotiating for the mutual recognition of so-called vaccine passports, with priority to be given to countries included in the two-phase reopening, the statement said.