If you are from Cambodia and you are thinking of visiting Vietnam during this time, it’s important to know that there are requirements that you need to prepare beforehand. Also, Vietnam will only allow the entry of visitors who are visiting for essential reasons. Therefore, tourists are still not allowed. You can only enter if you are a foreign worker, expert, specialist, business manager, investor, and diplomat.
If you are a foreign worker and you need to go to Cambodia to provide essential work, you need to first contact your company in Vietnam so they can prepare the necessary requirements. Without these requirements, you will not be allowed to enter Vietnam.
Before you enter Vietnam, your company should request permission from the local People’s Committee. For example, if your company is based in Hanoi, they should get permission from the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee. When the request is approved, they will issue an entry permit, which you need to present upon entry. This is the procedure that Cambodian businessmen, investors, and workers must follow.
To apply for the entry permit, the company will be asked to submit some requirements. Aside from the passport copy of the applicant, the company will also be asked to provide a signed document that proves that such applicant is an employee of the company.
The Municipal People’s Committee will also inform the local health officials about the arrival of the foreign visitor. They will arrange for the hotel that will serve as the visitor’s quarantine facility. The sponsoring company must shoulder the cost of the stay.
Once the entry permit is approved, the next step is to request written approval from the Immigration Department of Vietnam. The letter will state that they are requesting the entry of the foreign worker and that a visa must be issued to him or her. Even though Cambodian visitors are exempted from a Vietnam visa, entering the country during this time will require them to have a visa.
To request the written approval, a copy of the applicant’s passport must be sent. They also need to submit the NA16 form and notarized business license. Once this is approved, Vietnam Immigration will approve the visa of the foreign visitor.
The Vietnamese authorities will also require all foreign visitors to secure a medical certificate before entry. It should show that the visitor is free from the Covid-19 disease. The test should be conducted through a PCR test and was done at least 3 to 5 days before the date of the flight.
It’s important to note that the Vietnamese authorities will only accept the medical certificate if the test was conducted by a certified laboratory in Cambodia. The laboratory should be authorized by the WHO to conduct a Covid-19 test.
The visitor will be asked to undergo a medical exam upon arrival in Vietnam. This is to check if he or she has symptoms of Covid-19. Anyone showing symptoms will immediately be isolated and will be asked to undergo treatment. The medical exam will include a temperature check to determine if a fever is present. If the visitor does not have any symptoms, then he or she will be allowed to proceed to immigration.
At the Immigration, visitors will be asked to show their passport and visa. Just like with traveling to Vietnam prior to the pandemic, the immigration officer might ask the foreign visitor for the purpose of the visit.
The immigration officer might also ask for a copy of the written approval and some other documents to prove that your entry to Vietnam is eligible. After going through your documents, your passport will then be stamped for entry.
Remember that you can only proceed to your hotel for isolation if a private vehicle will pick you up. To avoid the spread of Covid-19, the Vietnamese authorities will not permit foreign visitors to take public transport. The sponsor company will be responsible for arranging the vehicle. It’s also important that the hotel that the company will book for quarantine is government-approved. This must be coordinated with the Local Health Office.
On the first day of the quarantine, the visitor will be tested for Covid-19. They will also be closely monitored by a local health official while in isolation. Another test will be made a day before the end of isolation. If the visitor tests negative on both tests, then he or she can end quarantine and start conducting work. While working, the foreign visitor must adhere to the health and safety protocols that the Vietnam government has put in place to avoid the spread of Covid-19 disease.
