New Zealand Mulls Granting Long-Term Visas to Vietnamese Nationals

Gerry Brownlee, the Speaker of New Zealand, has pledged to advocate for granting long-term visas to Vietnamese citizens.

Brownlee made such a promise during a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Monday, VisaGuide.World reports.

With the commitment to visa relaxation, Gerry expressed his appreciation for the contributions of the Vietnamese community to his country and the bilateral relationship between the two nations, as reported by VN Express International.

Additionally, he agreed to enhance people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation, aiming to increase the friendship and unity between the two nations.

The meeting took place during the official visit of Prime Minister Chinh and his spouse to New Zealand, following an invitation by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, from March 10 to 11.

As further reported by the Vietnamese newspaper, about 11,000 nationals of the Vietnam community live in New Zealand, with the majority of them residing in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.

Meanwhile, a New Zealand visitor visa permits stays of either up to six months for multiple entry or nine months for single entry. Further, New Zealand provides 25 types of visitor visas. Among other things, holders of New Zealand visitor visas are allowed to bring their partners or family members.

Regarding this issue, Vietnam has not yet waived visas for citizens from New Zealand. New Zealanders still need to apply for a visa for a three-month stay with multiple entries if they intend to visit Vietnam.

Vietnamese Citizens Can Travel Visa-Free to 28 Countries

At present, the Vietnamese passport ranks 138th, according to the VisaGuide Passport Index. This means that citizens of Vietnam are able to travel without visas to only 28 countries and territories worldwide.

On the other hand, Vietnamese passport holders are required to obtain a visa to travel to 140 other countries.

Source: VisaGuide.World

China Reduced Visa Fees for Travelers of Vietnam & Some Other Countries

In addition to New Zealand, some other countries have changed some of their visa policies for citizens of Vietnam.

Last December, China lowered visa fees by 25 percent for travelers from several countries, including Vietnam. Among other things, this measure is part of China’s broader efforts to stimulate the country’s economy. Reportedly, this policy will be valid until the end of December 2024.

Recently, the South Korean province Jelloa extended the visa-free entry period for citizens of Vietnam until March 3. Despite Vietnamese citizens, this policy also included the citizens of Indonesia and the Philippines.