Directive No. 9-TTg On Rectifying the Invitation of Foreign Guests and Prohibiting Visa Services

 DIRECTIVE

ON REGULATING THE INVITATION OF FOREIGNERS AND STRICTLY PROHIBITING "VISA SERVICE"

According to reports from relevant sectors, there are currently too many organizations and individuals inviting, receiving, and handling procedures for foreigners entering Vietnam, including some organizations established solely for profit-making "visa service," collecting money from customers beyond the regulations set by the State, causing negative impacts.

The unregulated development of domestic and foreign "visa service" agencies as mentioned above also creates unhealthy competition among service business units such as poaching clients, price undercutting, price fixing, slandering each other, disclosing internal Vietnamese issues to foreign clients, and generating numerous negative and complex situations within consular offices, immigration management agencies, service business organizations, and international border gates.

To end this situation, the Prime Minister issues the following directive:

1- State agencies, mass organizations, and socio-economic organizations that need to invite, receive, and work with foreigners must strictly comply with Directive No. 56-CT/TW dated December 4, 1989, of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and the Management Regulations for Outbound and Inbound Delegations issued together with Decree No. 12-CP dated December 1, 1992, of the Government.

Only those agencies, organizations, and groups authorized to invite foreigners (as stipulated in Article 4 of the Management Regulations for Outbound and Inbound Delegations) may communicate and interact with domestic immigration management agencies and Vietnamese diplomatic and consular agencies abroad to handle entry procedures for foreigners into Vietnam but shall not charge any fees under any form. Inviting agencies and organizations must genuinely have direct relations with the activities of the guests and bear responsibility before Vietnamese competent authorities for their invitations and guarantees regarding the reception, management of guests from entry to exit according to the purpose and program applied for entry.

2- For foreigners and overseas Vietnamese requesting entry into Vietnam not covered by point 1 above (meaning they do not have authorized Vietnamese agencies or organizations to invite and handle entry procedures), the agency responsible for communication and interaction with immigration management agencies and consulates to process entry procedures for guests is:

- The Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Investment Trading Centers under the State Committee on Cooperation and Investment, and Investment Consulting Service Companies licensed by the State Committee on Cooperation and Investment to provide investment consulting services with foreign countries and registered as enterprises: for merchants or foreigners coming to investigate trading and investment opportunities...

- Tourism enterprises holding licenses for international tourism operations (in accordance with the Tourism Business Management Regulations issued together with Decree No. 37-HĐBT dated January 28, 1992): for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese entering through tourism routes.

- The Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Commission: for overseas Vietnamese returning to study, economic, scientific, technological, cultural, social cooperation, and visiting relatives and hometowns.

These assigned agencies are responsible for guaranteeing Vietnamese competent authorities in the reception, guidance, and management of guests according to the purpose, program, or tour registration with immigration management agencies from entry to exit.

3- At Vietnamese diplomatic and consular agencies abroad and agencies tasked with processing entry procedures for foreigners into Vietnam, it is required to publicly announce the procedures and conditions for obtaining visas set by the Vietnamese State, publicly post consular fee schedules when issuing visas, and strictly collect fees according to the posted schedule, absolutely prohibiting any agency, organization, or individual (including the liaison agencies mentioned in point 2 above) from collecting additional fees from customers beyond the prescribed consular fee schedule.

4- Strictly prohibit agencies, organizations, and individuals from exploiting the right to invite guests or the right to act as liaison agencies to gather guests for "visa service," meaning only collecting "service" fees to facilitate entry procedures for guests without ensuring reception, management, allowing them to enter, travel, and operate freely on Vietnamese territory.

The Ministries of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Finance, the State Committee on Cooperation and Investment, the General Administration of Tourism, and the Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Commission need to strengthen supervision over this work. Collectives and individuals at any position who violate current State regulations on inviting, receiving, managing foreigners and collecting, submitting, and using consular fees will be dealt with severely or prosecuted under the law.

The Prime Minister requests Ministers, Heads of Central Departments, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees to pay attention to directing and supervising subordinate units and individuals to implement this Directive effectively./.