On 24 July 2020, the National Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of COVID-19 issued Official Letter No. 3949/CV-BCD regarding enhancing assurance of COVID-19 epidemic prevention for experts entering Vietnam to work (“Official Letter No. 3949”).
Also, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Official Letter No. 2814/UBND-VX regarding the utilization of tourist accommodation establishments as paid quarantine locations for people entering Vietnam (“Official Letter No. 2814”).
Related: Vietnam grants automatic visa extension for foreigners until July 31 free of charge
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Given the significant increase in the number of entry requests and because policies and practices regarding the entry of foreigners are constantly changing, please always check with us for timely updates.
If you need further details or assistance on how to file the request to bring in or bring back foreign employees and their family members into Vietnam, please do not hesitate to contact us.
In more detail
1. Additional requirements applicable for foreigners coming to Vietnam to work and for sponsoring entities
According to Official Letter No. 3949, organizations that invite experts to enter Vietnam to work must ensure the following:
- Experts are tested for SARS-CoV-2 by Real-time – PCR technique 3 to 7 days prior to the date of entry into Vietnam.
- SARS-CoV-2 tests must be carried out in a laboratory approved by governments or under the laboratory system of the World Health Organization.
- Experts bear international health insurance; or the agencies or organizations who invite experts commit to paying for treatment in case such experts are infected with COVID-19.
- Organizations inviting experts are responsible for ensuring that precautions for COVID-19 prevention and control are taken when inviting experts to work.
The above requirements do not apply to experts who already have their tickets and are entering Vietnam before 5 August 2020.
2. Eight hotels officially confirmed to be used as pay-to-stay quarantine locations in Ho Chi Minh City
According to Official Letter No. 2814, the eight hotels below have been selected to be paid quarantine locations for people entering through Ho Chi Minh City:
| No. | Name | Address | Rate | No. of rooms |
| 1. | Holiday Inn Hotel | No. 18E Cong Hoa Street, Ward 4, Tan Binh District | 5 star | 350 |
| 2. | IBIS Saigon Airport Hotel | No. 02 Hong Ha Street, Ward 2, Tan Binh District | 4 star | 273 |
| 3. | Bat Dat Hotel | No 238-244 Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 11, District 5 | 3 star | 77 |
| 4. | Des Arts Saigon Hotel | No 76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ward 6, District 3 | 5 star | 165 |
| 5. | Le Meridien Saigon Hotel | No. 3C Ton Duc Thang, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1 | 5 star | 224 |
| 6. | IBIS Saigon South Hotel | No. 73 Hoang Van Thai, Phu My Hung, Tan Phu Ward, District 7 | 3 star | 140 |
| 7. | De Nhat Hotel | No. 18 Hoang Viet Street, Ward 4, Tan Binh District | 4 star | 152 |
| 8. | Norfolk Hotel | No. 117-119 Le Thanh Ton Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1 | 4 star | 104 |
By Thuy Hang Nguyen, Partner @ Baker Mckenzie. Read originally post on bakermckenzie.com