Vietnam Airlines' check-in counter for passengers with IATA travel pass. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s authorities are working to soon implement a ‘vaccine passport’ programme and adjust entry and exit regulations to facilitate foreign entries into the country, according to deputy foreign ministry spokesperson Đoàn Khắc Việt.

He made the remarks on Thursday during a press briefing in response to reporters’ questions on plans to expand the ‘vaccine passport’ programme, following the first flight applying the model, bringing fully vaccinated Vietnamese citizens back from Japan.

The country has closed off its borders against foreign arrivals since March last year, but has gradually allowed in a limited number of foreign diplomats, experts, executives, highly skilled workers, and repatriated Vietnamese, but there is no solid plan to welcome tourists yet.

On August 4, the health ministry issued guidelines on new quarantine protocols for people who have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines or have recovered from the disease, Việt said, referring to the new decision to cut mandatory quarantine to 7 days.

"To achieve the dual goals of pandemic containment and socio-economic development, Vietnamese authorities are expediting the implementation of vaccine passports, modifying regulations on exit and entry to facilitate the entry of foreign experts, labourers and investors into Việt Nam, as well as studying and piloting the tourism sandbox model for fully vaccinated tourists from overseas,” the diplomat said.

Phú Quốc island in the southern province of Kiên Giang is slated to be the first to open to international tourists under the pilot vaccine passport later this year once the local population has been fully inoculated, according to the Government.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính in a recent cabinet meeting has reiterated the call to draw up the plan to welcome 2-3 million foreign tourists to Phú Quốc by the end of the year. — VNS