Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (centre) chairs the Government’s March session on law-making in Hà Nội on March 27. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has emphasised the need to better facilitate entry and exit procedures during a lawmaking session in Hà Nội on Monday.

Among the items on the agenda were extending tourist visas' validity to three months and easing conditions for Vietnamese citizens to apply for foreign entry visas. 

PM Chính assigned the Ministry of Public Security to collaborate with the other ministries and agencies to draft amendments and supplements to several articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese citizens and the Law on foreigners' entry into, exit from, transit through and residence in Việt Nam.

The proposal will be submitted to the National Assembly for inclusion in the 2023 Law and Ordinance Development Programme.

The session examined a range of topics covering both foreigners coming to Việt Nam and facilitating Vietnamese citizens going abroad.

The PM said most cabinet members agreed with the proposal to raise the validity of e-visas to 90 days (from the current 30 days) with single and multiple entries applicable, granting e-visas to citizens of all countries and territories (with the list decided by the Government), and increase the duration of temporary residence at the border gate for people entering the country under the visa exemption categories from 15 days to 45 days.

PM Chính said that amending the Law on Citizenship Identity is important as it greatly affects people's rights and interests.

The amendment's content has many new issues, attracting many different comments, so it needs to be carefully reviewed and evaluated, he added.

He requested that the amendment complies with the Party's guidelines, the Resolution of the Government, and the provisions of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

"It does not need to be hasty," he said.

For the amendment of the Law on Credit Institutions, Chính said it is a law with many complicated and sensitive contents, which greatly impacts the whole society and the economy.

The amendment is necessary to meet the requirements of the new situation, especially to ensure the safety of the banking system, market transparency, and mobilise resources for socio-economic development.

PM Chính also told the State Bank of Vietnam to work with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office and relevant agencies to absorb opinions and finish the amendment and report to the Prime Minister before submitting it to the National Assembly for consideration and comments at the fifth session of 15th National Assembly.

Concluding the meeting, Chính said the Government has highly focused on implementing the Party's guidelines and the State's laws, including carrying out three strategic breakthroughs, especially institutional breakthroughs over the past time.

In the first three months of this year, the Government held three sessions on law-making, commenting on 16 laws’ amendments and drafting legal documents, he said.

He also highly appreciated the ministries and sectors for actively preparing and submitting the amendments and proposals for law development, seriously absorbing and explaining in detail, ensuring progress and quality. — VNS