The Vietnamese Embassy has asked Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to create the best possible conditions for Vietnamese nationals to enter.

During the working session with the ICA on July 24, the embassy also requested Singapore prepare interpreters to help Vietnamese citizens complete entry procedures while demanding agencies at Changi Airport respect those from Vietnam, the Minister- Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy Nguyen Minh Hang told Vietnam News Agency correspondents.

The ICA agreed on the abovementioned proposals and pledged to increase information exchanges and coordination with the embassy and airlines which operate flights between the two countries to facilitate Vietnamese nationals’ entry to Singapore, Hang said.

Singapore welcomes citizens from all countries, including Vietnam, to visit and it does not practice any forms of discrimination against Vietnamese nationals, the Minister-Counsellor cited the ICA.

The ICA said the number of Vietnamese people coming to Singapore has doubled over the past five years, and 98 percent of them entered the country without any problems.

However, those using passports with different personal information to enter Singapore repeatedly are subject to entry denial. The ICA also denies entry for individuals who used to violate local laws, or entered repeatedly but failed to explain clearly their entry purposes, or entered to seek employment.

Hang said the ICA explained that it asked some female Vietnamese nationals about their purposes and related papers and took their fingerprints did not mean it suspected those people or they would not be permitted to enter.

They authority said similar procedures are applied to citizens from many other countries to help with exit and entry management, adding that many countries do the same.

Hang reassured Vietnamese people about visiting Singapore and noted that they must prepare sufficient documents as required and clearly declare their entry intentions and duration of stay.

She added the embassy will continue working with Singaporean relevant agencies and airlines to make it easier to enter the country on the basis of bilateral agreements and common deals of ASEAN.-VNA