Foreigners should enjoy simplified administrative procedures when itcomes to obtaining residence permits from early April thanks to a newGovernment resolution.
After that date, foreignersapplying for temporary residence permits will find that their cards arevalid up to five years instead of the current three years.
According to the Government Office's Administrative Procedure ControlDepartment, the extension of temporary residence cards will boostinternational integration and attract more foreign investment to thecountry.
Those who lodge a permanent residence permitapplication will no longer have to declare their nationality, birthplaceand home address before entering Vietnam or their workplace andhome addresses in the country.
That information will be certified in the applicants' curriculum vitae, the resolution said.
Permits will be approved within four months, a reduction of two months on the current regulation.
If papers needs to be verified, procedures will take a further two months rather than the current three months.
Under the new rules, foreigners who hold permanent residence permitswill be required to present at the Ministry of Public Security everyfive years, and not every three years as currently required.
Jim Rogers, who comes from the US and has worked in Vietnam foreight years, said he is yet to obtain a permanent residence card becauseof the complicated procedures.
"Simpler procedures willmake it easier to come and live and work in Vietnam and we work herebecause we just love the country and its people," he said./.