A common tourist visa on the horizon for Southeast Asian countries

PHNOM PENH, Sept 20 — Four countries in the Southeast Asian sub-region are considering creating one common visa zone in a bid to attract a larger number of international tourists.

Tourism ministers of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar discussed the possibility of creating a unified visa zone for international tourists travelling within the Mekong river sub-region at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh this weekend. The idea is to minimise the large number of visas currently required to a single permit that would allow travellers to tour the countries.

The aim of the project is to attract over 25 million foreign tourists between 2013 and 2015, out of which 4 million are expected to travel within at least two of the four countries.

The four countries received over 12 million international visitors in 2011, a 14.5 per cent increase over 2010. The countries calculate that around 2.1 million tourists travelled within the zone.

Thailand is considering joining the programme after it settles its bilateral agreement with Cambodia.

Visa requirements differ from country to country

Currently, all visitors to Myanmar are required to obtain an entry visa. The tourist visa allows a stay of 28 days, extendable for 14 days. Visas to Myanmar must be requested at the nearest embassy.

Almost all travellers to Cambodia require a tourist visa except nationals of Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. The tourist visa has a three-month validity for a stay of up to 30 days. Visa applications can now be done online

Citizens of some nations such as the US can obtain a tourist visa for Laos on arrival for approximately US$35 (RM110). Other nationalities need to contact the nearest Laos embassy to apply for a tourist visa. Generally visas for Laos are granted for 30 days and can be extended to 60 days.

Most of the Asian travellers wanting to visit Vietnam do not need a visa if they plan to stay for 30 days or less. Nationals of South Korea, Japan, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland do not need a visa if they plan to stay less than 15 days (applied for both tourist and business travellers). Citizens of other countries are required to obtain an entry visa for Vietnam before departure or an approval letter for a Visa on arrival (the visa is issued on arrival at Vietnam International Airports).

European Schengen Treaty

Remember when touring within Europe required numerous visas? Twenty-five countries in Europe now belong to the Schengen zone, an area where internal border controls are eliminated. Tourists can travel for up to 90 days within the member countries within a period of six months. — AFP/Relaxnews

Sourced: themalaysianinsider