Hanoi (VNA) - As many as 490foreigners have registered for electronic visas to enter Vietnam, 210 of whomhave been issued with their visas, after the first week of the e-visa pilotscheme, the Ministry of Public Security’s Department of Immigration has said.

Major General Le Xuan Vien, head of thedepartment, said that decree 07/2017/ND-CP, which allowed visitors from 40countries to apply and receive Vietnamese visas online, took effect earlierthis month.

Foreigners could apply for visas and pay feesthrough the website. The process takes only three days for an e-visa valid for30 days without requiring letters of guarantee or invitation.

The first foreigner to receive an e-visa wasa British tourist. Britainwas among the countries subject to visa exemption for stays of less than 15days in Vietnam, he added.

Vien said the move was an effort by the Governmentto boost socio-economic development, making it more convenient for foreignersto enter the country without being guaranteed by certain organisations orindividuals.

It also aimed to contribute to thedevelopment of the tourism industry, which hopes to attract between 15 and 20million tourists in the next two years.

Foreigners can apply for e-visas via //www.immigration.gov.vn.

Visitors from the following 40 countries canapply for Vietnam’s e-visas during the course of the pilot programme:Azerbaijan, Argentina, Armenia, Ireland, Poland, Belarus, Bulgaria, Brunei,South Korea, Germany, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Cuba, Denmark, TimorLeste, the United States, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, UnitedKingdom, Luxembourg, Myanmar, Mongolia, Japan, Panama, Peru, Finland, France,the Philippines, Romania, Spain, Sweden, China (not applicable for Chinesee-passport holders), Uruguay, Venezuela, Norway, and Slovakia.

Currently, about 30 nations issue e-visas.The Vietnamese procedures seem to be simpler than most other nations, asforeigners did not have to be fingerprinted, photographed, or interviewed, Viensaid.

Visitors could conduct temporary residencedeclarations online when travelling with e-visas.

"E-visas can be accepted at mostinternational airports and 28 border gates in Vietnam," he said.

In reply to questions on the management ofe-visa holders, Vien said the issuance of e-visas only simplifies proceduresfor foreigners. The process of approving visas remained the same as before.

So far, the Vietnamese Government has signedmore than 80 agreements on visa exemption for 13 nations, including Russia,Denmark, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belarus, Britain,France, Spain and Italy.-VNA