Hanoi (VNA) – The US will suspend the granting of SR and EB5 visas, including I5 andR5, to Vietnamese citizens from March 23, 2018, the US Embassy in Vietnamannounced.

“SR, I5 and R5 visasmay only be issued prior to March 23, 2018. After this date, no SR, I5 or R5visas may be issued until this programme is reauthorised by the US Congress,”the embassy said on its website.

Pope Thrower, thespokesperson of the embassy, told Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper that the twoprogrammes have expired globally and target no specific country, includingVietnam.

The expiration willnot affect the classification of other immigration and non-immigration visas,the spokesperson said.

Under the resolutionapproved by the US Congress on February 9, the special immigration programmefor labourers working in diplomatic religion, except evangelists, will expireon March 23, 2018, Thrower noted.

He noted that aftermidnight of March 22, there will be no SR (religious worker) visas issuedabroad nor actions to adjust the status.

The resolution alsoexpands the immigrant investor pilot programme to March 23, 2018, he said,stressing that there will be neither I5 and R5 visas granted abroad nor actionsto adjust the status after the date.

The spokespersonpledged that the embassy will update information on the US’s visa policy at itswebsite, the website of the US’s Consulate General and at travel.state.gov.

The country's EB-5 investor visa hasfour categories. The I5 visa is for investors who participate in aninvestor pilot programme in a targeted area; the R5 is for investors whoparticipate in an investor pilot programme not in a targeted area; the C5 isfor investors who create jobs outside of targeted areas; and the T5 is forinvestors who create jobs in targeted rural or high unemployment areas.-VNA