PM directs quick repatriation of stranded citizens during Tet
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered quick repatriation of Vietnamese citizens who are stranded overseas due to the hiatus of commercial flights, during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered quick repatriation of Vietnamese citizens who are stranded overseas due to the hiatus of commercial flights, during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.
According to a report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about 600 citizens are being stranded in the Middle East – Africa region, including 200 in Saudi Arabia; 150 in Angola, and 85 in the UAE.
Based on the ministry’s proposal, the PM has requested the Ministry of Transport to urgently permit foreign airlines carrying Vietnamese citizens home and issue related guidance, with localities involved asked for close coordination in COVID-19 prevention and control.
Currently, the ministry has directed Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to monitor the situation of the Vietnamese in their host countries to offer timely assistance and create favourable conditions for them to return home on Tet.
Tet, the longest and most important traditional festival in Vietnam, is considered a time for family reunion./.
The best possible conditions will be created for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) to return to the homeland with safety from the pandemic ensured, especially now that the Lunar New Year festival is just around the corner, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu has said.
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) has suggested reducing repatriation flights to Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat to avoid overcrowding at rapid COVID-19 testing sites at the country’s two largest airports.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue its coordination with other ministries, agencies, localities and airlines to arrange flights to bring overseas Vietnamese back to Vietnam as per their wish, spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said at a regular press conference held by the ministry on January 20.
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Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
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Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
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Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
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According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
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A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) 
