~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

[Year 1997]
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Vietnam ends need for visas

Vietnam's prime minister, Phan Van Khai, has signed legislation which will eliminate the need for Vietnamese citizens to obtain exit visas before travelling abroad.

The new law follows United States pressure on Hanoi to relax its emigration procedures so that it can override American legislation that restricts U.S trade with communist countries.

But correspondents say widespread poverty in Vietnam means that few Vietnamese will be able to take advantage of the new law becuase of the costs of overseas travel.

BBC, 18 Nov 1997