Overseas Vietnamese targeted
HANOI - Overseas Vietnamese shall enjoy the same rate of service
charges and fees as those applicable to Vietnamese citizens in the country,
according to a new governmental decree issued on July 31.
Under the decision, Vietnamese citizens residing abroad and holding
Vietnamese passports, and overseas Vietnamese holding foreign passports
and their certified family members, are entitled to a single price regime,
covering service charges and travel fares. The decision also stipulates that
overseas Vietnamese bearing foreign passports, who are certified to have
rendered services to the national liberation and construction, are to be
exempted from visa fees when entering or leaving Vietnam.
In order to facilitate and encourage Vietnamese nationals residing abroad
to have closer links to the homeland and enable them to make active
contributions to the national construction cause, the government asks:
* The Ministry of Construction to coordinate with the Ministry of Justice,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to submit a housing
policy applicable to overseas Vietnamese to the government for approval.
* The Ministry of Culture and Information to coordinate with the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs to organize traditional cultural activities in foreign
countries, particularly in those countries having a large Vietnamese
community. * The Ministry of Education and Training is to coordinate with
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to open Vietnamese
language training courses for overseas Vietnamese communities in
conformity with the laws of the countries concerned.
The decision also contains regulations on promoting Vietnamese
broadcasts and disseminating information about Vietnam through the Web
and other publications, and provides subsidies to promote Vietnam's
traditional culture among the Vietnamese community abroad.
The decision, effective in 15 days from the signing date, is in furtherance
of the party and state's line, which considers the Vietnamese community
abroad an integral part of the nation.
The Asia Times - August 4, 2001.
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