TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese travelers planning to visit Vietnam will be able to apply for an electronic visa from Tuesday (Aug. 15) as the country relaxes visa rules to boost tourism.

The government of Vietnam published a notice on Monday (Aug. 14) that citizens from all countries and areas will be allowed to obtain an e-visa starting Aug. 15. Taiwan is included in the measure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has confirmed.

The e-visa is valid for 30 days and single entry. Issuance of the document takes three working days at a fee of US$25 (NT$799). An approval letter is no longer required to enter Vietnam, said foreign ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu (劉永健) at a regular briefing.

MOFA has raised concerns about the high cost of visas and other relevant documents Taiwanese citizens must acquire to visit Vietnam. The paperwork could cost up to NT$6,000, including the fees applicants pay to travel service providers, per TVBS.

Vietnam has emerged as one of the favorite destinations in Southeast Asia thanks to its diverse landscapes, wrote DW. It saw 6.6 million arrivals of international visitors in the first seven months of this year, reaching 85% of the year’s eight million target, but still paled in comparison to the 18 million mark seen in 2019.

VietJet Air last week announced new flights to Vietnam’s coastal city of Nha Trang, which will be only 2.5 hours away from Kaohsiung.