Vietnam - Sri Lanka relations
Vietnam and Sri Lanka have many similarities. They both enjoy
strategic locations near the most important communication lines
of the sea. Vietnam is in the centre of Southeast Asia while Sri
Lanka in the middle of Indian Ocean. For both of them, the sea
is vital for their development. Moreover, both are in the
tropical and monsoon areas, where agriculture is important. In
both countries, Buddhism is the main religion.
The links between Vietnam and Sri Lanka dated back many
years. Having suffered hundred years under the colonialists, the
people of both countries share their sympathy and support to
each other in the struggle for independence and freedom. It has
been recorded in the history that Ho Chi Minh, the beloved
leader of Vietnam, has visited Sri Lanka at least 3 times: The
first time, He stopped over in Colombo on 14 June 1911; the
second time was in 1928 and the last time in October 1946. In
the 1960s, many Sri Lankan students and youths went down the
streets to join the demonstrations against the American War in
Vietnam.
The official relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka began in
July 1964 when the two countries set up consular relations. On
21 July 1970, the two countries upgraded their diplomatic
relations to ambassadorial level. Vietnam opened first permanent
diplomatic mission in Colombo in 1971. After the reunification
of Vietnam in 1975, the relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka
witnessed some steps of development, including the visit to Sri
Lanka in 1976 by H.E. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh, Foreign Minister of
the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of
South Vietnam and the visit to Sri Lanka from 2-5 March 1978 by
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, during which the two
sides concluded agreements on trade, culture and post services.
However, in the 1980s, both Vietnam and Sri Lanka were facing
a lot of difficulties. Vietnam was forced to close down some
diplomatic offices in the world, including its embassy in
Colombo. Due to some objective conditions, the relations between
the two countries could not develop much in the 1980s and 1990s.
In the early 2000s, Vietnam was stepping up its process of
renovation and open-door policy, while Sri Lanka was in need of
the international support to finish off the domestic conflict.
The two countries enhanced the exchange of visits, leading to
the opening of Sri Lankan Embassy in Hanoi in January 2003 and
the establishment of the Joint Commission for bilateral
Cooperation between the two countries in October 2003.
Since then, the relations between the two countries have been
steadily developing. More delegations have been exchanged. On
the Sri Lankan side, the Prime Minister, parliament speaker, the
Ministers of foreign affairs, defence, agriculture have paid
their visits to Vietnam; On the Vietnamese side, the Ministers
of foreign affairs, fishery, trade, agriculture have visited Sri
Lanka. During these visits, both sides reached agreements on
visa-exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders,
avoidance of double taxation, tourism, agriculture and fishery.
Development has also been witnessed in economic relations. The
two-way trade volume was increasing steadily from US$ 30,1
million in 2000 to US$ 50,6 million in 2009. Sri Lanka also made
some small investment projects in Vietnam. However, the
relations between the two countries in general remained limited,
mainly due to the fact that Sri Lanka still could not get rid
from the conflict with the LTTE forces.
How Sri Lankan citizens apply for Vietnam visa?
Vietnam Immigration policy regulates that all Sri Lanka
passport holders need to apply for
Vietnam visa before entering the countries. From
Albania, you can get a visa to Vietnam by two 2 options:
1. Get Vietnam visa on arrival easily at lower cost:
Visa on arrival is beneficial for those who live far away from the
Vietnamese embassies and do not wish to send their passports
away by postal mail.
- Issuing unit:
Vietnam Immigration Department
- Processing time: 1 to 2 working days
- No passport send-off required
- How it works? You go online at
http://www.vietnamvisabooking.com, fill in the
secured form, and just wait 36 hour to 2 working days
(normal service) or within 1 working day (urgent service) to get
your Visa Approval Letter via email. Taking this letter of
approval, your passport, 2 photos and US$25 (for single entry)/
US$50 (for multiple entry) as stamping fee to get your visa at
airport. Further information, please visit
application process.
2. Get Vietnam entry visa at Vietnam Embassy in Sri Lanka:
Vietnam Embassy in Sri Lanka
Address: Number 30/5, Ward Place, Colombo 7
Telephone: 94-11-2696050
Fax: 94-11-2692040
Email: vnemb-srilanka@mofa.gov.vn
Website: www.vietnamembassy-srilanka.vn
Sri Lankan citizens or residents in Sri Lanka can also apply for
a Vietnam visa by visiting the nearest Vietnam Embassy in the
neighbour countries to apply for a visa by yourself, orapply
online at
http://www.vietnamvisabooking.com/apply.html for a Vietnam
visa on arrival (picked up at the arrival airport in Vietnam)
Embassy of Vietnam in New Delhi - India
17, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110 021, India
Tel: (91-11) 2301 9818 (91-11) 2301 0532
Fax: (9111) 2301 7714(9111) 2301 8448
Consulate General of Vietnam Bombay India
Wajeda House, Gulmohat Cross Rd. No.7, Juhu Scheme, Mumbai - 400
049, Bombay, India
Tel: (9122) 2620 8589 (9122) 2620 8549
Fax: (9122) 2624 8538
Apply for Vietnam visa from neighbour countries:
For any further information, please kindly
contact us. We are willing and pleased to assist you at our
best!
Need help? Please call us or chat via Whatapps
at number +84-912-685-141; or
email to
vietnamvisabooking@gmail.com. We will reply within 30 minutes during office hours
or within 24 hours if it is out of office hours.
