German Embassy denies rumors of visa suspension in Vietnam

The German Embassy in Hanoi on Wednesday issued a statement denying rumors on social media that it has suspended issuing visas for Vietnamese businesses, government delegations and students.

“The diplomatic representative offices of the Federal Republic of Germany in Vietnam assert that this information is completely untrue,” the embassy clarified.

In its official statement, the embassy claimed the temporary suspension of the strategic partnership between the two countries does not affect the issuance of visas at German diplomatic representative offices in Vietnam.

Due to high demand, the waiting time for visa applicants can be up to several weeks. Therefore the embassy has recommended applicants plan their trips early and make timely appointments through the embassy or the German Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.

All information on visa application procedures at German diplomatic representative offices in Vietnam, as well as links to the corresponding appointment scheduling system, can be found on the embassy's official website.

Vietnam and Germany’s bilateral ties hit a hiccup around two months ago when Berlin accused Vietnam of abducting former oil executive Trinh Xuan Thanh. Thanh was seeking asylum in Germany after the Vietnamese government issued an arrest warrant for him in connection with a $150 million fraud case at state energy group PetroVietnam. Germany has since temporarily suspended the strategic partnership between the two countries.

According to Vietnamese police, the oil executive turned himself in. Vietnam has said it regretted to learn of Germany's accusations.