Ireland resumes visa service for Vietnamese students

By Phan Anh   July 1, 2020 | 03:33 am PT
Ireland resumes visa service for Vietnamese students
Students cheer after a high school graduation test in HCMC, June 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.
The Irish Embassy in Vietnam officially resumed receiving visa applications from Vietnamese students Wednesday.

Vietnamese students who had already filed documents to enroll in Irish universities and technological academies can apply for visas starting Wednesday, said Isobel Walton, the ASEAN director of Education in Ireland, which is managed by Irish state agency Enterprise Ireland.

Irish universities and technological academies plan to begin the new school year either in late September or the beginning of October, Walton said.

The timeline would allow international students, who would have their high school exam results announced later than usual due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, more time to finalize their documents, she added.

The Irish Embassy in Vietnam had suspended visa processing since late March to curb the spread of Covid-19.

As the pandemic unfolds, certain countries and territories have begun allowing international students to return, including Vietnamese. Australia for example said in June that certain international students would be able to enter the country starting July, but only on "pre-approved plans" for "particular institutions."

Ireland has recorded over 25,400 Covid-19 cases so far, with over 1,700 deaths. The country has officially entered a new stage of eased coronavirus restrictions since June 29, seeing several businesses, educational facilities, museums and cinemas reopen after closing down in March.

Vietnam meanwhile has recorded 355 infections so far, with only 20 active cases left and no deaths. The country has eased its social distancing measures, including banning large gatherings and requesting people to stay home, since late April. It has recorded no community transmission in over two months.

 
 
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