site.btaPresident Radev Expects More Work from Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam to Reduce Time for Issuing Visas

President Rumen Radev expects even more work from the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam to shorten the time for issuing visas, as much as possible. The Bulgarian head of State met on Wednesday with the Vietnam-Bulgaria Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City.

"I fully understand the desire to shorten the time for issuing visas. Bulgaria, as a member of the European Union, has to fulfill certain requirements, but I expect the Embassy and Ambassador [Pavlin] Todorov to work even harder so that this time is shortened as much as possible," Rumen Radev said at the meeting.

Applying for visas for Vietnamese students to study in Bulgaria takes too long, and they miss the opportunity to be admitted at the beginning of the academic year, said Hoang Thai Lan, Chairwoman of the Vietnam-Bulgaria Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City. She said this was the reason why the number of exchange students between the two countries was so low. Many people who have studied or worked in Bulgaria want to visit the country. We expect the understanding and overall support from the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam," Hoang Thai Lan added.

"The [two countries'] education ministers signed an important agreement so that we can have a much greater exchange of students," Radev noted. "We talked with your state leaders that we should reduce bureaucracy and facilitate exchanges between people," the Bulgarian President added.