Leaders at the 22nd ASEAN Summit held in Brunei from April 24 to 25 pressed forward with the proposal for a common visa for non-ASEAN nationals to the ten-member ASEAN bloc to facilitate business mobility and tourism.
According to a statement released on April 25, the leaders were driven by the rapid expansion of ASEAN’s tourism sectors and they commended the joint efforts of both public and private sectors to facilitate and enhance the travel experiences of tourists.
The statement also said that the leaders are encouraging ministers to support the establishment of both visa-free travel in ASEAN countries for ASEAN nationals and to have special ASEAN immigration lanes.
Furthermore, to foster trade and investments within the region, the leaders have also called for the development of an ASEAN Business Travel Card to ease the movement of the regions’ businessmen and investors.
However, ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh said that “only recognised professionals” will be allowed to move freely within ASEAN. He did not specify what sort of professionals, but stated that it would not be restricted to any industry and will depend on the labour demands of the individual country.
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