Do I need a judicial records to apply for a tour guide card in Vietnam?

Do I need a judicial records to apply for a tour guide card in Vietnam?

Do I need a criminal record to apply for a tour guide card? In the near future, I want to apply for a domestic tour guide card. But I heard that there must be more criminal record cards. So do I have to go back to my hometown to beg?

Reply:

According to Clause 1, Article 60 of the 2017 Tourism Law, application and procedures for issuance of the international tour guide card and domestic tour guide card includes:

1. An application for the international tourist guide card and domestic tourist guide card includes:

a) An application form for issuance of the tour guide card according to the form specified by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism;

b) A curriculum vitae certified by the People’s Committee of the commune where the applicant resides;

c) Certified true copy of qualifications corresponding to the conditions prescribed in Point d, Clause 1 or Point b and Point c, Clause 2, Article 59 of this Law;

d) A health certificate issued by a competent health facility for a maximum period of 06 months from the day on which an application is submitted;

dd) 02 3cm x 4cm color pictures.

2. Procedures for issuance of international tour guide cards and domestic tour guide cards:

a) The person who applies for the tour guide card shall submit 01 application to a tourism authority of the province;

b) Within 15 days from the day on which a valid application is received, the tourism authority of the province shall issue the tour guide card to the applicant; in case of refusal, a written response stating reasons thereof must be given.

Thus, a dossier of application for a domestic tour guide card does not need a judicial record card. Therefore, you only need to prepare the documents as prescribed above in Vietnam.

Can I work as a tour guide after holding associate degree in travel management in Vietnam?

Can I work as a tour guide after graduating from holding associate degree in travel management? I graduated with a degree in travel management from the Saigontourist Intermediate School of Tourism and Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, can I work as a tour guide? Or do I have to graduate from a tour guiding to be eligible?

Reply:

Pursuant to Clauses 1 and 3, Article 59 of the 2017 Tourism Law, conditions for issuance of the tour guide card are as follows:

1. To obtain the domestic tour guide card, a person shall:

a) have Vietnamese nationality, reside in Vietnam;

b) have full legal capacity;

c) have no contagious diseases and do not use any narcotics;

d) hold an associate degree or higher in tour guiding; in case of an associate degree or higher in another major, a certificate of training in domestic tour guiding is required.

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3. Conditions for issuance of on-site tour guide cards:

a) Satisfy the conditions prescribed in Points a, b and c, Clause 1 of this Article;

b) Pass the on-site tour guiding examination hold by a tourism authority of the province.

According to this Article, if you only consider the conditions for degrees, in case you graduate from an intermediate school with a major in travel management, you can still become a tour guide in Vietnam, specifically:

- Domestic tour guide: if you have a certificate of training in domestic tour guiding.

- On-site tour guide: if you pass the test of professional tour guide at the point organized by the specialized tourism agency of the province.

Can domestic travel service provider use international tour guides in Vietnam? 

According to the law in Vietnam, can domestic travel service provider use international tour guides?

Reply:

In Clauses 1 and 3, Article 37 of the Law on Tourism 2017, there are provisions:

1. A domestic travel service provider has the following rights and obligations:

a) Develop, advertise, sell and provide tourism services and tour programs for tourists within the scope of business specified in the license;

b) Maintain the fulfillment of conditions for provision of tour specified in Clause 1, Article 31 of this Law; publish the name of provider and tour provision license number on the signboard of the provider, its branches, transaction offices, in travel contracts, on print advertisement and in electronic transactions;

c) Notify the change of the person in charge of provision of travel services, submit the profile on the new person in charge of provision of travel services to the licensing authority within 15 days since the change;

d) Provide information on the tour, tourism services and destinations for tourists;

dd) Buy insurance for tourists during their tours, except for those who have had insurance for the whole tour.

e) Employ tour guides to guide tourists under the travel contract; be responsible for tour guides’ performance during the tour under the contract;

g) Observe, disseminate and guide tourists to observe local law and regulations; behave in a civilized manner, respect Vietnamese and local cultural identity, customs and practices; cooperate with a competent authority in promptly imposing penalties for the illegal acts committed by tourists during the tour;

h) Comply with regulations on reporting, statistics, accounting and keep documents in accordance with law.

i) Take measures to ensure safety of tourists’ lives, health and property; promptly inform competent authorities of accidents and risks which may happen tourists and take remedial measures.

k) Manage tourists in accordance with the tour program signed with them.

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3. An international travel service provider that serves outbound tourists has the following rights and obligations:

a) Right and obligations specified in Points a, c, d, dd, g, h, i and k, Clause 1, Point b and Point c, Clause 2 of this Article;

b) Employ international tour guides to take tourists abroad under the travel contract; take responsibility for tour guides’ performance during the tour.

Thus, according to the above regulations in Vietnam, domestic travel service providers are not allowed to use international tour guides. Only international travel service providers serving tourists going abroad can use international tour guides.

Best regards!