The Mirror last week quoted the UK Foreign Office spokesperson warning “Vietnamese authorities may place an exit ban on certain individuals to prevent them from leaving the country. Your passport will be seized until the case is fully investigated.”

According to recommendations from the UK Foreign Office, the exit ban may be related to investigations aimed at “an individual, their family or an employer, criminal and civil matters, such as business disputes or motor vehicle accidents, employment without a work visa [or] unpaid financial debts.”

“We completely reject such false information,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said a press briefing on August 22.

She reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of creating favourable conditions for foreigners to enter, exit, and travel in Vietnam, thereby contributing to socio-economic development.

“Vietnamese authorities have implemented many measures to create favourable conditions for foreign citizens coming to Vietnam to study, work, invest, do market research and travel in accordance with the country’s legal regulations,” said spokesperson.