Psychiatric Test For Marriage

What? Wow! I do need a psychatric test (certificate?) to can marry in Viet Nam? I never heard... Please, anybody can explain? Why? Where to do if really needed? Thanks

Both my wife and I were administered the Raven's Progressive Matrices IQ test. The examiner kept  making it seem like we were to fail and not get the required certificate. In short he wanted a bribe.

But this was at Bien Hoa's mental health hospital. Most what I read they just ask you 1 question and don't think the Vietnamese spouse needs to take it. And than there is some where they make you wear this big head gear like they are reading your brainwaves.

is this mandatory for marriages in vietnam ?

You'd need a psychiatric test for even wanting to get married! ^^

http://www.bvtt-tphcm.org.vn/ : you may call this hospital to ask.

3. Mental health evaluation:

a. Both applicants can obtain their mental health evaluation at:   Bệnh viện Chợ Quán 179 Bến Hàm Tử Đông - Tây 1st Ward, District 5.  The cost for the evaluation is 800,000 VND for next day service  or 1,200,000 VND for express same day service. You will need 4 photos of each applicant measuring 4x6cm. Don't be surprised if you are asked for "coffee money".  I think 100,000 VND should do.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic … s-it-cost/

The psychiatric assessment is required for all marriages between a Vietnamese citizen and a foreigner. This was introduced following many sad cases of violence and murder against Vietnameses wives, especially by Taiwanese and Korean husbands. For example, see:
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/an … 34756.html

My wife and I got ours done as part of our medical exam. Doctor was a funny guy and just asked me if I heard voices telling me to get married, I I told him the only voice I heard was my wife's.

Vung Tau is probably the easiest and quickest place to get married. 5 years ago it took us 4 weeks start to finish to get our marriage document back

The My Tho/Tien Giang experience took just over 3 weeks, in 2008.  I had the psych test done in the US a week before my departure, but they wouldn't accept it, so i ended up with electrodes strapped to my noggin', in Vietnam, so I could marry a lyimg, cheating tramp that I had known 8 months.   The divorce took almost 3 years...

Nothing crazy about that!

Teacher Mark wrote:

The My Tho/Tien Giang experience took just over 3 weeks, in 2008.  I had the psych test done in the US a week before my departure, but they wouldn't accept it, so i ended up with electrodes strapped to my noggin', in Vietnam, so I could marry a lyimg, cheating tramp that I had known 8 months.   The divorce took almost 3 years...

Nothing crazy about that!

I had all that shit done for my Work Permit medical as well, 3 hrs !!!!!!!!!!

you guys are blowing my mind, all these names from the past THD, VTD Teacher Mark Ralph even Annata next we'll see Wild 1. it's too much 

If THD here pm me. My grandma passed away the next day we met who was beside your father. I'd likd to catch up on what we've been doing the past year.

done it few years ago and was a big joke, ask my name as question as he could not speak english,  paid the fee and was approved. think is one way to make extra money of us. dont forget your single certificate as thats the biggest pain to get, divorce certificate is not enough for vietnam law.

khanh44 wrote:

If THD here pm me. My grandma passed away the next day we met who was beside your father. I'd likd to catch up on what we've been doing the past year.

Try this one  [email protected]

Teacher Mark wrote:

3. Mental health evaluation:

a. Both applicants can obtain their mental health evaluation at:   Bệnh viện Chợ Quán 179 Bến Hàm Tử Đông - Tây 1st Ward, District 5.  The cost for the evaluation is 800,000 VND for next day service  or 1,200,000 VND for express same day service. You will need 4 photos of each applicant measuring 4x6cm. Don't be surprised if you are asked for "coffee money".  I think 100,000 VND should do.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic … s-it-cost/

The above is about right. When you go there and present your paperwork with a smile make sure you included a 100,000D bill in among it. This ensures that your paperwork goes to the front of the queue. The "doctor" who administers your examination should be similarly treated when you take your pile of papers to him.

She/He will ask you some questions which are very simple to answer. The whole thing can be over in an hour or so if you do it right.

If not, maybe come back tomorrow or next week.

Some good answers here already. Just one brief comment:
Vietnamese are not paid well so "coffee money" helps expedite your paperwork. This is not a bribe.

A bribe is when you are paying for something that you're not entitled to.
In my opinion, and experience here in Vietnam, payments of bribes, also call it corruption, is a "bad" thing!

"uong ca phe" or "coffee money is something that helps oil the wheels and get your paperwork or whatever through more quickly.

haldenby wrote:

Some good answers here already. Just one brief comment:
Vietnamese are not paid well so "coffee money" helps expedite your paperwork. This is not a bribe.

A bribe is when you are paying for something that you're not entitled to.
In my opinion, and experience here in Vietnam, payments of bribes, also call it corruption, is a "bad" thing!

"uong ca phe" or "coffee money is something that helps oil the wheels and get your paperwork or whatever through more quickly.

" A bribe is when you are paying for something that you're not entitled to ", that's doesn't make sense. Receiving a bribe is the corruption, especially when they are being bribed to do what is SUPPOSED to be part of THEIR job?  I'm tempted to ask VN s, " what sort of a country do they think they would have had, if there wasn't so many corrupt people running it? ", and I'm not just talking about VN politicians and their families,

Dear bluenz
I'm sorry if you can't read ALL of my comment, in context.

We obviously agree that paying bribes and corruption is bad.

However, I and others are saying that a little coffee money, 50,000 or 100,000 VND, can get your desired end result a little quicker. In a society of extremely low wages, this little extea can help both those giving and those receiving.

If you have a problem with that, don't do it. Wait your turn with those to whom 100,000 VND is a major burden on their finances. So many services in Vietnam are so stretched that a little coffee money puts you to the front of the line.

Also, if you complain about the way Vietnamese push and shove to the fromt of any line, you have a moral onligation NOT to do the same by using a few dong in this way.

haldenby wrote:

Dear bluenz
I'm sorry if you can't read ALL of my comment, in context.

We obviously agree that paying bribes and corruption is bad.

However, I and others are saying that a little coffee money, 50,000 or 100,000 VND, can get your desired end result a little quicker. In a society of extremely low wages, this little extea can help both those giving and those receiving.

If you have a problem with that, don't do it. Wait your turn with those to whom 100,000 VND is a major burden on their finances. So many services in Vietnam are so stretched that a little coffee money puts you to the front of the line.

Also, if you complain about the way Vietnamese push and shove to the fromt of any line, you have a moral onligation NOT to do the same by using a few dong in this way.

It must be different where you/I live, when they push in front of me, I get their attention and point to the back of the line, they soon understand , I've never paid a " bribe " in the 5 continuous years I've lived here, I must be VIetnamised now??, I don't mind waiting like a VN,  ( in my line ), and watching all the goings on in the office, hell, sometimes I even TALK with them, ( maybe I just have more patience than you?, I also let old people in front of me, sometimes beautiful women too, but the young ones hardly ever say thank you ).
  I also agree with  your view of their low wages, but most of the time it reflects on the service they provide, most of the time I try and slip them an extra 10 or 20 k , but I've stopped doing that now, the ones in uniform almost look offended when you do it.
Once you start paying " bribes" up front , you are condoning corruption, while the govt is trying to stop it.
Plus most of the times I've dealt with Govt agencies here, ( Work Permits, Immigration, Business Reg, licences, etc ), there is a set time limit required by the Govt , and it wouldn't matter how much, or who you paid, it will not make any difference .

It's a bribe and I've ignored every subtle hint they've dropped. Bribing just gives them the expectation that everyone should be bribing them.

It's like buying food. If a foreigner pays double what the locals pay the vendor jacks prices up and everyone suffefs.

Before anyone calls me cheapo I have given generous tips after service has been rendered complete.

Save yourself the trouble and the expense........don't get married

I paid all of a 135,000 VND for a Marriage health certificate.  Question:  Do want to get married to this woman?  Signed the sheet and the end of any other!  Done in DaNang last year! 
Filed all the proper documents, paid 1,000,000 VND with a receipt for such documents and received a marriage certificate in 3 weeks...had one evaluation of a couple questions in front of three individuals.  "Piece of Cake".  Received my exemption Visa a couple days later for a full 5 years from date of issue; all for the price of $10.00 US.  I've never paid a 'bribe' in this country!  You need to let them know up front that you won't pay a bribe to have them do their job. You raise your voice, pace and not sit on demand, (like a dog) as they always want and you look them in the eyes when you speak!
I've heard some horror stories from many...coming from Hanoi and HCMC...I think you all are being taken down that road...I've lived in Vietnam for over a decade...learn the laws and demand the paperwork for such!  If the woman you desire to marry doesn't stand up to these crooks...you should forget it...if your too blind to understand what is happening...you need a Psych test!
Good Luck either way...

U go to Hospital for tropical disease located at 764 Võ Văn Kiệt street, D.5. The test is just for token value. You pay the  money and you get the certificate. Remember to put your address in your country as residential address, do not put your residential address in VN will be more difficult for you. Nobody care to check if your address overseas is the correct one or not.

Good luck!

Hi everyone

Thanks for all the useful information. I actually did this farce today. As people correclty said, Cho Ray doesn't any longer do it. Instead we had to go to the Bệnh viện Chợ Quán 179 Bến Hàm Tử Đông - Tây 1st Ward, District 5. (It's actually easier if your follow the 766 Vo Van Kiet address, that's the 'modern address' that appears on maps and where you enter the building).   

The cost for the evaluation is exactly as indicated 800,000 VND/person or 1.6 million for a couple. However, this is same day service and it appears they only have this now. The procedure is very straight-forward since they seem to operate as a team and are only interested in money. You hand in the forms and 4 passport pictures each, pay the 800'000VND each, answer some personal information and wait for approx. 40min. Then you get three confirmations each saying that you 'are normal' (meaning that you 'tolerate shit').

Important: bring the 4 passport pictures each. It also helps if you fill in the form that you need later for the marriage certificate application and bring a copy of it. With that they have all the information they need and you don't need to wait longer than necessary or fill in the forms there.

As regards the coffee money: you don't get a receipt for this 'shit paper' so 1'600'000VND for a couple is the coffee money already. Considering that there were about 15 couples only during the 1hour that we were there, I think they can have quite luxurious tea parties not just coffee and the nurse doing the paper work looked more like a coffee devil himself than the holy angel she pretended to be.   

All in all the visit at the mental hospital proved that in Vietnam you get sick coming back from hospitals (and other places when the visit is mandated by authorities) rather than before going there;)

Good luck everyone and take it easy!

Hey Ralph

Nothing against your 'optimism' but first of all you chose a very bad example (if I understand right, the girl was killed by a stranger, not her ex-husband) and second, corruption and corrupt institutions don't protect women from becoming victims. In contrast it is exaclty corruption and stupid authorities that make many Vietnamese women look for their luck by marrying a foreigner that they barely know nor have the chance to get to know better before taking a very important decision (because the rules don't allow them to).

On the other hand, information and education could help to protect citziens but that's exactly where the Vietnamese government completely fails, not just in terms of public information but also in terms of education among governmental representatives and authorities: if the state employs the most stupid individuals, then the outcome can't be a good one!

In that sense I can't agree to any form of support for stupid rules that mostly result in the opposite of what they pretend.

Cheers

I could not agree more with bluenz and khan44!! I've been working and visiting Vn since 2008, and your approach certainly works, and is correct.

There are some poor people in Vn - just like every country. But in Vn, people habitually lie about low incomes and their bad boss; they ALWAYS give you a much lower salary figure than they indeed earn!

Expedite, bribe, whatever, there's no escaping it here. 

As for marriage I know a number of men both personally and from afar who married VIetnamese women.  I'd say the odds of it working out are not good, the only good experiences coming with women from upper class families.  When the woman is from a poor family then the husband isn't #1, he isn't #2, he's not even on her radar screen.  All she cares about is siphoning as much as she can to her family, who will not thank her but just demand more. 

This is after they've treated her like livestock.  Raised her to get money for bà and brothers however she can.

This culture needs to be reformatted .

Find an ugly woman

give her half your money

save yourself all the hassle of what happens in between

: enjoy

RE: " ... you chose a very bad example (if I understand right, the girl was killed by a stranger, not her ex-husband)."
You are correct. Not a husband, worse! a new acqaintance.

See also this one:
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/so … 35534.html
and this one:
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vi … -3288.html

see also (read down to lower paragraphs):
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/10 … r-556.html

Another sad report in the Vietnamese language press was of an estranged Korean husband who followed his wife to Vietnam and murdered her here.

strangecolorblue wrote:

I still passed the psycho test.

6 languages????    

One for every personality, I presume?   

ralphnhatrang wrote:

RE: " ... you chose a very bad example (if I understand right, the girl was killed by a stranger, not her ex-husband)."
You are correct. Not a husband, worse! a new acqaintance.

See also this one:
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/so … 35534.html
and this one:
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vi … -3288.html

see also (read down to lower paragraphs):
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/10 … r-556.html

Another sad report in the Vietnamese language press was of an estranged Korean husband who followed his wife to Vietnam and murdered her here.

How about this one? 

Timothy George Doran

They weren't married, or even dating, but that didn't stop him from sexually abusing her before he killed her. 

He should have been extradited back here to face justice, instead of an 8 year vacation in an American prison.  Insult is added to injury in the fact that he's serving the time in Washington state, where the ultra-libs will make sure he's comfortable, instead of some hellhole in California, Texas, Georgia, where the wing-nuts care moire about the prison system's bottom line than his bottoms well-being .

Then there's the fact that he was sentenced for failing to notify the authorities when he left the Seattle area, since he was already a convicted sex offender.  The judge added her murder to his charges, but he probably didn't have the legal ability to do so.  His attorney is appealing , of course, so he'll probably see those charges dropped.

TEFL Can Tho wrote:

This culture needs to be reformatted .

The culture is what it is.  They've been kicked foreign interlopers out for thousands of years; interlopers that figured they'd come in and  "reformat" things to better suit their own needs. 

Is it really any wonder that things are the way they are?

We both had to do it before getting married. The husband and the wife. It is basically a formality. You should bring some Vietnamese Dong as a gift to the doctor. Probably 100,000 would do, but if you feel generous, maybe a 200,000 note would make him smile. The basic question they ask is: "Why is the moon and a dime seem to be the same size?". My wife did not know, hehehe . . So stupid. Your fiancee should know where to go. We were married in Dong Nai county, so we went to some hospital in the country out there. Good luck.

I guess I was pretty lucky...all that time and money spent and and as Blu says...coffee money to 'grease the wheel'.  I had no wheels to grease.  Known I don't know how many over the years talk about the months and even a new one from Hanoi who has ended up paying over 1500 USD so far to get married...months and they now have a 3 month old and still no certificate...

Teacher Mark wrote:

strangecolorblue wrote:

I still passed the psycho test.

6 languages????    

One for every personality, I presume?   

Haha....they didn't realize despite the test....or maybe they anticipated it and that's why they needed all those passport pictures !?

Has anyone done the paperwork to get married in Vietnam recently? I have a friend that wants to get married here and needs the Certificate of Good Mental Health completed.

Unfortunately, when he we to the big provincial hospital, they wanted to do a full physical with blood and urine tests when no forms in on the internet in regards to this asks for such extensive testing.

Has this happened to anyone else trying to go through the process? We're particularly worried because our friend has been out partying and has taken god knows what on this trip. If he come back positive for anything, we're not really sure what we can do to protect him. Not only did they test him, they also tested his Vietnamese fiancee for a full work up.

How worried should we be about all this? Has anyone who has done it before here just printed and used the forms found online or were they provided to you by the doctor's office. The province that I am in is a little behind the rest of the country so I don't know if this just a big cash grab so they're just giving us a hard time or it's a legitimate thing for to ask for all this? We're thinking of telling them to leave town for a while until know more or am I overreacting?

Can that Psychiatric test be done in Vung Tau   ?