VEC,change of visa

MarkinNam wrote:

Big-Tex wrote:

Shouldnt even need to enter Cambo....just get your stamp out...walk back to the in gate and get a stamp in....

they said would be this week...just wait and see. Claiming its the marriage cert since we didnt provide it this time when we filed for my stamp....is what they say anyways.

good point, are the embassies regarded as territory for the country of the embassy?

Inside the embassy is, that's why people seek refuge in them,just like Julian Assange has done.

If you are thinking of it as another country to go to instead of Cambodia,it won't work as the embassy doesn't have the right to give you an exit stamp or entry stamp back into Viet Nam. I may be wrong but that's what I think would be the logical answer.

need someone with big go-nads to try it

Will need an exit out stamp.....who is gonna give you that when walking into the embassy???

That's a no-brainer.

MarkinNam wrote:

need someone with big go-nads to try it

Ring the Aussie embassy and see what response you get.

The was a news report a few weeks back about how the Australian embassies were getting tired of holding their citizens hands for every little complaint......

BKK a guy went into embassy because he was not going to pay the hookers price and wanted help...

So at the boarder will they stamp a 6 month or still the 3 month.

Ok, interesting, I still have the 3 month as it didn't get changed and my mate also still has the 3 month, seems it's the some get some don't ruke in VN. Did you get a 6 month in yours now.

They said the same thing to my mate, then held his passport for 2 months, after that they charged him for a new visa saying he put his passport in late. I contacted a mate of mine who does thousands of visas a year and he said that is what they do to get extra money out of you. Hopefully it won't happen to you, but he said it was quite common in Saigon.

Hopefully someone here can assist me with my question.I am married to a Vietnamese lady and so I have a 5 year VEC,which was issued in the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok(because at that time we lived in Thailand)As I live in Ha Tien which is a few km from the Cambodian border,and I make frequent trips to there,I have never had a 3 month stamp at an Immigration office,as I've never been in Vietnam for longer than 3 months.Every time I come back from Cambodia I get another permission to stay stamp,valid for 90 days.However the VEC will shortly expire-I need to renew it.Does anyone know  if a) they are still issuing VEC's and b)Can I get it done at another location-other than the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok(i.e the Consulate in Sihanoukville or even somewhere in Vietnam),.I asked at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh when I was there last month,I must say they weren't very helpful and just  told me "Go to Bangkok"

Vietnamese have this very anal habit of you must go back to the place of issue. A friend of mine eventered via Ha Noi, when it was time to extend, Saigon immigration wanted him to fly all the way back to Ha Noi to extend his visa.If you want you can contact me via a PM I can give you the number of a lady in Saigon who speaks English and is very helpful. She may be able to point you in the right direction, I found her to be very helpful.

this is interesting as I got my new VEC on 10th of March and while it is blue instead that normal yellow what the old one was it still tells the same story, 90days this was in Hanoi

You don't need to leave the country to get new VEC, just go to immigration that's what I did.

Wald0 wrote:

this is interesting as I got my new VEC on 10th of March and while it is blue instead that normal yellow what the old one was it still tells the same story, 90days this was in Hanoi

One country, many variations of the same laws.

MarkinNam wrote:

might be an option for me P/C has advised I may be eligable for VR visa student visa was other option

Have you garnered any information as to eligibility for the VR visa?  I like the sound of  "Visit relative  OR OTHER PURPOSE",   which could mean anything.

VR, it seems, also applies to volunteers, 1 of the conditions of residency  is having worked toward the betterment of Vietnam and its citizens this is my goal. I figure, if I just lay about and do sweet f a I'll go nuts, it'll be a win win situation. The advice I have is from the party.

As it states, having worked towards the betterment, this is after you have actually proved this and may take years to get one. The VN government are not to quick at handing out things like this.

thats Ok, I have time

By the time you get here the laws will have changed a few more times.

cabraman wrote:

MarkinNam wrote:

might be an option for me P/C has advised I may be eligable for VR visa student visa was other option

Have you garnered any information as to eligibility for the VR visa?  I like the sound of  "Visit relative  OR OTHER PURPOSE",   which could mean anything.

Hi,
I also tried to find out about what "other purposes" meant . Contacted the Embassy and no one knew the details yet.     I suppose it will surface sooner or later.    I've done volunteer work here but none of it would be documented at a level they would accept.  Their pedantic attitude to paper work can be daunting.
Would you believe a friend here was told he needed a Work Permit to do Volunteer work.  He's now working on his Tan.   😄
I'd really like to see a retirement visa introduced.     Not everyone wants to come here to work or marry.

Yogi007 wrote:

cabraman wrote:

MarkinNam wrote:

might be an option for me P/C has advised I may be eligable for VR visa student visa was other option

Have you garnered any information as to eligibility for the VR visa?  I like the sound of  "Visit relative  OR OTHER PURPOSE",   which could mean anything.

Hi,
I also tried to find out about what "other purposes" meant . Contacted the Embassy and no one knew the details yet.     I suppose it will surface sooner or later.    I've done volunteer work here but none of it would be documented at a level they would accept.  Their pedantic attitude to paper work can be daunting.
Would you believe a friend here was told he needed a Work Permit to do Volunteer work.  He's now working on his Tan.   😄
I'd really like to see a retirement visa introduced.     Not everyone wants to come here to work or marry.

Certainly not me. Work and I have had a permanent parting of the ways.  I came here to retire.

MarkinNam wrote:

VR, it seems, also applies to volunteers, 1 of the conditions of residency  is having worked toward the betterment of Vietnam and its citizens this is my goal. I figure, if I just lay about and do sweet f a I'll go nuts, it'll be a win win situation. The advice I have is from the party.

Isn,t spending my money contributing to the betterment of Vietnam and it,s citizens?

cabraman wrote:

MarkinNam wrote:

VR, it seems, also applies to volunteers, 1 of the conditions of residency  is having worked toward the betterment of Vietnam and its citizens this is my goal. I figure, if I just lay about and do sweet f a I'll go nuts, it'll be a win win situation. The advice I have is from the party.

Isn,t spending my money contributing to the betterment of Vietnam and it,s citizens?

Yes, that's FDI, foreign direct investment., new money is what they like.   Self funded retirees are accommodated with Retirement Visa programmes in neighbouring countries.   BUT, If you like to travel a few times a year, Vietnam is still the best option by getting VOAs for $70 /3 mths on the way back in.  Suits me, and it's also cheaper than Cambodia.

I've looked at the TRCs. Got quoted $1700 2 years.......gee wow.  I've still got to fart around with a work permit and Company set up for that.  That's extra nonsense yo,don't want.    I see Vietnam as a good base for travel and besides ,every 3 mths I don't mind heading off somewhere for a change.
The VOAs are simple, online and cheap.

The Thai retirement Visa sounds good until you check the detail and total cost.   Indonesia require you to employ a housemaid.  WTF.   The Philippines requires you to invest $$$ .    No such thing as a free lunch Huh..   So I think Vietnam is pretty good.

If you like living on the edge, Brazil has the best of all ( according to retirement destination writers). If you invest $50k you apparantly get permanent residency and NO extradition.   Yay.....
Might get myself an  Uzi and put a down payment on a Favella.

oasisbarhatien wrote:

Hopefully someone here can assist me with my question.I am married to a Vietnamese lady and so I have a 5 year VEC,which was issued in the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok(because at that time we lived in Thailand)As I live in Ha Tien which is a few km from the Cambodian border,and I make frequent trips to there,I have never had a 3 month stamp at an Immigration office,as I've never been in Vietnam for longer than 3 months.Every time I come back from Cambodia I get another permission to stay stamp,valid for 90 days.However the VEC will shortly expire-I need to renew it.Does anyone know  if a) they are still issuing VEC's and b)Can I get it done at another location-other than the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok(i.e the Consulate in Sihanoukville or even somewhere in Vietnam),.I asked at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh when I was there last month,I must say they weren't very helpful and just  told me "Go to Bangkok"

To answer my own questions-might be of help to someone in the same position.
a)Yes-they are still issuing VEC's,a friend who was recently married to a Vietnamese in Vietnam has just got one from the Consulate in Sihanoukville.Waiting time 9 working days,cost 180USD
b) You can renew it somewhere other than the place of issue.I renewed mine in Sihanoukville,Waiting time 30 minutes,cost 120USD-probably less if I had wanted to wait for longer.Documents needed.Marriage cert,passport with old VEC,,police report of address in Vietnam
c)Someone posted that the new one looks different to older ones-it doesn't.I've had 4 now,and they all look identical

I think you will find the difference between the old and new one is this, the one you have which is the same as the old one is stamped every 3 months, the new one someone mentioned which is a different colour and is stamped 6 months. So it seems you must ask for the 6 month one as with most things in dealing with the VN government.

I'm English and I saw on this website some weeks ago a discussion about Vn immigration issuing 12 month permits to remain, if you have a visa exemption cert because of being married to a Vietnamese.

I have a 5 year visa exemption cert, being married a Vietnamese lady and arrived back from a trip to Hong Kong on 20th December and was given a free 6 months stamp. I arrived back in Saigon from another trip to HK last night and was given another 6 months stamp.