1 year visa / multi-entry - Must travel in/out every 90 days?

Did you exit the country on June 26, or did you reenter the country on June 26?  Don't use the word "around" when it comes to Visa.  The exact date is very important, and whoever told you "they aren't that strict about it" was pulling your leg.

Look at the last stamp in your passport.  The expiration date for your current stay would be on it.  That's the LATEST date you MUST exit the country again.

BTW, as a Vietnamese-American, why didn't you apply for a multi-entry 5 year VEC instead of one-year Visa?

Ciambella wrote:

Did you exit the country on June 26, or did you reenter the country on June 26?  Don't use the word "around" when it comes to Visa.  The exact date is very important, and whoever told you "they aren't that strict about it" was pulling your leg.

Look at the last stamp in your passport.  The expiration date for your current stay would be on it.  That's the LATEST date you MUST exit the country again.

BTW, as a Vietnamese-American, why didn't you apply for a multi-entry 5 year VEC instead of one-year Visa?

I exited the country on 6/16 and came back on 6/19.

The only reason I'm considering risking it is because I recalled that I came to Vietnam 1/5, but left on 3/16, about 11 days after the 90 day window.  (I didn't know about this requirement at the time).

As far as the multi-year, I wasn't sure I wanted to stay for 5 years, so didn't want to spend the extra money.

I used VietnamVisa.org and they had the 1 year for $135, which I thought was pretty good (at least for me)

You re-entered the country on June 19, so Sept 17 should be the 90th day if Immigration people count the days, or Sept 19 if they count the month.  Either way, Sept 26 would make you an overstayer.  I would not recommend anybody to do that.

When I first arrived here,  Immigration people instructed me emphatically to have a new stamp a few days before the expiration date (180 days for VEC).  Many people wait until the last day, which is fine, but overstaying is never OK'd.  You were lucky the first time and who knows, you may be lucky again this time.  Or you may not.  The decision is yours, of course. 

All I know is that the fines are 1.25M for an overstay up to 10 days,  4M for up to one month, and 10M for up to 3 months.  In addition, you may or may not be banned from re-entering.

PS:  I'm sorry if my earlier question on your choice of visa was intrusive.  I didn't mean to do that.  However, just FYI, the cost for a 5-year VEC is only $80, less than what you paid for one year visa.

Ciambella wrote:

You re-entered the country on June 19, so Sept 17 should be the 90th day if Immigration people count the days, or Sept 19 if they count the month.  Either way, Sept 26 would make you an overstayer.  I would not recommend anybody to do that.

When I first arrived here,  Immigration people instructed me emphatically to have a new stamp a few days before the expiration date (180 days for VEC).  Many people wait until the last day, which is fine, but overstaying is never OK'd.  You were lucky the first time and who knows, you may be lucky again this time.  Or you may not.  The decision is yours, of course. 

All I know is that the fines are 1.25M for an overstay up to 10 days,  4M for up to one month, and 10M for up to 3 months.  In addition, you may or may not be banned from re-entering.

PS:  I'm sorry if my earlier question on your choice of visa was intrusive.  I didn't mean to do that.  However, just FYI, the cost for a 5-year VEC is only $80, less than what you paid for one year visa.

Thanks for the tips.

The fine is cheap enough that I'd pay, but the additional risk of being banned isn't worth it.

Where can I get a 5-year VEC?  My friends mentioned that I should find someone that hasn't expertise in filing a 5 year visa.

And no worries, I wasn't offended by anything you said.  I found your response quite helpful.

You can have the VEC done by any agent or by yourself (application is available on the Internet).  I had ours done in CA by a travel agent, and their fee was included in the $80 they charged me.

It's a very simple process.  You need to prove that you're either Vietnamese by birth or an offspring of Vietnamese parents (if you were born in the States, for instance).  I didn't have a birth certificate when I left the country and didn't think of sending for it afterwards, but my US naturalization document showed that I was born in VN and that was sufficient.

awesome, thanks, you've been a ton of help!

So my question is:
I have a trip coming up to Singapore on 9/26.

Which puts me 10 days after the 90 day window.

Would you recommend me taking another trip to be safe?

Or should I be ok?

For the one-year tourist visa for Americans, which what you seem to have, as far as I know, because it's not clear, immigration don't strictly enforce it, as you mention above.

I ran into one guy who simply didn't know about having to leave every 90 days and had overstayed his stamp about 2 months. It was Friday and his flight out was on Sunday. Anyway, he was able to leave without any issue as he had a valid one-year visa. 

I used VietnamVisa.org and they had the 1 year for $135, which I thought was pretty good (at least for me)

It might be helpful to get some advice from them. I have heard from an agent that you can also pay to extend the stamp instead of leaving.

johnross23 wrote:

So my question is:
I have a trip coming up to Singapore on 9/26.

Which puts me 10 days after the 90 day window.

Would you recommend me taking another trip to be safe?

Or should I be ok?

For the one-year tourist visa for Americans, which what you seem to have, as far as I know, because it's not clear, immigration don't strictly enforce it, as you mention above.

I ran into one guy who simply didn't know about having to leave every 90 days and had overstayed his stamp about 2 months. It was Friday and his flight out was on Sunday. Anyway, he was able to leave without any issue as he had a valid one-year visa. 

I used VietnamVisa.org and they had the 1 year for $135, which I thought was pretty good (at least for me)

It might be helpful to get some advice from them. I have heard from an agent that you can also pay to extend the stamp instead of leaving.

Just to be clear. There is NEVER a problem with leaving, other than paying a Fine, which, is not very much all things considered.

However, the problem is that THEY MAY NOT LET YOU BACK IN, EVER or for at least  a number of years.

Which is the case pretty much in the whole world.

bmpham wrote:

So my question is:
I have a trip coming up to Singapore on 9/26.

Which puts me 10 days after the 90 day window.

Would you recommend me taking another trip to be safe?

Or should I be ok?

I suggest, you go to the new Immigration office at 333-335-337 Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Q.1, TP.HCM. and talk to the officers in the foreigner's section (counters on the right, as you enter the hall).

Ask them if you can get a short extension or an immigration stamp etc. to cover your stay until 26/9. A short extension may cost you $10 at best. They'll tell you what to do.

Dont overstay, the police at Tan Son Nhat have a nice scam going for overstayers.

senwl wrote:

bmpham wrote:

So my question is:
I have a trip coming up to Singapore on 9/26.

Which puts me 10 days after the 90 day window.

Would you recommend me taking another trip to be safe?

Or should I be ok?

I suggest, you go to the new Immigration office at 333-335-337 Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Q.1, TP.HCM. and talk to the officers in the foreigner's section (counters on the right, as you enter the hall).

Ask them if you can get a short extension or an immigration stamp etc. to cover your stay until 26/9. A short extension may cost you $10 at best. They'll tell you what to do.

Wow, only $10?  Have you done this before?

bmpham wrote:

senwl wrote:

bmpham wrote:

So my question is:
I have a trip coming up to Singapore on 9/26.

Which puts me 10 days after the 90 day window.

Would you recommend me taking another trip to be safe?

Or should I be ok?

I suggest, you go to the new Immigration office at 333-335-337 Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Q.1, TP.HCM. and talk to the officers in the foreigner's section (counters on the right, as you enter the hall).

Ask them if you can get a short extension or an immigration stamp etc. to cover your stay until 26/9. A short extension may cost you $10 at best. They'll tell you what to do.

Wow, only $10?  Have you done this before?

Yes $10 for an extension. I did it two weeks ago in a slightly different scenario.
Whether you're eligible for an extension or you need to get out of the country is up to them to decide.

@Senwl  I've been posting that for years here. All you need is a Mẫu (Form) N14/M  filled out and have the required signatures on the bottom of the form. Present it to Immigration with 210,000VND and get your extension. No need for a visa agent. Yes of course you have to be eligible for it, that's were the agents make there money and you get deported with a huge fine when they (Immigration) determine the extension is fake or issued under false pretenses.  My wife and I both did our own with out an agent for well over 10 years and haven't left the Country yet.
Rick

Budman1 wrote:

@Senwl  I've been posting that for years here. All you need is a Mẫu (Form) N14/M  filled out and have the required signatures on the bottom of the form. Present it to Immigration with 210,000VND and get your extension. No need for a visa agent. Yes of course you have to be eligible for it, that's were the agents make there money and you get deported with a huge fine when they (Immigration) determine the extension is fake or issued under false pretenses.  My wife and I both did our own with out an agent for well over 10 years and haven't left the Country yet.
Rick

You haven't had to leave at all during these 10 years?

You just keep getting it extended?

Budman1 wrote:

@Senwl  I've been posting that for years here. All you need is a Mẫu (Form) N14/M  filled out and have the required signatures on the bottom of the form. Present it to Immigration with 210,000VND and get your extension. No need for a visa agent. Yes of course you have to be eligible for it, that's were the agents make there money and you get deported with a huge fine when they (Immigration) determine the extension is fake or issued under false pretenses.  My wife and I both did our own with out an agent for well over 10 years and haven't left the Country yet.
Rick

Immigration in Ba Ria generally wont touch it unless you go through an agent. What you say is correct, unfortunately not every area seems to follow the rules.

**Update

I went to immigration office today and they pretty much told me I have 2 options:
1.) apply for new visa
2.) go through a travel agency to see if they can give me a stamp extension

Gonna see if I can use the same agency that granted me my visa to extend my stamp a few days...

I do want to go back and give it another try with Mẫu (Form) N14/M as mentioned by @budman1

bmpham wrote:

**Update

I went to immigration office today and they pretty much told me I have 2 options:
1.) apply for new visa
2.) go through a travel agency to see if they can give me a stamp extension

Gonna see if I can use the same agency that granted me my visa to extend my stamp a few days...

I do want to go back and give it another try with Mẫu (Form) N14/M as mentioned by @budman1

Here's the form:

http://kieubaoviet.vn/uploaded/n14m%20m … 20VISA.pdf

This is exactly the same one an agent will use. It's easy to fill out and it's in ENG & VN. However it's best to fill in the blanks in VN with all the marks, especially the part where you explain the reason for the request. Makes it easy for Immigration to understand. Your landlord can sign it as the sponsor and get the head cop in the area your registered to verify it. Sometimes they ask for pictures and then again sometimes they don't, better to have them with just in case. I'd save it to a USB stick if you plan on coming back and need to extend again at a later date. Once you get that last signature from the Police Chief you should be good to go with Immigration.  They request you use an agent not because of kick backs in most cases, but because the form has to be filled out correctly (readable) and the required signatures are on the bottom.

Rick

Just got this uninvited spam in my PM:


steven_lee11 minutes ago  |  REPORT
Hello Man,

How are you ?

We are from Visa consulting and services company. We provide VISA, Business License and Work Permit/ TRC for expat in HCMC.

If you have any query for the VISA in Viet Nam, Please contact us for support.

Best Regards,
Steven ( ***) Whatssap

These guys don't know when to quit>>>> and yes I reported it.

Rick

Budman1 wrote:

Just got this uninvited spam in my PM:


steven_lee11 minutes ago  |  REPORT
Hello Man,

How are you ?

We are from Visa consulting and services company. We provide VISA, Business License and Work Permit/ TRC for expat in HCMC.

If you have any query for the VISA in Viet Nam, Please contact us for support.

Best Regards,
Steven (***) Whatssap

These guys don't know when to quit>>>> and yes I reported it.

Rick

Gee, what a friendly guy, contacting you to help out.😀

Your right, they just never give up. Even worse on Facebook with the video messages they use to flog anything and everything.