1 year Visa

happyhour wrote:

Nam_ wrote:

bluenz wrote:

I know, but this is from your quote in your post.
"  you can take the flight to Malaysia and come back to get new visa on arrival for 3 month and continuous stay here for your job."

So what do you care?

You say living and working in Vietnam on tourist visa is just fine ?....

If you'd like to put it that way sure. I couldn't give the furry crack of a rat's behind about the issue of people "living" (I guess that's what we're all doing here as the deceased are not able to acquire visas, sadly) and/or working in Vietnam with/without work permits. That's an issue between them and the govt of Vietnam and if the latter cared even a tenth as much as good ole Bluenz apparently does there probably wouldn't be a soul in Vietnam without one (hopefully the fact that they don't doesn't cause the poor guy to lose as much sleep as it appears given how often he harps on the issue).

Cvco- It's nice that you want to believe people to have the best of intentions but happy hour didn't read Bluenz wrong, the latter was indeed taking the time out of his not-so-busy day to basically wag his finger at you for working in Vietnam without a WP (despite that wasn't your question, nor was it the case). The guy has the kind of busy-bodying skills that would make the average Vietnamese housewife blush (if I remember correctly...I'm pretty sure he is a housewife). He was no more trying to be helpful when he spoke of you working illegally than he was with his inane commentary about my user name which my asking why he cared apparently provoked.

3 month visas- As some others here have noted it's no problem to stay for 9 months at a time (as of now) on the up and up without any long-term visa status. But it seems to cost a bit more to go from that 6th to 9th month (second 3 month renewal) whereas before the rate was flat. Some are saying you can still renew after 9 months but that the price goes up even more. At that point for me personally it would no longer be worth it as the extra fees could go towards a mini-vacation somewhere else (ie you leave the country and reset the 9 month clock so pay a lower rate).

One year visa- Personally I'd steer clear. I don't want to insult those offering this service but many believe it is not completely on the up and up and although some have used this service and swear by it there have been random anecdotes reported online about recipients later having their visas revoked and getting the 10 day stamp. Imho if this service were totally legit all of the major visa agencies would be offering it (don't quote me but I *think* they add your name to the roster of some legit or phony company they set up as a "consultant"). .

In any case imho there is little incentive to go the 'slightly shady 1 year visa' route as the (roughly) $600 fee quoted is higher than the cost for all of your 3 month renewals + a trip somewhere else combined.

cvco wrote:

my agent said only one renewal is available. Thats all, thats it.

Try someone else. The visa agents I communicated with said that a second 3-month renewal (for 9 month's total stay without leaving the country) is available but the prices quoted were in the $60 to $75 range (some report having been quoted or having paid less) and that's single entry.

The OP is working an Orphanage and poor kids scam.

If he actually worked for a genuine NGO/charity all this stuff would have been covered by the government.

Read Good Morning Ho Chi

and Thrill of Asia

How come, if they have in-country support, the OP is asking for help?

Nam_ wrote:

happyhour wrote:

Nam_ wrote:

So what do you care?

You say living and working in Vietnam on tourist visa is just fine ?....

If you'd like to put it that way sure. I couldn't give the furry crack of a rat's behind about the issue of people "living" (I guess that's what we're all doing here as the deceased are not able to acquire visas, sadly) and/or working in Vietnam with/without work permits. That's an issue between them and the govt of Vietnam and if the latter cared even a tenth as much as good ole Bluenz apparently does there probably wouldn't be a soul in Vietnam without one (hopefully the fact that they don't doesn't cause the poor guy to lose as much sleep as it appears given how often he harps on the issue).

Cvco- It's nice that you want to believe people to have the best of intentions but happy hour didn't read Bluenz wrong, the latter was indeed taking the time out of his not-so-busy day to basically wag his finger at you for working in Vietnam without a WP (despite that wasn't your question, nor was it the case). The guy has the kind of busy-bodying skills that would make the average Vietnamese housewife blush (if I remember correctly...I'm pretty sure he is a housewife). He was no more trying to be helpful when he spoke of you working illegally than he was with his inane commentary about my user name which my asking why he cared apparently provoked.

Haha, hook line and sinker, and bloody near the whole boat, you seem to have a HELL of a lot of time as well, ( I usually only go on here when it's raining ), but thank god your posts aren't all full of shit, some of your sarcasm is even humourous. ( but they say that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit ).
   The point is, the consequences of getting caught without a Work Permit, or legal Visa,  it's the temp EX Pats , who STAY here, and work without permits, who make it tougher for genuine Ex Pats.

Nam_ wrote:

cvco wrote:

my agent said only one renewal is available. Thats all, thats it.

Try someone else. The visa agents I communicated with said that a second 3-month renewal (for 9 month's total stay without leaving the country) is available but the prices quoted were in the $60 to $75 range (some report having been quoted or having paid less) and that's single entry.

I would be interested in getting the name of the agents you spoke to who can get 2nd and 3rd visas for that price as from what I have heard it's much more than that. I don't need it personally, but it would be good to keep the name of the agent for future posters asking about it.

colinoscapee wrote:

Nam_ wrote:

cvco wrote:

my agent said only one renewal is available. Thats all, thats it.

Try someone else. The visa agents I communicated with said that a second 3-month renewal (for 9 month's total stay without leaving the country) is available but the prices quoted were in the $60 to $75 range (some report having been quoted or having paid less) and that's single entry.

I would be interested in getting the name of the agents you spoke to who can get 2nd and 3rd visas for that price as from what I have heard it's much more than that. I don't need it personally, but it would be good to keep the name of the agent for future posters asking about it.

I'll send you a pm with the names but I don't think it's anything out of the ordinary (my first renewal about 3 months ago was $40, I didn't realize it would go up for the second I thought only after 9 months in country) . One of the two agents is generally thought to have higher than average prices (quoted $75). Keep in mind this is for single-entry.

The progress of this thread is really confusing. I cant speak for anyone else but every question I pose assumes replies from readers about doing things the front-door way. I hope all of you will give (at least me) the true and correct and legal way to solve a problem, if you happen to know it. I cant afford the other kind.

I know there are all sorts of people interested in VN and come from different angles. At least say it this way then:
Legal way __________________________________
Illegal way ______________________________________

Its less confusing!

cvco wrote:

The progress of this thread is really confusing. I cant speak for anyone else but every question I pose assumes replies from readers about doing things the front-door way. I hope all of you will give (at least me) the true and correct and legal way to solve a problem, if you happen to know it. I cant afford the other kind.

I know there are all sorts of people interested in VN and come from different angles. At least say it this way then:
Legal way __________________________________
Illegal way ______________________________________

Its less confusing!

Yes it pisses me off too, many EX Pats are here for the long run, and want to do things legally, knowing the repercussions if we get get caught with shonky paperwork, or worse, none at all.
Unfortunately this site also lets scammers on it. The mods should instantly delete any post that even hints at sales/wanted to buy/sell.  But they " invite ' the poster to place their post in the appropriate classification.

Government employees who work in foreigner related offices are the number one law breakers 
There is no discrimination - legal way or illegal way! To them, green bills are the right and legal way!
Yeah, different agents charge different prices for Visas, WP, TRC...
Of course there has fixed fee / stamp fee in office but depends 'Kings & Queens' it may vary on agents to agents. In short, 'money is power'. Which agent can bring more 'business' to them, they will take care him first and fast! If you approach that agent, then your document processing is very fast and cheap money 
So go for that agents! Save your time and money!

'' So go for that agents! Save your time and money!"
Time , yes, money no, they don't do it for nothing.

I meant, cheaper than new and 'small' agents 
Of course it's not charity!

cvco wrote:

The progress of this thread is really confusing. I cant speak for anyone else but every question I pose assumes replies from readers about doing things the front-door way. I hope all of you will give (at least me) the true and correct and legal way to solve a problem, if you happen to know it. I cant afford the other kind.

I know there are all sorts of people interested in VN and come from different angles. At least say it this way then:
Legal way __________________________________
Illegal way ______________________________________

Its less confusing!

It's my own personal observation over the course of almost 4 years here that sometimes the clear line that appears in many countries between legal and illegal is not quite so clear in Vietnam.

Many of the government agencies want a black market so as to obtain funds for themselves. Another problem is that rules can be different provence to provence,the is no such thing as uniformed laws here.

Uniformity is only in bribe! 

From my 15 years experience in Asia id say that the ILLEGAL way is built-in because civil servants are underpaid, the difference being purposely made up by people using the system. Like cops, they are supposed to earn $1000/mo. They are paid $400 by the govt and $600 by you and me and thats how they get their full salary. The more clever ones take that $1000 and say, why stop there? Why cant I get $5000/mo? So they go for it. But then, they look at each other and say, hey wait, he is getting $5000, im better/higher, why shouldnt I have $10,000? But there isnt $10,000 on the street so they bilk it from each other, something like passing it forward. I think there is more corruption between them than between us and them.

BUT.....YET.....the trick of the system isnt that the illegal becomes therefore legal, its that they can turn it on and off like a switch and you are then caught in the middle and something bad is going to happen.

Im waaay behind in progress in Asia because i refused to be caught that way, when they suddenly turned on the honest-switch ON YOU. Attempting  to keep the heading of doing things by the book, when and if there is one, ensures a bumpy road and very slow progress but at least im not deported or jailed or massively fined. Is it better to be secure but stuck at zero, or moving rapidly with ultra high risk of the worst case scenario? Its a daily choice which adds to the headache.

The other problem is that the laws change so fast and so often it's hard to keep up with what's going on.

colinoscapee wrote:

The other problem is that the laws change so fast and so often it's hard to keep up with what's going on.

And the different interpretations of these laws between the Provinces. ( and occasionally, even in the same office ).

Not just the government,banks are the same,you can go to two different branches of the same bank and get a totally different answer.

Laws? I think all of Asia is the same this way.

Malaysia anyway, you can get different answers from branches of the same office, you can get different answers in the same office from a different person, and you can get different answers from the same person on a different day of the same week.

And if that was confusing to read, i cant blame you one bit.

cvco wrote:

Laws? I think all of Asia is the same this way.

Malaysia anyway, you can get different answers from branches of the same office, you can get different answers in the same office from a different person, and you can get different answers from the same person on a different day of the same week.

And if that was confusing to read, i cant blame you one bit.

Yes, but at least they can speak good English.  Best  to take the names of the people you deal with , for future reference.  I have the name of this [moderated: vulgar] in Immigration here, i now know what days she is on the front counter, and these will be the days I won't be going there.

Answer? No way!
Even more than 5 years experienced staff don't know banking rules!
Vietcombank Nguyen Hue office was my last fight place. Before that I went many branches and asked but they were helpless and 'refer' me to Nguyen Hue office!
As usual start from low rank official, then to 'experienced' high rank official 
After long time 'listening; and 'speaking' session she invite me to her boss' chamber. I refused and instruct the junior staff what to do. After she said 'fixed problem', still.... problem when I come back home and try to transfer money. So I have no other choice but close that FD account and transfer it to my saving account so I can withdraw via ATM. After some days, anyway, now I can transfer money.    May be that was a 'technical' problem 

colinoscapee wrote:

Not just the government,banks are the same,you can go to two different branches of the same bank and get a totally different answer.

cvco wrote:

Laws? I think all of Asia is the same this way.

Malaysia anyway, you can get different answers from branches of the same office, you can get different answers in the same office from a different person, and you can get different answers from the same person on a different day of the same week.

And if that was confusing to read, i cant blame you one bit.

Not all of Asia, I didn't find that particular issue in Japan, Hong Kong, or Singapore

RayG wrote:

cvco wrote:

Laws? I think all of Asia is the same this way.

Malaysia anyway, you can get different answers from branches of the same office, you can get different answers in the same office from a different person, and you can get different answers from the same person on a different day of the same week.

And if that was confusing to read, i cant blame you one bit.

Not all of Asia, I didn't find that particular issue in Japan, Hong Kong, or Singapore

That's because the last 2 were originally run by the English, and not the French????

Greglb wrote:

You can get a tourist visa good for 3 months and then you have to renew it every three months.  Be careful and follow the rules carefully to avoid complications.  If you need specifics let me know.  I am a USA citizen and lived in VN several years.  I was a paralegal in the USA.  Great place to travel.

Greg

Hi,  If you don't mind my asking, how have you been able to live in VN for so long?  I am hoping that before I retire in about 10 years i really want to retire before I turn 65, VN's policies will change to allow foreigners to retire there without all of the jumping through hoops marriage, border runs, company sponsored etc.  I have been facinated with Hoi An since it was featured on House Hunters International a few years ago.  I plan to visit within the next two years.

Thanks

sjpersonal wrote:

VN's policies will change to allow foreigners to retire there without all of the jumping through hoops marriage, border runs, company sponsored etc.

I'm sure you realize that nothing like that has been announced here in Vietnam. What do you know that we don't?

RayG wrote:

sjpersonal wrote:

VN's policies will change to allow foreigners to retire there without all of the jumping through hoops marriage, border runs, company sponsored etc.

I'm sure you realize that nothing like that has been announced here in Vietnam. What do you know that we don't?

Hi if you are going to quote me. Please use the WHOLE QUOTE. You left out the "I hope that " which precedes what you posted. Thank you

sjpersonal wrote:

RayG wrote:

sjpersonal wrote:

VN's policies will change to allow foreigners to retire there without all of the jumping through hoops marriage, border runs, company sponsored etc.

I'm sure you realize that nothing like that has been announced here in Vietnam. What do you know that we don't?

Hi if you are going to quote me. Please use the WHOLE QUOTE. You left out the "I hope that " which precedes what you posted. Thank you

Sorry, I misread what you wrote and my question was made on that misreading. I was not intentionally trying to alter the meaning of what you said. When I saw the part which I quoted I guess I fixated on it as IMHO there's little chance of that happening.  I don't see any indication that Vietnam views retirees as particularly desirable residents. I'm a retiree married  to a Vietnamese and I've been here for nearly 4 years, temporarily, 90 days at a time.

suerte007 wrote:

Hello Vietnamese expat
I like to travel to Vietnam for about 1 year help me with visa idea thank you

January 1st. 2015 is the time you'll need to ask the question again.

Just take it easy and watch the Internet with  Jaitch updates.

Royalty free image of 1948 Panhead

RayG wrote:

sjpersonal wrote:

RayG wrote:

I'm sure you realize that nothing like that has been announced here in Vietnam. What do you know that we don't?

Hi if you are going to quote me. Please use the WHOLE QUOTE. You left out the "I hope that " which precedes what you posted. Thank you

Sorry, I misread what you wrote and my question was made on that misreading. I was not intentionally trying to alter the meaning of what you said. When I saw the part which I quoted I guess I fixated on it as IMHO there's little chance of that happening.  I don't see any indication that Vietnam views retirees as particularly desirable residents. I'm a retiree married  to a Vietnamese and I've been here for nearly 4 years, temporarily, 90 days at a time.

No worries.  Thanks.  Question: After the 2nd renewal (90 days total) is there anyway to return and if so how and how long between leaving and returning for another 3 months.  I will be 52 in January so it is time for me to start figuring out what I am going to do as I am sure that, unless I hit the Lotto, financially I will not be able to live in the US unless it is in a hovel eating cat food.  I would appreciate any information that you would be willing to share.  Thank you

sjpersonal wrote:

After the 2nd renewal (90 days total) is there anyway to return and if so how and how long between leaving and returning for another 3 months.

That's not a problem. There's no minimum amount of time that you have to be gone from Vietnam.  Theoretically I suppose you get your next visa wile you're still in Vietnam and then could take the bus to the Vienam-Cambodian border, get your passport stamped leaving and then turn right around and leave Cambodia and return to Vietnam.  I wouldn't want to do that as Phnom Penh is a pleasant enough place to visit and no more expensive than Vietnam.  It's also a good place to replenish your supply of US currency as ATMs in Phnom Penh are plentiful and can spit out US dollars.  Of course if you have a 3 month tourist visa and get a 3 month extension the total stay is 180 days.

anguyenpham wrote:

i love uncle HO.

Bac Ho

RayG wrote:

sjpersonal wrote:

After the 2nd renewal (90 days total) is there anyway to return and if so how and how long between leaving and returning for another 3 months.

That's not a problem. There's no minimum amount of time that you have to be gone from Vietnam.  Theoretically I suppose you get your next visa wile you're still in Vietnam and then could take the bus to the Vienam-Cambodian border, get your passport stamped leaving and then turn right around and leave Cambodia and return to Vietnam.  I wouldn't want to do that as Phnom Penh is a pleasant enough place to visit and no more expensive than Vietnam.  It's also a good place to replenish your supply of US currency as ATMs in Phnom Penh are plentiful and can spit out US dollars.  Of course if you have a 3 month tourist visa and get a 3 month extension the total stay is 180 days.

THANKS RG, I am seriously hoping that by the time I am able to retire that the rules will have changed as I really really want to liver permanently in Hoi An.  I am assuming that you can only do the Visa Renewal thing a few times any way I would not feel at all comfortable trying "Live' like that with really no permanent homestead.  So whatever the rules are when I am ready I will live there for as long as I can "Legally" then move to some other country that I can live in permanently, I would really prefer staying in Asia.

sjpersonal,

Im on your side and agree--except that I made the same decision 15 years ago. Today, now, its far more difficult to plant yourself in Asia because the visa laws are getting harder, not easier. You have very few options now. You can marry, you can start a company, thats about it. That goes for all of Asia, not just Vietnam and i will assume you want to do things the right way, not gain entry through bribery and corruption. Coming changes in laws will only be tougher.

Im in Malaysia and just spent a month in Sai Gon to check out things and I can say Malaysia would still be rated much higher than Vietnam based on my own goals and situation but thats not to say it will be easier to stay there either. Same for Thailand and Indonesia. As the countries gain wealth, out go the foreigners (who helped build it).

In Vietnam when you marry you can get a 5 year visa exemption but the big catch is that you still only get your passport stamped for a 90 stay.  That can be extended for additional 90 day stays but how many times you can get those extensions seems to be largely a matter of chance.
As a retiree with adequate resources, an adequate income from pensions, and not the slightest thought of working  I thought I'd be welcome to come spend my money in quite a few places but that turns out not to be the case.  My money is welcomed when I'm a tourist but not if I want to stay longer and thus spend more.   

RayG wrote:

In Vietnam when you marry you can get a 5 year visa exemption but the big catch is that you still only get your passport stamped for a 90 stay.  That can be extended for additional 90 day stays but how many times you can get those extensions seems to be largely a matter of chance.
As a retiree with adequate resources, an adequate income from pensions, and not the slightest thought of working  I thought I'd be welcome to come spend my money in quite a few places but that turns out not to be the case.  My money is welcomed when I'm a tourist but not if I want to stay longer and thus spend more.   

Thanks RayG,
I think that I may have to start looking else where for a permanent location as I am not willing to take the chance of being denied re-entry into Vietnam on one of those Visa/border runs.  But I can at least take a long vacation there.

Take care

There is no reason for them to deny you on a visa run when you have a legitimate visa.

colinoscapee wrote:

There is no reason for them to deny you on a visa run when you have a legitimate visa.

So basically no one keeps track, not the police, not immigration no one.  I just worry about those things because since I will be in a foreign country I want to make sure that I follow their laws and keep everything on the up and up.

Not sure what you mean by that, you have a visa, you get it extended twice then do a visa run. Get a new visa in Cambodia then come back in. Of course it's tracked by immigration why wouldn't they, they will check your passport as you enter the country to see that you have a valid visa.