Phuket Thailand: Vietnam Visa 30 Days Only

Pinot · #1 09-02-2010, 03:12

The government in Vietnam has recently changed and are enforcing new rules for reentry Visa's. While here this week I was told that all Vietnam Visa's are 30 days. If you want to stay you must exit and reenter by plane only. The cost for the reentry Visa is $200. There are no exceptions.

Before the changes there was a $25 charge and people were taking a bus to Cambodia (6 hours).

Expats are bailing out of here with these changes. It's going to effect everything here. For example, they are desperately looking for English teachers but those requirements make it impossible to stay here and teach.

Fun place to visit.

LivinLOS · #2 09-02-2010, 07:38

Again are you sure.. As a Visa rep recently told me that the long stay visa's were still buyable ??

Seems strange as they were really opening up to foreign investment.

11 · #3 09-02-2010, 07:52

I know its a commercial site, but looks pretty up to date ... looks like you can still get 3m visas ...

Hot news about 6-month visa in Vietnam | Vietnam Visa Service

LivinLOS · #4 09-02-2010, 07:59

Vietnam Visa Arrangement Vietnam Visa Extension Services Visa to Vietnam.

1 Year Multiple..

Maybe its all changed ?? But possibly the guy was talking about tourist visas now being restricted to 30 day entries ??

Pad Mc · #5 09-02-2010, 09:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinot

The government in Vietnam has recently changed and are enforcing new rules for reentry Visa's. While here this week I was told that all Vietnam Visa's are 30 days. If you want to stay you must exit and reenter by plane only. The cost for the reentry Visa is $200. There are no exceptions.

Before the changes there was a $25 charge and people were taking a bus to Cambodia (6 hours).

Expats are bailing out of here with these changes. It's going to effect everything here. For example, they are desperately looking for English teachers but those requirements make it impossible to stay here and teach.

Fun place to visit.

Yeah, I'll ask are you sure also. Those are big changes (worse than LOS

).

I've been searching and see nothing mentioned about these kind of changes to the TV.

(mods maybe an Idea to move this to the VN section? more relevant exposure etc)

LivinLOS · #6 09-02-2010, 09:29

Tourist visas are one thing, but the long stay work visas.. To have to fly in an out.. Seems highly weird.

Pad Mc · #7 09-02-2010, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinot

Vietnam Visa's are 30 days. If you want to stay you must exit and reenter by plane only. The cost for the reentry Visa is $200. There are no exceptions.

Before the changes there was a $25 charge and people were taking a bus to Cambodia (6 hours).

In 2007 this was not the case for the 30 day tourist visa.

You just went to Immigration office in one of the big towns paid $25 and got a 30 day extension stamp, you could even opt for a 3 month extension and pay the difference.

I'm very sure of this as I extended my 30 day when I was in Nha Trang in mid 07. A hotel receptionist did it for me in the space of 2 hours. At that time it was very straight forward, I could have done it myself too.

Pinot · #8 09-02-2010, 09:43

I don't know for sure. That's what I was told be a couple of teachers working here.

They told me of a friend of theirs who was living here with his Viet wife for years. He was going to be moving back to a house he owned near Bangkok. The teachers asked him about leaving his wife. He said he just told her your country no longer allows me to stay here.

So this is what I've been told by people living here. These changes are new and these teachers were not able to find a way around them and they were teaching at the best International school in the city. It definitely applies to tourists and retirees. Marraige doesn't get you out of it. The teachers were saying it doesn't make sense but that's what the government is doing.

Heard this before somewhere?

Pad Mc · #9 09-02-2010, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinot

I don't know for sure. That's what I was told be a couple of teachers working here.

They told me of a friend of theirs who was living here with his Viet wife for years. He was going to be moving back to a house he owned near Bangkok. The teachers asked him about leaving his wife. He said he just told her your country no longer allows me to stay here.

So this is what I've been told by people living here. These changes are new and these teachers were not able to find a way around them and they were teaching at the best International school in the city. It definitely applies to tourists and retirees. Marraige doesn't get you out of it. The teachers were saying it doesn't make sense but that's what the government is doing.

Heard this before somewhere?

No offense Pinot and I'm not saying your OP isn't true but this sounds like a classic "A guy told me in a bar" type story. Did these people somehow over stay or for want of a better term, Fcuk up their initial visa entitlement?

Pinot · #10 09-02-2010, 10:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pad Mc

No offense Pinot and I'm not saying your OP isn't true but this sounds like a classic "A guy told me in a bar" type story. Did these people somehow over stay or for want of a better term, Fcuk up their initial visa entitlement?

No, none of that and it was a noontime coffee shop with the sober husband and wife. I'm in an area with people only here for thirty days but I'll try and ask around see if I can get some corroboration.

LivinLOS · #11 10-02-2010, 19:29

Quote:

We would like to confirm that if you get 3 months multiple entry visa, you can stay 3 months. Within 3months, you can leave or enter Vietnam multiple entry. And then you can extend visa 1 months single entry more before 10 days the visa is expired. Total it is will be 4 months. After 4months, you have to leave Vietnam and then get a new visa.

Total of charge: US$40 + US$50 = US$95 without Stamp fee at Immigration office when you arrive Ho Chi Minh city.

4 months for 95 USD. They also pointed out the 1 month extension was only if you came in via HCMC / SGN air..

But it does seem that long stay without employment has become harder. It used to be a couple hundred a year and even 3 years if you could hustle biz invite paperwork.

Makos · #12 10-02-2010, 19:39

of course..

Pinot · #13 10-02-2010, 20:26

I haven't been able to find much on the changing Visa rules in VN. So take my information simply as what I was told. I know the rules have been changing from a little research I've done but can't verify above.

New visa rules leave expats bemused | Look At Vietnam

Pinot · #14 11-02-2010, 17:17

Doing a little more research here.

The 30 day Visa rule in my first post seems to be the norm. Some flexibility on work permits, but difficult to obtain and often denied.

VN does not have nice regulations for retirement. Also no visa for foreigners married with a Vietnamese spouse.

The regulations have not changed as such, just being enforced more rigidly. Some say it will slip back when the right bribe system gets back in place. It's pretty much aimed at cleaning up foreigners using the place as a crime base, in particular the Nigerians. These people have been swelling in numbers in recent years and as in Cambodia are making serious pests of themselves. Just their drug dealing and pimping alone is getting a bit out of hand. Immigration folk have been raiding the parks and cheap guesthouses where they sleep on a regular basis for months now and they're thinning out on the streets around Saigon. I saw a few around when I was there.

LivinLOS · #15 11-02-2010, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinot

Doing a little more research here.

The 30 day Visa rule in my first post seems to be the norm. Some flexibility on work permits, but difficult to obtain and often denied.

Well 3 months plus 1 month extension if needed from

Vietnam Visa Arrangement Vietnam Visa Extension Services Visa to Vietnam.

For less than 100 USD.

jessica lee · #16 06-03-2010, 15:06

Wow!

just 6 months visa (single/multiple) stops. 1-3 months still the same!

Vietnam visa on arrival is quite good. I must say. The process is very simple. All you have to do is go to their website and fill out the online forms with your passport and personal information. Make sure you clarify if you want a single entry or multiple entry visa if you plan to explore nearby countries or return to Vietnam in the near future.

Once you complete the process they will send you a confirmation email with important information of the requirements. You will need to get 2 passport photos taken as well as print out an official letter declaring your arrival as well as an application form which are all required at the airport.