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Renewing a visa safely, reliably and cheaply in HCMC

 
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robfir



Joined: 14 Apr 2012
Posts: 23
Location: Bournemouth, Dorset, England

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 11:13 am    Post subject: Renewing a visa safely, reliably and cheaply in HCMC Reply with quote

I'm very surprised that I couldn't find loads of recent information on this here! That may just be because the on-site search isn't working for me this evening.

Anyway, my first visa's going to run out soon and I'd rather not leave - what experiences do we have with renewing these please?
If you could tell me where you went, how much you paid, how long it took and what type, length, etc. visa you had afterwards that would be great Smile

Do people always use a travel agent or can we do this by visiting government offices ourselves?
I prefer not leaving my passport anywhere, but I suppose I'll have to for this?

If there's anything I haven't asked which you think I should know or be considering do shout out!
Thanks in advance for your help,
Rob Smile
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LettersAthruZ



Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Posts: 466
Location: North Viet Nam

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There have been a couple of threads on this topic, but the subject line may be something totally different than visa renewals, hence, why you're not having any luck with the search function.

A friend of mine in Ho Chi Minh City needed a visa renewal last year. I got some really good help from the folks on this board from Sai Gon.....she went down there, paid, like, $45USD to a travel agency on Bui Vien and was set. No worries.

Just phoned her.....she cannot remember the name of the place for the life of her, but she said that there are several places in Bui Vien that do this, and she also stressed to comparison shop between travel agencies!!! She tole me that she had scattershot quotes for a three-month renewal going from $40USD to $95USD. She said it took four business days or, for ten bucks extra or something like that, she could have gotten it in two business days.

I know ONE person (up here in The North) who has done the Government Office route - he walked in and kindly requested a visa renewal......they looked at him like he was an alien who just stepped off of his spaceship!!!! Then, after they got over their initial shock, they kept making bullshit excuse after bullshit excuse ("The visa machine no work today - cannot issue! Sorry " Crying or Very sad followed by - "The visa processing officer is sick today. Very sorry!!! NOBODY else here is knows how to process visa!!" Crying or Very sad) and THAT went on every day for five straight days. He then dropped the hundred bucks at a travel agent and got his visa renewal four days later.

I DO NOT know how it is with the Government Offices in The South, but up here, you're not going to get anything without either somebody who has "....a good relationship....." with certain government officials representing you, or one hell of a bribe! Smile

Being where you are in The South, I HAVE READ here on this board that a six-month visa can be issued by doing a Cambo run to Phnom Penh. However, I have never done that myself and that option might not still be available, hopefully the knowledgeable teachers in HCMC can dole out some advice here.
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inhanoi



Joined: 22 Oct 2011
Posts: 165

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"I know ONE person (up here in The North) "... in other words, useless hearsay. To then tell the poster they "won't get anything" is useless nothingness. Just another chance to tell the world about YOUR trials and tribulations in "the North." The question was about HCMC.


Anyway, OP, go to Bui Vien and De Tham and ask around in HCMC. No drama, north or south. If you're in Hanoi you can refer to the New Hanoian website for numerous agents who will help with visa renewals.
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vabeckele



Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 439

PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 8:15 am    Post subject: Cambodia Reply with quote

Enter Cambodia on a BUSINESS visa and you can get up to a year. 6 months is quite normal.
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LettersAthruZ



Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Posts: 466
Location: North Viet Nam

PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

inhanoi wrote:
Anyway, OP, go to Bui Vien and De Tham and ask around in HCMC.


Great advice.....I'd read that somewheres before....can't remember where, however.....

....OH! That's right - I had seen somebody suggesting Bui Vien three postings up from this one.
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vabeckele



Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 439

PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 2:22 pm    Post subject: work permit Reply with quote

I went into the immigration office in Danang and was told the process would take 7 months for a year's permit.
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LettersAthruZ



Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Posts: 466
Location: North Viet Nam

PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 6:08 pm    Post subject: Re: work permit Reply with quote

vabeckele wrote:
I went into the immigration office in Danang and was told the process would take 7 months for a year's permit.


A year's Work Permit or a one-year visa? What exactly were you asking the Immigration people about, Vabeckele, that they told you would take seven months to process?
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vabeckele



Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 439

PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 3:48 am    Post subject: WORK PERMIT Reply with quote

I applied for both a year's visa and a work permit, at least twice, and gave up - This was at the immigration office of Danang. I had a company sponsor, the lot, and still wouldn't go through.

I do believe though, for those that are here for long term and by long term I mean putting up with the initial bull of a year or more, the next application becomes easier.

Even those that are married here have to sign in every three months and declare themselves fit to be here.

I was paying the local community's police officer for my residency and he never declared it to his office; so many minor things add up to plenty.
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Mattingly



Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 249

PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 1:10 pm    Post subject: Re: WORK PERMIT Reply with quote

vabeckele wrote:
I applied for both a year's visa and a work permit, at least twice, and gave up - This was at the immigration office of Danang. I had a company sponsor, the lot, and still wouldn't go through.


You are among many a-many a-company.

How many people including me, have jumped through hoops with real, authenticated documents to find a "problem?"

I will never try to get a work permit again.

I do believe, the VNese gov does not want foreigners to get a work permit unless they work for some large multi-national.

They'd prefer foreigners to come and go every 3-6-9 months.
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LettersAthruZ



Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Posts: 466
Location: North Viet Nam

PostPosted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:39 am    Post subject: Re: WORK PERMIT Reply with quote

vabeckele wrote:
I applied for both a year's visa and a work permit, at least twice, and gave up - This was at the immigration office of Danang. I had a company sponsor, the lot, and still wouldn't go through.

I do believe though, for those that are here for long term and by long term I mean putting up with the initial bull of a year or more, the next application becomes easier.

Even those that are married here have to sign in every three months and declare themselves fit to be here.

I was paying the local community's police officer for my residency and he never declared it to his office; so many minor things add up to plenty.


Yeah, doesn't surprise me, Vabeckele.....I had always thought (and was probably mistaken) that they were a bit more reasonable in Da Nang then they are up here, but I also remember hearing about STRONG anti-foreigner sentiment among both, the local residents in general as well as in the ranks of the Da Nang Canh Sat as well.....

Mattingly wrote:
You are among many a-many a-company.

How many people including me, have jumped through hoops with real, authenticated documents to find a "problem?"

I will never try to get a work permit again.

I do believe, the VNese gov does not want foreigners to get a work permit unless they work for some large multi-national.

They'd prefer foreigners to come and go every 3-6-9 months.


I used to have the same problem that you've listed, and even with a hefty bribe and "....GOOD relationships....." with certain individuals, getting my work and residency permits [originally and now subsequent renewals] are a migraine....it is becoming THAT irritating now that it kinda makes the three-month visa run look attractive!!!

Tend to agree with you about The Government pretty much wanting foreigners to go through here every three/six/nine months through a cycle of "in-teach-GONE!!" Also certain that the schools and centres (and their Coordinator/Assistant-To-The-Director lapdogs who are [or used to be] on this forum) are quite pleased having things this way, as there are no exuberant bribes to pay for getting your teachers WPs and it offers the added bonus of keeping wages, salaries and fees for the schools and centres lower.
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