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DaumiD
Joined: 29 Jan 2016
Posts: 18
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 Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:03 am Post subject: |
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| ExpatLuke wrote: |
| If you're considering making it a career move, but don't want to commit to 2-3 years of study, get the CELTA or Trinity TESOL as they're the two most widely accepted worldwide. It doesn't matter in SE Asia, but if end up going to another country it might. |
This does seem the way to go.
I hear about needing a criminal history check for a Vietnam work permit. There is a thread about getting online police reports, etc. How current does that need to be? For example, if I submitted fingerprints to the FBI now and took the report with me in four months, would I be able to use that report by the time I needed it? |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 3:31 am Post subject: |
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The FBI fingerprint check isn't needed for Vietnam. Just a local police check will do. In fact, as an American, you can get a local check done by your city's sheriff department and emailed to you as a PDF file, which you can print out.
As a general rule, the check needs to be current. No older than 6 months, and cover the time you lived in America. |
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DaumiD
Joined: 29 Jan 2016
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 11:52 am Post subject: |
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So you need to be in Vietnam 6 months before you can apply for a work permit, but the background check needs to be less than 6 months old?
Red tape is a pain in the butt. :-/ |
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skarper
Joined: 12 Oct 2006
Posts: 477
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| Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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I think you can and indeed should apply for a WP as soon as you have a sponsor....
But it can take 6 months or 6 years to find a sponsor who will actually put the pedal to the metal on this. Usually you are on their 'to do list' until it's too late to bother. |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| DaumiD wrote: |
So you need to be in Vietnam 6 months before you can apply for a work permit, but the background check needs to be less than 6 months old?
Red tape is a pain in the butt. :-/ |
Skarper has it right. You can apply for a WP as soon as you have a contract. But it generally takes at least 3 months to get. |
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DaumiD
Joined: 29 Jan 2016
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 1:19 am Post subject: |
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I think I have most of the details under control, but the wording of visa requirements is confusing me. I see rates listed for "3 month single entry visas" paired with warnings that you can only stay 30 days.
Or maybe you can stay 30 days, then file an extension?
I would be in the country at least 5-6 weeks before finding work (due to the 4 week class), so this concerns me.
Either way, I understand I would need a border run to get my work permit once I am hired.
I should be able to get at least 60 days, right? |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 9:32 am Post subject: |
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It should be fairly easy to get a 1 month or 3 month tourist visa while you take the class and live here.
If I were you, I'd probably come in on a 1 month tourist visa, take the class, and towards the end of the course, start looking for work. Have the school sponsor a business visa, so you can start working as soon as you finish the course and are hired.
It's usually pretty easy to extend a tourist visa at least once. |
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DaumiD
Joined: 29 Jan 2016
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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| ExpatLuke wrote: |
| It should be fairly easy to get a 1 month or 3 month tourist visa while you take the class and live here... |
That doesn't sound bad.
Current question: Currency Exchange.
Searching the internet and searching this forum have both given me surprisingly sparse options. My own bank, 5/3, will not deal in Vietnamese currency.
Is there any good way to exchange currency? |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 4:20 am Post subject: |
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| Most ATMs here accept foreign cards, but there are heft transaction fees. There are money changers at the airports, but most people just go to the local gold or jewelry shops. They have the exchange rates posted in the shop, and are the unofficial money changing places. |
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DaumiD
Joined: 29 Jan 2016
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 11:59 am Post subject: |
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| ExpatLuke wrote: |
| There are money changers at the airports, but most people just go to the local gold or jewelry shops. They have the exchange rates posted in the shop, and are the unofficial money changing places. |
I would not have thought of that. Thanks!
I feel like it might be wise to have a little bit of VND before I arrive. I still haven't found a good way to get VND in the USA through a bank. (Well's Fargo will do it, but it takes 8 weeks and you need an account.) There are a couple of websites selling VND, but I saw a comment or two about old bills vs. current bills. Thoughts on this? |
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kurtz
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 518
Location: Phaic Tan
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| Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| DaumiD wrote: |
| ExpatLuke wrote: |
| There are money changers at the airports, but most people just go to the local gold or jewelry shops. They have the exchange rates posted in the shop, and are the unofficial money changing places. |
I would not have thought of that. Thanks!
I feel like it might be wise to have a little bit of VND before I arrive. I still haven't found a good way to get VND in the USA through a bank. (Well's Fargo will do it, but it takes 8 weeks and you need an account.) There are a couple of websites selling VND, but I saw a comment or two about old bills vs. current bills. Thoughts on this? |
You don't need VND before you arrive. You do need some new USD bills, though. Change a little at the airport or use your ATM card. For some reason, Asians in developing countries want brand new USD bills. Personally I think it's a case of beggars can't be choosers; I mean, we're the ones with the hard currency and they are giving monopoly money- so what's with the attitude?
I'd be more worried about sending money home. From my experience, the Vietnamese didn't like foreigners sending money home. I was even accused of money laundering from one of the top international banks. Unfortunately, as staff pay bribes to get jobs in banks, don't expect good service. |
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DaumiD
Joined: 29 Jan 2016
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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New question: I will be ordering a new degree from my university to get it legalized. I am inclined to have it notarized on the front of the document, but "back of document" and "separate letter" are also options.
Does the Embassy have a preference?
Also, double-checking: Am I correct that I do not need a notarized/legalized copy of my transcript?
I have been unable to contact Consular Services at the Vietnamese embassy for a week now. They have not responded to my e-mail, and apparently some of their phones are not set up. Hopefully they legalize the document when I send it!
| kurtz wrote: |
| You don't need VND before you arrive. You do need some new USD bills, though. |
Good to know, thanks. |
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I'm With Stupid
Joined: 03 Sep 2010
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 12:16 am Post subject: |
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| DaumiD wrote: |
| Is it common for CELTA courses to have expensive textbook requirements? |
There are only two books on the required reading list, as far as I remember. And I don't remember having too much time to read them anyway. They're probably better to read after you've finished and have been teaching for a little while. Anyway, ILA (and presumably anywhere else doing the CELTA) have copies of the books which you can get photocopied. Takes an hour and costs about a dollar. Personally, I bought second hand ones off Amazon. |
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