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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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 Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 10:31 am Post subject: |
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| JerkyBoy wrote: |
What I want to know then is:
1) Do you just need to border hop to activate the 15-day exemption?
2) How many 15 day visa exemptions can you get back to back?
3) Does it interfere with you getting a proper visa/ applying for a work permit in any way? |
As far as I know, the 15 exemption, is a huge pain to do anything with after the 15 days. There's no way to extend it, and I think you have leave for a minimum number of months before you can even re-enter the country after it's finished. |
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LarssonCrew
Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 10:34 am Post subject: |
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| Luke just to clarify for me if you will, can a 3 month business visa obtained on entry be converted into a work permit without leaving the country? Or do I take all documents to an external Vietnamese consulate and return? |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:11 am Post subject: |
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| LarssonCrew wrote: |
| Luke just to clarify for me if you will, can a 3 month business visa obtained on entry be converted into a work permit without leaving the country? Or do I take all documents to an external Vietnamese consulate and return? |
Unfortunately not. To get a work permit you'll have to be on a specific work visa, which can only be issued out of the country or upon entry.
Most teachers enter the country on a business or tourist visa, find a school they wish to work for, the school starts the application process for your work permit with all your documents, once the work permit has been approved you have to leave the country, the school will send you an invitation letter which clears you for a work visa, you enter the country with your invitation letter and receive your work visa, and with the work visa you can now be issued your work permit and resident's card.
It's a bit of a hassle, but the school takes care of most of it. |
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JerkyBoy
Joined: 12 Jan 2012
Posts: 485
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:32 am Post subject: |
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| ExpatLuke wrote: |
| JerkyBoy wrote: |
What I want to know then is:
1) Do you just need to border hop to activate the 15-day exemption?
2) How many 15 day visa exemptions can you get back to back?
3) Does it interfere with you getting a proper visa/ applying for a work permit in any way? |
As far as I know, the 15 exemption, is a huge pain to do anything with after the 15 days. There's no way to extend it, and I think you have leave for a minimum number of months before you can even re-enter the country after it's finished. |
Ok - what about if you're on a 30-day tourist visa - can you get it extended or renewed without having to leave Vietnam? |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:48 am Post subject: |
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| The laws keep changing on that one. Extensions used to be easy to get, but they stopped issuing them right before the elections a few months ago. I don't know if they're back yet or not. |
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LarssonCrew
Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:59 am Post subject: |
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| Can the work visa be issued from anywhere or does it have to be home country. I've seen from Hanoi and HCMC there are several cheap cheap flights to Bangkok or Singapore. I guess I'd take Bangkok because it's 1/3 of the price to live there for the [week?] that it would take to process. Where do most people go? |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes they can be issued anywhere. You just need to print the invitation letter and show it to the visa on arrival station. In Danang most people either take a bus to Loas as its the cheapest option. Or fly to Malaysia as its also very cheap. Something like $130 round trip. |
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JerkyBoy
Joined: 12 Jan 2012
Posts: 485
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:10 pm Post subject: |
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| ExpatLuke wrote: |
| The laws keep changing on that one. Extensions used to be easy to get, but they stopped issuing them right before the elections a few months ago. I don't know if they're back yet or not. |
Who would know?
Go down there to Immigratjon and ask them? |
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ExpatLuke
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Best to contact a visa agency and ask them. I haven't had to renew my visa in ages as I've had a resident's card for past few years, so I'm not sure if they've started offering extensions again yet. |
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JerkyBoy
Joined: 12 Jan 2012
Posts: 485
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| Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| ExpatLuke wrote: |
| Best to contact a visa agency and ask them. I haven't had to renew my visa in ages as I've had a resident's card for past few years, so I'm not sure if they've started offering extensions again yet. |
They can do them, yeah.
I'm just wondering though if there is a way to do it yourself - to save money? |
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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 3:42 am Post subject: |
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Yes, extensions are available, usually one time per visa before you have to exit the country.
I've seen one or two people on another website stating that they just did it themselves. But, the vast majority of people use agents, often (but not always) associated with travel agents, for the convenience and savings in terms of time.
You don't need to have a letter to get your visa when you have to exit. It's just VN's version of a "visa-on-arrival" (which it isn't really) and means you don't have to go to the embassy. Instead you can just exit the country and return immediately if you want to. Also, it allows you to get longer visas (6 months, 1 year) that you may not be able to get by just showing up and applying at an embassy or consulate.
This is the visa page from the website of a well known and long term agent in HCMC. Friends in Ha Noi have reported that visa costs are higher there.
http://www.chiscafe.com/visas.html |
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Spelunker
Joined: 03 Nov 2013
Posts: 392
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 10:51 am Post subject: re: thanks |
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| Thanks for the info, sigmoid |
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