Job Discussion Forums

stilloutthere · Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 23

There have been lots of comments about Viet Nam having high requirements for work permits, then not doing anything to enforce that requirement. This is exactly the same policy Japan followed when they had a huge teacher shortage in the 80's. Part time work paid better than legal work, because it was less secure, and people worked for years flying to Korea and back every time their tourist visa expired. Then, when things started to slow down in the early nineties, they started to enforce the law more strictly. It worked out well, and it seems Viet Nam is trying to follow the same sort of policy, along with the 3-month-no-work-permit needed twist.

Dsay · Joined: 30 Sep 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Vietnam

I just wanted to let everyone know that the turnaround time on an FBI background check is 14-16 weeks. Also, they won't give you any kind of status update - like letting you know if the fingerprints you sent are usable - for 12 weeks.
This information was given to me today by a rep at their call center in West Virginia.

ChuckECheese · Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 216

tirthyatri · Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 12 Location: USA

I'm trying to get my ducks in a row about work permits. On reading the postings I see here, it appears that there are two contradictory theories about how Americans go about getting one.

One theory is that you must go to your local police and get a notarized letter, then to the State Department of State, then to the Federal Department of State, and then finally to the Vietnamese Consulate.

The second theory is that you go and get fingerprinted by the local police, send the results to the FBI and bingo! you're done, just as soon as the FBI gets the paperwork back to you.

Am I missing something here? Since I am hoping to head out in a couple of months to Vietnam to take a CELTA course and then join the workforce, I'd really like to make sure that I show up with the right papers. Can anybody comment?

ChuckECheese · Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 216

suvving · Joined: 25 May 2008 Posts: 5 Location: los angeles, ca, usa

freebeacher · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 76

I applied for one of the Vietnam jobs advertised this week here on Dave's international jobs forum. I have a B.A. and 6 months of experience in Taiwan, 3 months in Spain, and 3 months in Greece. I was told I was ineligible to work anywhere in Vietnam as I did not have a TEFL certificate, which is an immigration requirement for a work visa. So, obviously some schools in Vietnam claim to be following the rules, if requiring a TEFL is indeed one of the rules, and I do not know that it is.

mach114 · Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 56

I recently got a response from the US embassy in Hanoi. Here is what they said;

If you want to have your documents authenticated in Vietnam, you have to submit your original documents (or copies certified by a U.S. notary public) because Vietnamese authorities only accept original documents or certified true copies. Please bring your original documents (or certified true copies) to our office and execute affidavits to go with them. You�ll have to pay $30 for the first document and $20 for each additional. We�ll witness your signature on the affidavit and put seal on it. After that, you have to bring the documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam (40 Tran Phu Street) for authentication. Please note that we are open to the public only in the morning between 08:00 and 11:30 Monday through Friday (except VN and US holidays)

You may want to have your documents authenticated in the U.S. Please find instructions for this process at http://travel.state.gov/law/info/judicial/judicial_701.html

We hope the information is helpful.

Sincerely,

American Citizens Services

Consular Section

U.S. Embassy

Hanoi, Vietnam

Apparently the US has finally got a system in place to authenticate documents in country. However, you would still need to have your background check from the USA. Which you then will be able to get an affidavit for at the US embassy in Hanoi and I assume the same can be done at the consulate in HCMC.

KLUH · Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

So, long story short, show up on a tourist visa, visa, get a job, and enjoy life.

In the triple F (Far Flung Future) if they ever have some fascist crackdown on requirements, remember this ain't the ONLY country in SE Asia.

Or get yourself a degree/diploma. If you prefer to hedge your bets, just steadily plod towards one through distance learning.

Assuming something happens, and things become untenable, go somewhere more laid back, keep teaching, get your college credits at your leisure or frantically, whichever appeals the most, and then return, armed with the credentials you need.

It isn't like getting a degree is a jail sentence. Some people enjoy the digestion of material and the learning.

It's the cost that always put me off.