Job Discussion Forums

[Kenny Kimchee]

Hello everyone,

I have a Filipina girlfriend and hope to bring her with me when I come work in to Vietnam. As a citizen of an ASEAN country, I know that she can get a 30 day visa on arrival, and also can apply for a 3 month multiple reentry visa.

Here's the question: Can she live there on a tourist visa and just make visa runs every three months?

My other concern is this: I've heard that Vietnam has some kind of morality police that patrols neighborhoods to make sure that unmarried couples aren't shacking up. Is this true? If so, do you think it would apply to us since we're foreigners?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

[LettersAthruZ]

I don't see why she couldn't! I mean, there are several Westerners I know who do this (as opposed to dealing with the colossal headache of begging your institution/school/centre to perform their legal duty and get one for you since they are the ones who employ you).

The ONLY difference might be that she might NOT have to go out BY AIR, since she's from an ASEAN nation....she MIGHT be able to grab a three-month renewal at a land border! Might wanna check into this.

As far as unmarried shacking up goes, yes, there are "morality police", but ONLY if it involves an unmarried Viet and a foreigner (and, from what I've heard, a little bribe sends them away happy)! As two foreigners, however, they won't bother you!

Hope this helps.

[Jbhughes]

I think you'll find the free ASEAN visa on arrival passport stamp is 21 days (not saying she can't get 30 by paying perhaps?).

MY understanding is that if she hops over the border for a day, it will reset her 'in-country' status and she can just come back into VN, claim the 21days free stamp and then go and apply for another 3month tourist visa at a travel agency. That would mean a border run every 3.5months realistically?

I suggest that she doesn't bother getting multiple entry visas at the travel agencies and just applies for 3month single-entry. The reason being is that when she leaves to reset her in-country status the single entry visas will be cancelled, whereas a multiple entry will mean she has to wait until the day after it expires to re-enter VN (border guards won't cancel a still valid multiple entry visa, correct me if I'm wrong).

This can all be done by hopping over the Cambodian border and back (possibly she won't have to stay out a night if she uses a single entry visa instead of a multiple - a travel agency or another poster should be able to confirm that).

Depending on how long you both want to stay, you may want to bear in mind that every 3month visa she gets will take up a page in her passport and if you go with her to cambodia (Lao if you're in HaNoi?????), you will need to use up a page in your passport to enter (cambodian/lao visas are also a whole god-damn page too).

One further thing. I'm told that it's reasonably difficult for Filipino/a's to leave The Philippines the first time (although surely not that hard as they work in many countries around the world). A bigger problem will be if she wants to go abroad another time after/if/when/non-of-my-business-either-way she returns home to The Philippines. I know of one Filipina who has not been allowed to re-leave The Philippines because the relevant authorities weren't satisfied with the documents she presented on her return after living in Vietnam. The other Filipinos she knows who are still working in VN are now trying to ensure they have work permits (if they don't already) to present to the authorities on their return.
I understand that The Philippines is similar to VN in that the people you know are important. Perhaps she won't have a problem.

[Oh My God]

[LettersAthruZ]