Job Discussion Forums

Andy123 · Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 206

I have been told by several people now that the travel agents are telling people that after Tet there will be visa changes.

They are telling people that "all" visa renewals will be 3 months only and that you will have to get it renewed outside the country (no border runs) that is PP or BBK.

Rumor or true? If true this will mean several hundred dollars every 3 months for airfare, hotel, time off of work and the 2-3 day wait at the Vietnamese embassy.

The people I know who have had their work permits denied or schools that are not processing work permits seems to be the norm.

If true, things are not getting better but worse. With 20-25% inflation it doesn't look good.

I hope people have money saved.

just noel · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 168

CThomas · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 380 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

Hmmm... what about business visas? You mean all visas as in business and tourist visas.

Thanks for the info...

Andy123 · Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 206

Yes business visas too.

Thailand has done the same thing is the past, that is making it more expensive in the hopes to get the low income scum to leave yet maintain the "higher quality" of westerner.

CThomas · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 380 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

Okay, I think I can do this whilst I pursue a WP. Maybe.

It's worth a try here. Buen Suerte, amigos. Good luck, my friends.

The Fat Rabbit · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 61 Location: Vietnam

Yea, I'd just like to toss in my ' I've heard this too ' message. However, I'd like to confirm what's being said by saying that I know a person who has already made this trip to B-kok and back. I'll call him and confirm what the embassy in B-kok offered and for how much cash. Then I'll post up the info for anyone who unfortunately needs it.

Apparently the moc bai border run thing has been shut down after so many foreigners did it, they only issue 1 month tourist visas there now. I was also told by the people at expat.vn that now a person must be out of the country before applying for a new visa and even before applying for a visa-on-arrival letter. The immigration offices can check using some program they have to see if you've left yet or not. Meaning that you need to leave the country, then either apply for a visa-on-arrival via email or go to the nearest VN embassy, wait, then FLY back. All for 3 months. Is it worth it?

It's certainly possible to process the work permit on your own. The majority of the work involved can be done by the employee. The guy at the labor permit office did think it was strange that I wanted to do it myself, however he said it was possible, I would just need to get copies of a few documents from my employer. Just check http://expat.vn/work-permit-in-vietnam for the list. It's ultra costly and annoying to get your documents legalized and translated, but you would only need to do that one time. So, if you change your employer, then you would only need to go back down to the labour permit office and submit the documents again and pay the processing fee which probably changes per province/town.

My friend up North told me his employer applied for approval for him to work without a work permit from the provincial people's committee. It was approved, and the immigration office then had to process the visa because the provincial government is higher than the immigration office. They gave him a brand new 6 month B3 less than a month ago.

I'm not sure, but it sounds like these laws have always existed. They've just never been applied. Now they're trying to apply them. However, it seems like the police aren't applying them evenly across the country and some immigration offices are up-to-date, some aren't, and some interpret the laws incorrectly.

Is it possible this most recent wave of changes is here to stay?

The Fat Rabbit · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 61 Location: Vietnam

How did your friends have their WPs denied? Is that possible?

CThomas · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 380 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

A friend a mine just talked to an agent who has handled his visa issues for year now. After TET, you can get a renewal, then, yes, you have to buy a new visa. If you find the right person, though, basically they'll travel for you (or whatever they do) and get the visa. $145 for a 6 month visa then $43 to renew that. That gives you another year.

I'm pretty darned sure that anyone reading this can get whatever they want visa-wise just by talking to people. If one agent tells you something you don't like, go find another one. They all have entirely different connections, perspectives, and resources.

Good luck, amigos.