Job Discussion Forums

jippy85 · Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 11

hiya folks,

i'm new to the forum, so i'm hoping someone has come up against the problem. ok here's the scenario

1. arrived in Hanoi and got 1 month visa on arrival

2. toured through vietnam and arrived in HCMC

3. went to extend my visa and have been told, because its issued in Hanoi that i can only get a 1 month extension

4.my visa runs out 15th feb (places all close over tet) so have to wait until 8th feb to get definitive answer

5.been told by one company i can get a business visa issued in HCMC for $85 which gives me 3 months

4.been told by another company if i do the visa run to cambodia, i can simply do the 1 month extention and drive back, then another company told me you have to go into cambodia (wait a week ) then leave.

5. i then have to pay for an extention on the 1month visa that they will issue in HCMC merely a week after i've just paid for the 1 months visa

the whole process is going to cost me the guts of $180 upwards

my question:
what in gods name should i do?, i'm on a limited budget and this is going to take a chunk from it.
has anyone got the business visa? what does it mean? and should i trust them.
does anyone know the latest with the cambodia visa run??

this has really got me down, and i would almost leave on principle of such a badly run system. shafting tourists for every cent they have (rant complete)

i will buy anyone who can help me the biggest pile of beer/ wine known to man

shanewarne · Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 146

Pack your bags, get on a plane and never look back. Good luck!

Danaa · Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 40

haller_79 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 145

Vietnam and SE Asia in general should be a 'working holiday', somewhere you go with plenty of money and do PT teaching to subsidize when necessary, I think the OP's predicament illustrates this, good luck anyway and remember it's ok to leave.

ajc19810 · Joined: 22 May 2008 Posts: 214

Couldn't agree more Haller, a working holiday is exactly what Vietnam is for and pretty much ESL in general.

Oh My God · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 273

Oh My God · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 273

LettersAthruZ · Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 466 Location: North Viet Nam

OK, this is TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BASED ON WHAT "KNOWLEDGEABLE SOURCES" (e.g. - law enforcement, Immigration employees, etc.) HAVE TOLD ME -

(but, this could all change by next week....hey - T.I.V.)

Now, I HAVE heard of places in HCMC that do three-month visa renewals for under $100USD. More information on these places (I forgot some of the names I have read) can be found in this Vietnam forum here on Dave's.

THIS, truthfully, is your best bet - getting a three-month business visa, for under $100USD in HCMC.

The B-3/Business visa basically means nothing. Literally. It just lets you stay in the country. It DOES NOT entitle you to teach in Vietnam NOR to open your own business or anything of the sort....actually, I'm not sure WHAT exactly differentiates it from a C-class Tourist visa!

Alternatively, you can fly-out/fly-in (Bangkok and K.L. are the cheapest flights) and grab a THREE-month visa-on-arrival....but this gets pricey.

Now, WHAT I HAVE HEARD is that you can do an OVERLAND visa run, but they WILL NOT GIVE YOU ANYTHING LONGER THAN 30 DAYS (as opposed to 90 days on a fly-out/fly-in visa-on-arrival). I do not know if this is true, (having never left Vietnam overland myself), so see if you can get accurate information about this.

Finally....good luck - just might not be a bad idea after all to catch the next one-way flight outta here to Anywhere Else, as other posters have mentioned!

jippy85 · Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 11

hmm
the business visa seems like the route i shall try, i can't seem to track down the company's that can be used to get it on the forum. but i did manage to find on the streets. its called " hoang linh tour" has anyone had any dealings with them? i'm going back after TET to get the visa sorted but will avoid if they are dodgy.

does anyone know any company's in HCMC that will do the 3 month business visa??

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

Know a place that does $35 for a single 3mo renewal in HCMC. It's the multi-entries that put the price up there. If you don't plan on leaving for 3mo, it's a good deal.

What's the deal with number of extensions now? I've finished two and will come up on #3 in another couple of months, so I want to start looking into alternatives soon if I run out of extensions for the 3mo.

JHat · Joined: 29 Sep 2010 Posts: 10 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

I was in the exact same situation as you: flew into Hanoi, got my visa issued at the airport, and had to get it extended it in HCMC a few months later. They say it's a pain because they need to send your passport back to Hanoi, but there are ways to do it from HCMC.

I went to this travel agency: http://flightravelco.com/Documents/map.JPG

They charged me $65 to get a single entry, 3-month visa extension. It took a week. They also speak really good English and can explain the whole deal to you. I'd recommend you go there, they're reliable, it will save you the time and cost of doing a border run too.

Good luck!

jippy85 · Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 11

what can i say, the advice has been really helpful. i will try and find the place after TETand let you know what happens.

thanks once again!!

JHat · Joined: 29 Sep 2010 Posts: 10 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

One more thing..

If you're running out of time after Tet (you said your Visa expires on Feb 15th), I'm pretty sure that as long as you submit your visa extension application before that date you are fine, even if it takes a week to process and you get your passport back after the 15th. No one really checks your visa expiry anyways, unless you're at the border or apply for a job.

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

Yeah, I ran up on a deadline, put the application in 12 hours before expiry and all was fine when I got it back 10 days later. Of course, it's a gray area, and I wouldn't recommend doing it if it can be avoided.

jippy85 · Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 11

now, firstly i don't want to start a big arguement on this one as i'm finding out, there are 16 ways ways to do everything in this country. anyho here go's.

basically, i'm badly unprepared regarding the paperwork side of things relating to the work permit so i don't think i have the time or money to send my degree home (then notarized) then UK police check which will undoubtly get lost in the post system etc... i've talked to a few english teachers and not one of them have had a work permit and have been here for sometime.

i know this isn't the ideal situation, but is it possible to still apply for positions & working while only having a business visa? almost blagging it i suppose.
yes i can get in trouble if caught, but my only other choice is to go home (which i really really don't want to do)