Limitations of VEC? What CAN'T you do with a VEC?

Hi all, lots of posts on how to get the VEC here, but I have some practical questions about what I and my younger sibling can or can't do in Vietnam, once we already have VECs.
If you have a VEC can you work in Vietnam legally? Or do I need to get sponsored for a work permit? Basically, if I move to Vietnam (rather than just visit) and am there on a VEC, can I work or no?

Can you study at a Vietnamese university on a VEC? or do you need to be in the country on a student visa?

We are both U.S. citizens with VECs. Have tried unsucessfully for months to email and call the Viet embassies and consulates in the U.S. for this info, but no luck getting through. Would love some info from the community of VEC holders here! Thank you
-@nova734

Welcome to the Vietnam forum @nova734

As I recently posted in this thread (link) it's very important for you to understand that the government of Vietnam considers all holders of VECs to be "visitors" and NOT residents.

No, you cannot legally be employed while VISITING via a VEC.

You would need to have a Temporary RESIDENT Card (TRC) in order to do that (or a legal business or work visa).

So yes, employment would require a business sponsor for your work permit AND change of visa status (from visa exemption to the appropriate type of visa for your employment).

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

O.B.

Vietnam Forum advisor

expat.com team

Hi all, lots of posts on how to get the VEC here, but I have some practical questions about what I and my younger sibling can or can't do in Vietnam, once we already have VECs.
If you have a VEC can you work in Vietnam legally? Or do I need to get sponsored for a work permit? Basically, if I move to Vietnam (rather than just visit) and am there on a VEC, can I work or no?

Can you study at a Vietnamese university on a VEC? or do you need to be in the country on a student visa?

We are both U.S. citizens with VECs. Have tried unsucessfully for months to email and call the Viet embassies and consulates in the U.S. for this info, but no luck getting through. Would love some info from the community of VEC holders here! Thank you
-@nova734

Welcome to the Vietnam forum @nova734

As I recently posted in this thread (link) it's very important for you to understand that the government of Vietnam considers all holders of VECs to be "visitors" and NOT residents.

No, you cannot legally be employed while VISITING via a VEC.

You would need to have a Temporary RESIDENT Card (TRC) in order to do that (or a legal business or work visa).

So yes, employment would require a business sponsor for your work permit AND change of visa status (from visa exemption to the appropriate type of visa for your employment).

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

O.B.
Vietnam Forum advisor
expat advisor
-@OceanBeach92107

Just to expand on what OB just posted. If you have a spousal VEC you can work legally as no work permit is required when legally married to a VN citizen.

If OceanBeach92107 and Colinoscapee have both written accurately, (as is usually the case,) it would seem that Spousal VEC's have an advantage with respect to employment, over VEC's that are based on Vietnamese ancestry or previous citizenship. I wonder if this was the true intent of the government or an accidental effect of policies that were not fully thought out.

If OceanBeach92107 and Colinoscapee have both written accurately, (as is usually the case,) it would seem that Spousal VEC's have an advantage with respect to employment, over VEC's that are based on Vietnamese ancestry or previous citizenship. I wonder if this was the true intent of the government or an accidental effect of policies that were not fully thought out.
-@THIGV

I thought the same thing. I suppose if you looked into  it more there are most probably concessions related to Viet Kieus.

@nova734 how about somebody explaining what a VEC is.

Visa Exemption Certificate

So you can stay in VN Read More...

@nova734 how about somebody explaining what a VEC is.
-@Richard Rossiter

How about using Google to help you.

Agreed Colin. Easy enough

@nova734 how about somebody explaining what a VEC is.
-@Richard Rossiter

Welcome (again) to the Vietnam Forum, Richard.

It appears from your empty profile and lack of introduction that you most likely aren't eligible, but here is a good, mobile-friendly page on the website of the San Francisco consulate of Vietnam (link) that describes it well:

* Certificate of Visa exemption  (aka 5-year visa) shall be valid for up to 05 years and expires at least 6 months before the expiration of the holder’s passport or international travel document.

* Applicable entities:  Vietnamese residing overseas and foreigners who are spouses, children of Vietnamese people residing overseas or of Vietnamese citizens.  Visa exemption certificate shall be issued to people entering Viet Nam for family visit and settlement of personal business.

* The certificate of visa exemption might take the following forms: (i) Stamped certificate: A visa exemption certificate is stamped on the passports of Vietnamese nationals living abroad and foreign nationals to allow their entrance into Vietnam; (ii) Detached Certificate: A visa exemption certificate issued to Vietnamese people living abroad under permanent resident’s permit granted by foreign authorities and holder of passports of foreign countries or territories with which Vietnam does not have diplomatic relations.

You are obviously (based on previous posts) just beginning to learn about employment and visa opportunities in Vietnam.

We encourage you to begin a new thread on the forum and explain your situation (what you hope to accomplish in Vietnam) and we will do our best to point you in the right direction for the most current information.

Cheers!

O.B.

Vietnam Forum Advisor

expat.com team

A Google search as suggested by Collin and Aiden will loop you back to Expat.com at https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=369913  This used to be a sticky thread but management decided a while back that it was not worthy.   One thing about sticky threads is that they don't need to have constant additions to prove useful.   Some like this "Quick guide" thread are essentially reference documents.   It may be true that what was said at the start is no longer valid but if you are serious you can glance over the whole thing then focus on the later comments.

My suggestion is that the "A quick guide to Certificate of Visa Exemption (VEC), Vietnam" be made a sticky again.

Can you study at a Vietnamese university on a VEC? or do you need to be in the country on a student visa?

........Have tried unsucessfully for months to email and call the Viet embassies and consulates in the U.S. for this info, but no luck getting through. 
-@nova734

Your question regarding study at a Vietnamese university is one I have never heard before and I think a good one.   It may just be that none reading here has had that particular experience.   The SF Consulate web page on the VEC says "Visa exemption certificate shall be issued to people entering Viet Nam for family visit and settlement of personal business."   I don't know if university study falls under personal business but I do expect that if you decided to attend a university once in Vietnam, obtaining a student visa should not be a problem.

As far as the Vietnamese Embassy and consulates in the US, have you tried the San Francisco Consulate?  https://vietnamconsulate-sf.org/en/home/    I have always found them to be very helpful and willing to talk (in English) on the phone.  Steer clear of the Embassy.   They are hopeless.

A Google search as suggested by Collin and Aiden will loop you back to Expat.com at https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=369913 This used to be a sticky thread but management decided a while back that it was not worthy.....
My suggestion is that the "A quick guide to Certificate of Visa Exemption (VEC), Vietnam" be made a sticky again.
-@THIGV

I would be inclined to agree with you if the thread were not so old and full of outdated information and a lot of off topic stuff from 8 years ago.

it's simply no longer a good thread to be sticky.

IF we are going to have a sticky thread on the subject, this thread is the most up-to-date we have.

But I hesitate to ask admin much of anything about sticky threads ever since the decision was made to have an off-topic thread be sticky.

Remember that you have the capability to ask admin to change something by clicking on the "report" link and sending them a detailed message in the pop-up field.

That's how Andy and Aidan and I communicate almost everything with Admin