Latest news on visas

Hi
This is my first post
I been reading and learning here for a long time, thank you 😊

Hello Moolgan, and thank you for your first post. Good to hear from you, and of course you're welcome for any knowledge gained through the expat.com Vietnam forum.

My question:
If I look at the passport stamp, how do I know its a multiple visa?
(my print out evisa says ”multiple”)
/Johan

Though I have little doubt that your multi-entry eVisa status is recorded in VN immigration's database, I'm inclined to agree with sergefaure 's excellent advice for you to retain a hard-copy for any cross-border excursions.

This would be especially so if/when crossing through land borders. I'm not sure whether you had read a post a little while back about the VN military manning all land border crossings, while VN immigration officers man the int'l air route checkpoints. According to reports from travellers the military and immigration do not share the same computer database, where the military's info lags that of immigration's.

Im in Vietnam now 😊
-@Moolgan

Good stuff! How long do you intend to stay? Hope you have a wonderful experience here.

Feel free to ask any further questions you might have, or to open your own new topic for discussion.

Thanks for your quick response Sergefaure and Aidian 👍👍

yes I will bring the hard copy to immigration, plan B is to use 45 days visa exemption…

I hope I can stay 9 months (2 visaruns) in Vietnam 😊

    Thanks for your quick response Sergefaure and Aidian 👍👍
yes I will bring the hard copy to immigration, plan B is to use 45 days visa exemption…
I hope I can stay 9 months (2 visaruns) in Vietnam 😊
   

    -@Moolgan

Its like rolling the dice at immigration, only been asked for the visa hard copy once going out at Tan Son Nhat (out of about 6 exits & entries there). However at Moc Bai my trusted agent always has hard copies attached to our passports when she goes to the desks. So always best to cover all the angles.

        Thanks for your quick response Sergefaure and Aidian 👍👍yes I will bring the hard copy to immigration, plan B is to use 45 days visa exemption…I hope I can stay 9 months (2 visaruns) in Vietnam 😊        -@Moolgan

Its like rolling the dice at immigration, only been asked for the visa hard copy once going out at Tan Son Nhat (out of about 6 exits & entries there). However at Moc Bai my trusted agent always has hard copies attached to our passports when she goes to the desks. So always best to cover all the angles.
   

    -@goodolboy

Yes, and as I think both you and I have mentioned before, best to have copies of both new visa and old visa at Mộc Bài, as they usually request to see both (or were doing so 1 year ago)

            Thanks for your quick response Sergefaure and Aidian 👍👍yes I will bring the hard copy to immigration, plan B is to use 45 days visa exemption…I hope I can stay 9 months (2 visaruns) in Vietnam 😊        -@MoolganIts like rolling the dice at immigration, only been asked for the visa hard copy once going out at Tan Son Nhat (out of about 6 exits & entries there). However at Moc Bai my trusted agent always has hard copies attached to our passports when she goes to the desks. So always best to cover all the angles.        -@goodolboy

Yes, and as I think both you and I have mentioned before, best to have copies of both new visa and old visa at Mộc Bài, as they usually request to see both (or were doing so 1 year ago)
   

    -@OceanBeach92107

Yes thats what I meant, at TSN it was the hard copy of the expiring visa he wanted & no way he was having the copy on my phone. But as I say covering all angles I had a crumpled copy it in my suit case.

TSN does not like visas on phone, while I saw at Moc Bai fellow visa runner showing visa on phone and it was accepted. As you wrote -  cover your ass at all angles and you will be fine.

What is the situation of business visas now - post Covid? They are not easy to get, like through the agent?

    What is the situation of business visas now - post Covid? They are not easy to get, like through the agent?
   

    -@narcrepellant2525

To get a 1 year ĐT4 business Visa.

Just invest ₫600,000,000 VNĐ capital contribution.

A lawyer can assist you.

    Hi
This is my first post
I been reading and learning here for a long time, thank you 😊
My question:
If I look at the passport stamp, how do I know its a multiple visa?
(my print out evisa says ”multiple”)
/Johan
Im in Vietnam now 😊
-@Moolgan

Apologies for taking so long to reply to your question; I never saw your post.

Your passport stamp only shows the period of time that you have "permission to remain" (Được phép tạm trú đến).

If you enter the country on your earliest available date using a single or multiple-entry 90 day visa, the stamp will be exactly the same.

If you have a multiple entry visa and you are planning to exit and reenter the country, you should always have one or two copies of your visa available, as you'll usually be asked to show your visa along with your passport when exiting the country and again when re-entering the county.

When you re-enter the country, the immigration agent at the checkpoint will re-calculate the number of days remaining on your visa and you'll receive a new "Được phép tạm trú đến" stamp in your passport.

The "until" exit date should be exactly the same date as was recorded on your original entry stamp.

ALWAYS double check the date entered in your passport BEFORE walking away from the agent, just as you would double check the amount of money given to you by a bank teller before walking away from the counter/cage.

Immigration agents are notorious for making honest mistakes, and if you point any error out to them immediately, they will correct the error (my experience).

If you discover the error back at your lodgings, you'll need to go to local immigration to get it fixed, and that may very well cost you coffee money.

Always informative member of forum, thank you :-)

Recent thread, here, from a member who got skimmed  by a travel agent.

I say skimmed  as opposed to scammed  as the eVisa issued appears, and is likely, legitimate. The cost, however, was well and above what could have been paid by the member.

@OceanBeach92107

Thank you Ocean, very good info 👍

    @OceanBeach92107
Thank you Ocean, very good info 👍
   

    -@Moolgan

You're very welcome 🙏

Go forth & worry no more 😉

What is the official government website for evisas currently? I know it changed a few months which mentioned here but i dont know which one to suggest to a friend coming over now

for 90 day tourist visa from ireland

    What is the official government website for evisas currently? I know it changed a few months which mentioned here but i dont know which one to suggest to a friend coming over now
for 90 day tourist visa from ireland
        -@Aisling Murphy

The portal with which people have had the greatest success/ease of application, is here

https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt

Let us know whether your friend needs any help in completing the application.

Use only this one, the rest are the rip off or scams

I have been told

1. that visa applications made while the applicant is still in Vietnam only have an 80% chance of approval and
2. applications by visa agents requesting speedy approval are no longer possible.                                   If this is the case, these changes are very recent, like in the last two weeks. Can anyone provide more info. Facts please, not fiction or guestimates. Thank you. 

    I have been told

that visa applications made while the applicant is still in Vietnam only have an 80% chance of approval and
applications by visa agents requesting speedy approval are no longer possible.                                   If this is the case, these changes are very recent, like in the last two weeks. Can anyone provide more info. Facts please, not fiction or guestimates. Thank you. 

   

    -@honem

Not sure how anyone can give a factual reply regarding a guestimate and something that happens behind the scenes (under the table?).

These things I know:

Anyone applying for a TOURIST visa to Vietnam while supplying a RESIDENT address in Vietnam is either woefully ignorant or extremely stupid.

This latest visa regulation crackdown that actually started before COVID restrictions (with laws passed in December 2019) has been meant to stop people living here long-term on tourist visas, especially if they are earning illegal income on a tourist visa.

That's why agents can no longer extend tourist visas (that's definitely a fact).

As to the expedited/emergency approvals, that was definitely the case after 90 Day tourist visas were approved this past August 15th.

The major visa agent in the greater Đà Nẵng area posted about that on Face.book shortly afterwards.

However, recently, both she and my agent friend in Hà Nội have posted that they were able to assist a few people in specific emergency situations (no visa at the departure airport has been the main reason they were able to get an emergency approval).

So I'm not even encouraging people to do last minute applications through an agent, because not only am I hearing that many people are unable to get an approval that way, but those who do are paying a really high price for that extra last-minute assistance.

We are quickly approaching Tết season when people historically wait too long to apply for a Visa and then discover that immigration shuts down for much longer than they expected.

So my general recommendation continues to be, apply at least 2 weeks before departure but preferably one month ahead of time, keeping in mind that it's possible to apply for a Visa 6 months prior to departure.

    I have been told
1.that visa applications made while the applicant is still in Vietnam only have an 80% chance of approval

That is an extremely precise approval/denial percentage which you were told. So precise in fact, that it has me doubting its source. If "80% " is indeed precise, it must have required a considerable amount of time and number-crunching by the source to ascertain. Or was this the source's intuitive "guesstimate", perhaps unencumbered by "facts"?

In any event "CONTACT INFORMATION", including the applicants "Permanent residential address" and "Contact address" is optional when completing the application.

and 2. applications by visa agents requesting speedy approval are no longer possible.

Same source?

If this is the case, these changes are very recent, like in the last two weeks. Can anyone provide more info. Facts please, not fiction or guestimates. Thank you.      -@honem

In a reply to you back in July, OceanBeach92107 stated, "There are a few of us who always attempt to immediately share news in this thread without the need for a special request." (Link).  This practice stands.

Rest assured, if news of eVisa application approval/denial ratings or of agency-immigration networks being stymied became known to us, it would be posted here.

Please let the forum know your source for what you had been told, and thank you for your bringing this to the forum's attention. We very much appreciate it.

I would like to come in here with some recent “actual experience” regarding the 90 days tourist visa's

So as most of the regular forum members & readers know I have lived in Vietnam for a considerable amount of time (15+ years) predominantly on tourist visa's but with 2 years on a TRC & most of these years using the same well trusted & respected agent here in HCMC & if anyone knows how to work the system its this agent.

So I will now tell you about the situation now for me & this is fact not conjecture.

My latest 90 days tourist visa runs out 29/12/2023. However I have decided to fly to France & then onward to UK on the  27/11/2023 so basically 1 month early. Me being me & like to plan well ahead I had a run over to her office at Q2 to organize my next visa run when I get back. So I gave the agent my dates & paid for the full package visa run. A week later I sent a message just to ask if the visa had been approved & this was the reply below ...........

you're living on Nov 27th so I will apply after you leave

at the moment some people got denied bc they're still in VN while applying new visa

so it's better to wait

So talking to my agent, this has nothing to do with the address you enter on the application (all my applications done through my agent give a Vietnam Address noted on the visa & most done with me still in the country).

Purely guess work on my part, but for me the issue would seem to be down to the person processing the application, checking on their system if you have actually left. If you luck out & get the wrong person you are basically screwed!

    I would like to come in here with some recent “actual experience” regarding the 90 days tourist visa's
So as most of the regular forum members & readers know I have lived in Vietnam for a considerable amount of time (15+ years) predominantly on tourist visa's but with 2 years on a TRC & most of these years using the same well trusted & respected agent here in HCMC & if anyone knows how to work the system its this agent.

So I will now tell you about the situation now for me & this is fact not conjecture.

My latest 90 days tourist visa runs out 29/12/2023. However I have decided to fly to France & then onward to UK on the  27/11/2023 so basically 1 month early. Me being me & like to plan well ahead I had a run over to her office at Q2 to organize my next visa run when I get back. So I gave the agent my dates & paid for the full package visa run. A week later I sent a message just to ask if the visa had been approved & this was the reply below ...........

you're living on Nov 27th so I will apply after you leave
at the moment some people got denied bc they're still in VN while applying new visa
so it's better to wait

So talking to my agent, this has nothing to do with the address you enter on the application (all my applications done through my agent give a Vietnam Address noted on the visa & most done with me still in the country).
Purely guess work on my part, but for me the issue would seem to be down to the person processing the application, checking on their system if you have actually left. If you luck out & get the wrong person you are basically screwed!

Thank you for your replies.

I have only recently arrived back in Vietnam and was asked by a Vietnamese person about the visa application procedure as he was considering helping a foreigner apply for an evisa.

He told me he had been advsed of the approval rate and express service by a number (don't know how many) of visa agents.

I recommended against applying whilst in Vietnam as immigration records would show that the applicant was still in the country and it may be refused.

I offered to ask the questions on expat.com. I have asked the questions and have your answers. Those answers confirm my advice. Leave Vietnam, apply for a new visa and return when it's approved.

Again, thank you.
   

    -@goodolboy

    I would like to come in here with some recent “actual experience” regarding the 90 days tourist visa's
So as most of the regular forum members & readers know I have lived in Vietnam for a considerable amount of time (15+ years) predominantly on tourist visa's but with 2 years on a TRC & most of these years using the same well trusted & respected agent here in HCMC & if anyone knows how to work the system its this agent.

So I will now tell you about the situation now for me & this is fact not conjecture.

My latest 90 days tourist visa runs out 29/12/2023. However I have decided to fly to France & then onward to UK on the  27/11/2023 so basically 1 month early. Me being me & like to plan well ahead I had a run over to her office at Q2 to organize my next visa run when I get back. So I gave the agent my dates & paid for the full package visa run. A week later I sent a message just to ask if the visa had been approved & this was the reply below ...........

you're living on Nov 27th so I will apply after you leave
at the moment some people got denied bc they're still in VN while applying new visa
so it's better to wait

So talking to my agent, this has nothing to do with the address you enter on the application (all my applications done through my agent give a Vietnam Address noted on the visa & most done with me still in the country).
Purely guess work on my part, but for me the issue would seem to be down to the person processing the application, checking on their system if you have actually left. If you luck out & get the wrong person you are basically screwed!-@goodolboy

Excellent post GOB.

Definitely the kinds of "facts" I rely on when sharing information with foreigners in and around Đà Nẵng.

I do wonder though, does immigration know a person is applying from within Vietnam based on information they provide on their new application OR because their system allows them to see that you currently have another active visa OR because they are using the new website (which asks for info about all previous entries) instead of the old website which is much less intrusive?

A definite guess by me: Agents are perhaps required to use the new website since August 15th, requiring them to disclose much more information than was necessary during the previous 15+ years?

If so, that might explain in part the problem user CLIP experienced (link to that thread)

I could most definitely be wrong.

Lucky for you, you don't "need" to book and return on a tourist visa, since you now have your 45 day UK visa exemption available.

Have a safe journey and bring me back some ____ 😉😆

@OceanBeach92107

Immigration would know that an applicant is still in country due to their passport not being scanned showing their exiting at a border crossing (now that I think of it).

    @OceanBeach92107
Immigration would know that an applicant is still in country due to their passport not being scanned showing their exiting at a border crossing (now that I think of it).
   

    -@Aidan in HCMC

Thats what I think too, but thing is even when I have done the border run (using my agent) it still means my application was done when still in country.

Just me speculating of course but thats why I think its down to the person at the processing end.....cos not all get rejected seems like.

A definite guess by me: Agents are perhaps required to use the new website since August 15th, requiring them to disclose much more information than was necessary during the previous 15+ years?

Yes its definitely the new website cos first time I had to give her more details than she had on record for me.

Lucky for you, you don't "need" to book and return on a tourist visa, since you now have your 45 day UK visa exemption available.

Yes the 45 days visa exempt is the plan & my agent has given me the receipt to state I will travel HCMC Vietnam to Svay Rieng Cambodia on her bus (hopefully to get new 90 days visa) within the 45days period, so that should cover me at Vietnam Airlines check in CDG where they have stated (as I previously posted) they will require to see proof of onward journey out of Vietnam within the 45 days.

Have a safe journey and bring me back some ____ 😉😆

Thanks will do, looks like cold in Bordeaux & snow in Aberdeen (my eventual final destination)

-@OceanBeach92107

A definite guess by me: Agents are perhaps required to use the new website since August 15th, requiring them to disclose much more information than was necessary during the previous 15+ years?     -@OceanBeach92107

Wouldn't matter which start page they use, apparently.

"As of my checking a few moments ago, it appears that both portals are now using the same application form." (Link to post of 07/10, with links to both portals)

I just checked both portals again, and both are still directing to the simplified/original application, not the more detailed (and now defunct?) application form.

Just me speculating of course but thats why I think its down to the person at the processing end.....cos not all get rejected seems like.
      -@goodolboy

From what I've read here today, I'm inclined to agree.

I've emailed my "Luddite" CDN expat friend. I know that his current eVisa expires some time in the first week of Dec. I applied for a new one on his behalf about 10 or 12 days ago, while he's still in VN (Saigon now). When he replies telling me the result of the application I'll post here.

Well, I guess he lucked out.

Approved, by application within VN, Dec4th 2023 - Mar2nd 2024, single entry

I generally think it's good to be optimistic, but consider this:

It's only been a bit more than 90 days since the new rules were implemented on August 15th.

So the number of people attempting to get a 2nd 90 day visa will only be increasing from now on.

If some applications from within Vietnam are being rejected, it's at least somewhat likely that immigration may have an unpublished policy directing their personnel to tighten up the approval process and ferret out people applying early (before exiting the country).

Because it's only been within the last week that 90 day repeats have started being processed, it may just be taking a little time for everyone in immigration to consistently follow instructions that aren't written on a red-stamped document.

Because it's been pointed out numerous times in other threads that TECHNICALLY, the application is supposed to be for foreigners "OUTSIDE" Vietnam only.

Pardon my pessimism, but I can't help wondering if the worst is yet to come...

Technically applicant for Evisa should write correctly their exiting border crossing but authorities do not care about her/his exit strategy

    Technically applicant for Evisa should write correctly their exiting border crossing but authorities do not care about her/his exit strategy        -@narcrepellant2525

Good point, however at this point it is important to qualify this as being purely anecdotal. There has not been any official statement on this (yet?). Though members of expat.com have reported no difficulty (to date) in switching their entry/exit checkpoints, completing both the "Entry checkpoint" and the "Exit checkpoint" panes on the application remain mandatory fields.

Though these checkpoints are no longer showing on a traveller's eVisa printout, when entering or exiting Vietnam the officer reviewing the eVisa presented to them at the immigration/customs wicket is able to see all of the information originally provided on the application on their computer screen.

If possible, every attempt to remain true to the information provided on one's application should be made. It takes only one officer who is a "stickler for detail" to complicate your day (and to lighten your wallet).

Exactly, 100 percent as you wrote. Good advices.

    Just me speculating of course but thats why I think its down to the person at the processing end.....cos not all get rejected seems like.      -@goodolboy

From what I've read here today, I'm inclined to agree.
I've emailed my "Luddite" CDN expat friend. I know that his current eVisa expires some time in the first week of Dec. I applied for a new one on his behalf about 10 or 12 days ago, while he's still in VN (Saigon now). When he replies telling me the result of the application I'll post here.
   

    -@Aidan in HCMC

Luddite, against technology? Hihi

    What is the official government website for evisas currently? I know it changed a few months which mentioned here but i dont know which one to suggest to a friend coming over now
for 90 day tourist visa from ireland
   

    -@Aisling Murphy

Hi Aisling,

I often travel from Ireland to Vietnam, always use an agent and have never had a problem. The cost is $50, which is twice the cost of doing it yourself, but in the grand scheme of things I think it's worth it. I use Vietnam visa dot com and they are always pleasant and helpful.

Asking for Answers: 1) I got an eVisa for tourism 2) I flew in to Da Nang from Thailand 3) I saw I had 2 months validity on a stamp 4) discarded my printed eVisa 5) I now can't find any entry stamp in my passport.

Why no stamp? Is it OK?

@augustus snod

No.  They will fine you on they way out of the country.   Go back immediately and get a stamp.  Print out your evisa before going is my opinion…  as I assume you left the airport already.   

I came in on a 3 month visa and they put an incorrect date 2 times.   It is a scam to collect fines, in my opinion.

@augustus snod : Thank you

I currently live in Da Nang and am applying for a second three-month visa. The website responded with the following information. What should I do?

I hold US passport.

Application status: Amending

Denied Reason: As you are currently in Vietnam, you are advised to contact the agency, organization or individual in Viet Nam to cary out the guaranteed procedure for issuing visa

@titushktony Thank you to tell us the result. I should be in the same situation in April 2024... :-)