Spousal TRC Visa Renewal

    I could not find any vaguely recent information about this in Search (which surprised me).
The latest i heard was that issuing of renewals (and new?) visas has been decentralised back to town of Family Book, ie not always HCMC or Hanoi..

I need to renew my current three year TRC in next month or so (not last minute like last time :-) which unfortunately coincided with my marriage)

What are Members recent experiences with this?

Was it a seamless/easy one-time experience?

Or was it the usual VN job creation run-around with multiple paperwork and return visits?

Given the travel involved back to town when Family Book is registered, i am trying to see if we could all do it in one visit/trip, or should we expect to make several such trips?


Any recent experiences/advice appreciated.

PS ... and VN Govt cost?
   

    -@john10168

Your best first step would be to have your wife ask her family to contact the provincial committee where her home book is located.

Send a photo copy of both sides of your TRC and the main page of your passport (to let them know the expiration date).

Simply have the family ask if it will be possible to do the renewal there.

        I could not find any vaguely recent information about this in Search (which surprised me).The latest i heard was that issuing of renewals (and new?) visas has been decentralised back to town of Family Book, ie not always HCMC or Hanoi..I need to renew my current three year TRC in next month or so (not last minute like last time :-) which unfortunately coincided with my marriage)What are Members recent experiences with this?Was it a seamless/easy one-time experience?Or was it the usual VN job creation run-around with multiple paperwork and return visits?Given the travel involved back to town when Family Book is registered, i am trying to see if we could all do it in one visit/trip, or should we expect to make several such trips?Any recent experiences/advice appreciated.PS ... and VN Govt cost?        -@john10168

Your best first step would be to have your wife ask her family to contact the provincial committee where her home book is located.

Send a photo copy of both sides of your TRC and the main page of your passport (to let them know the expiration date).

Simply have the family ask if it will be possible to do the renewal there.
   

    -@OceanBeach92107

thanks for prompt reply, OB. i will pass that on to my wife.

do you have any additional feedback/info about how easy/difficult this is atm?

as you know, these things seem to change week by week, and/or depending the last Govt/Police person you speak to.

So, in the past, there was a std 3 year term for TRC (and a 5 year for VEC). does that appear to still be the case?

The last time, ie 3 years ago, the problem was a very unhelpful local Govt woman who just tried to made it as difficult/impossible as she could, so as time ran out, we ended using an Agent in HCMC which cost me a fortune (e.spec when considering what the normal Govt fee is)

so i am not really worried about cost this time, sans Agent, as historically the GOVT cost for all these things is pretty miniscule - it is the various 'agents' who rip you off.

Thanks for any additional comments/info.

thanks for prompt reply, OB. i will pass that on to my wife.

do you have any additional feedback/info about how easy/difficult this is atm?

I haven't heard recently from/about anyone who's renewed a spousal TRC, especially since August 15th when tourist visas were sorted and I'd heard (but not confirmed) that spousal TRCs might be decentralized & be available at the provincial level again.

I do know from more than one source that HCMC was being tougher than Hanoi by requiring applicants on a tourist visa to first get a TT visa before applying for a spousal TRC, while in Hanoi, immigration was allowing a direct change to a TRC from a tourist visa (my personal experience in September, 2022).

as you know, these things seem to change week by week, and/or depending the last Govt/Police person you speak to.

This is why I highly recommend going to the horse's mouth and first inquiring at the provincial level committee office of immigration.

Since we definitely know that not all provinces offer the same limits (Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu only allows a 2 year spousal TRC after FIRST requiring the applicant to get a TT visa from HCMC) internet opinions may be based on what happens in one province but not all.

So, in the past, there was a std 3 year term for TRC (and a 5 year for VEC). does that appear to still be the case? -@john10168

You might want to look into whether or not you qualify for the 10 year Permanent Resident Card. (Budman1 can provide more info on that if he's still following the forum).

5 year VECs are unchanged, but remember, that will revert you to extended tourist status for 6 months at a time (not resident status) and make you ineligible for some things such as opening a DOMESTIC bank account.

Please let us know when you have definitive answers in your case.

Good luck 🍀🤞
   

As far as I know agents are no longer able to lodge your application for as you must do that yourself in person, they can only help you get all the correct forms and translations for you. I did mine just over a year ago, my wife is from Dong Nai, Long Khanh and we were able to do everything in HCMC at Nguyen Trai street as that branch is for people not from HCMC whereas the one on NGUYEN Thi Minh Khai is for people from HCMC. We just got all the paperwork together with her hometown red book. I think it was about $150 USD

    As far as I know agents are no longer able to lodge your application for as you must do that yourself in person, they can only help you get all the correct forms and translations for you. I did mine just over a year ago, my wife is from Dong Nai, Long Khanh and we were able to do everything in HCMC at Nguyen Trai street as that branch is for people not from HCMC whereas the one on NGUYEN Thi Minh Khai is for people from HCMC. We just got all the paperwork together with her hometown red book. I think it was about $150 USD
   

    -@cougarcar20

this is true. i forgot. i think this has been so for about a year?

and thanks for info re cost

    thanks for prompt reply, OB. i will pass that on to my wife.do you have any additional feedback/info about how easy/difficult this is atm?

I haven't heard recently from/about anyone who's renewed a spousal TRC, especially since August 15th when tourist visas were sorted and I'd heard (but not confirmed) that spousal TRCs might be decentralized & be available at the provincial level again.

I do know from more than one source that HCMC was being tougher than Hanoi by requiring applicants on a tourist visa to first get a TT visa before applying for a spousal TRC, while in Hanoi, immigration was allowing a direct change to a TRC from a tourist visa (my personal experience in September, 2022).

as you know, these things seem to change week by week, and/or depending the last Govt/Police person you speak to.


This is why I highly recommend going to the horse's mouth and first inquiring at the provincial level committee office of immigration.

Since we definitely know that not all provinces offer the same limits (Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu only allows a 2 year spousal TRC after FIRST requiring the applicant to get a TT visa from HCMC) internet opinions may be based on what happens in one province but not all.

So, in the past, there was a std 3 year term for TRC (and a 5 year for VEC). does that appear to still be the case? -@john10168


You might want to look into whether or not you qualify for the 10 year Permanent Resident Card. (Budman1 can provide more info on that if he's still following the forum).

5 year VECs are unchanged, but remember, that will revert you to extended tourist status for 6 months at a time (not resident status) and make you ineligible for some things such as opening a DOMESTIC bank account.
Please let us know when you have definitive answers in your case.

Good luck 🍀🤞   
   

    -@OceanBeach92107

hi OB.

thanks for comments.

i checked re 10 year: it looks like it can be done. just a lots more more difficult paperwork to organise.

we might decide that is not worth it as long as TRC is 3 years and still no 6mth border runs (like VEC)

cheers

        thanks for prompt reply, OB. i will pass that on to my wife.do you have any additional feedback/info about how easy/difficult this is atm? I haven't heard recently from/about anyone who's renewed a spousal TRC, especially since August 15th when tourist visas were sorted and I'd heard (but not confirmed) that spousal TRCs might be decentralized & be available at the provincial level again. I do know from more than one source that HCMC was being tougher than Hanoi by requiring applicants on a tourist visa to first get a TT visa before applying for a spousal TRC, while in Hanoi, immigration was allowing a direct change to a TRC from a tourist visa (my personal experience in September, 2022). as you know, these things seem to change week by week, and/or depending the last Govt/Police person you speak to. This is why I highly recommend going to the horse's mouth and first inquiring at the provincial level committee office of immigration. Since we definitely know that not all provinces offer the same limits (Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu only allows a 2 year spousal TRC after FIRST requiring the applicant to get a TT visa from HCMC) internet opinions may be based on what happens in one province but not all.So, in the past, there was a std 3 year term for TRC (and a 5 year for VEC). does that appear to still be the case? -@john10168You might want to look into whether or not you qualify for the 10 year Permanent Resident Card. (Budman1 can provide more info on that if he's still following the forum). 5 year VECs are unchanged, but remember, that will revert you to extended tourist status for 6 months at a time (not resident status) and make you ineligible for some things such as opening a DOMESTIC bank account. Please let us know when you have definitive answers in your case. Good luck 🍀🤞            -@OceanBeach92107

hi OB.

thanks for comments.


i checked re 10 year: it looks like it can be done. just a lots more more difficult paperwork to organise.

we might decide that is not worth it as long as TRC is 3 years and still no 6mth border runs (like VEC)

cheers

PS my wife has contacted her family but because they are isolated, they know nothing about such things; NUt ... the helpful BF of one of SILs, and whose father and him run big construction company knows something about such things, and, more importantly has heaps of Govt contacts. so he has said he will talk to them on Monday. :-)
   

    -@john10168

@john10168

I think this change about agents not able to lodge TRC's was over 2 years ago, but who is counting? As you mentioned rules and regulations in VN change on a dime. Good luck on your new TRC, hope everything goes smoothly.

I swap my Bussiness Visa to TT in November 2022 and did my first TRC in October 2023.  You must know the tramit starts at the Provincial Migration Office where your vietnamese spouse is registered as permanent or temporary 2 years (if working in another city diferent its hometown).  You must add your current home registration where you live to work; it doesn't mater if it's a diferent location than your wife, the condition is not to lie because everything is validated in the Police Network.

In my personal case it took more than a month, because I was registered in my wife's hometown, but they discovered I was employed in HCMC. And they stop everything until submit my home registration in HCMC..... How if I were working remotely??   mmmm...  better not to discuse/fight with vn-authorities.

Your spose's home registration, your own home registration, original passport and 3 small pictures, and fill out the form, that's all.

Do you need to be present to suscribe your dossier?  Yes, you must, and leave your passport with them. Then after 8 or 10 days your spouse will be contacted when your TRC is ready and you or only your spouse can back to that office to pay almost 3.4millions and take your passport and TRC.

VEC is only good to stay, but it doesn't allow you to work because it is not a Visa (first condition for business) and neither is demonstrating willingness to reside (first condition for getting a job and bank records). PRC is better.

@john10168

what does TRC mean?

oh, and VEC and SIL ?

oh - and I just found an atm? lower case so i don’t think it’s automated teller machine?

This thread was TL;DR. 

    This thread was TL;DR.  -@Travelfar

That's ok, don't worry. It won't be on the test

    @john10168
what does TRC mean?
oh, and VEC and SIL ?
oh - and I just found an atm? lower case so i don’t think it’s automated teller machine?
   

    -@TaurusTiger

now you're being a nuisance

thanks for your help. Of course i can google them, but that doesn’t help others whom are not as knowledgeable as you, and other members may be… ?

Yes,  I  do see many acronyms in my reading and lazily ignore them if they seem unimportant.

I read expat posts because they can be important references. Why is it assumed that every reader understands every acronym, or even knows what a border run is?  It’s a somewhat arrogant assuption…

    thanks for your help. Of course i can google them, but that doesn’t help others whom are not as knowledgeable as you, and other members may be… ?

Well now, of course your Googling the meaning of those terms wouldn't help others. That goes without saying. So tell us, why didn't you Google the terms? As I had said in response to you in an earlier post, "Should the need arise, members are encouraged to ask for clarification from the OP where a simple Google search did not suffice." (Link)

Yes,  I  do see many acronyms in my reading and lazily ignore them if they seem unimportant.

Seems you've also decided to "...lazily ignore..." reading one of the forum's sticky threads, Visas To Enter Vietnam (Link), (presumably due to your thinking it "unimportant"?). There you will find multiple instances of the use of TRC, VEC and many other acronyms/abbreviations of the Visas types from Vietnamese Immigration Dept. I would think that reading the first 8 or 10 pages of that thread would sufficiently clear up any confusion you might be having.

Having read the Visas To Enter Vietnam thread you'll note that many of the abbreviations used in this forum are those of VN immigration's very own. In order to maintain continuity it is important that we follow VN immigration's protocol.

I read expat posts because they can be important references.

That is to say, you read those which you do not feel to be "unimportant".

Why is it assumed that every reader understands every acronym, or even knows what a border run is?

It isn't assumed. In fact it is one of the main reasons for our posting sticky threads/explanations to the forum. Whether members choose to read them or not is beyond our control. It is obvious that you have not read them.

  It’s a somewhat arrogant assuption…        -@TaurusTiger

I propose that an even greater "...arrogant assuption (sic)" would be expecting expat.com members to do even the most elementary research for you. Your introduction (Link) states that you have been to 63 countries. I'm wondering how you managed to navigate all those moves/trips without doing at least the most rudimentary research on your own, but if you did indeed do your own research then why you are feigning(?) ignorance now.

You've been a member since 2015, but I notice in your postings your absence from Dec 2015 until July 2023 (Link). I'm unsure as to how well versed you were with immigration regulations in the single month that you were active back in 2015, but it's surely understandable that with all the changes which have occurred in those 8 years that your familiarity with visa/residence regulations has fallen behind.

When used in context, SIL means "sister-in-law", and atm means "at the moment". Agree or not, it has become part of the vernacular.

You had written earlier (Link),

My grammar isn’t perfect, but I teach pronunciation rather than grammar except to correct tenses in conversations. I see many examples of poor grammar, which I attribute to English as a second language.

This of course begs the question. Is English your second language? I ask because, and at the risk of my sounding impolite, it is evident that you could use some work on your syntax, spelling, capitalizing and word comprehension/definition.

"Of course i can google them, but that doesn’t help others  whom  are not as knowledgeable as you, and other members may be… ? "

-@TaurusTiger

We know what you're doing because you previously told us:

Playing Devil’s advocate does encourage discourse and alternative viewpoints, and possibly even advances learning? 

IF you were truly attempting to be helpful, you could just as easily add the note: "For the uninformed, TRC means..."

But you've made it clear through previous posts that your primary mission here is to correct and teach rather than to be helpful. 

Yet you, the English Grammar N*z*, don't seem to know the correct useage of "whom"...

(Also, by the way, "expat" is not an acronym, it's an abbreviation)

@john10168 I did it a month or so ago. The process is easy but my wife had to fly from Saigon back to Hanoi to do it, as that's where her permanent address registration aka housebook is held.

@ukexpat2023 didn't your wife register her current place as temporary residence?, The rule is "where your sponsor lives" because it's the proof of your will to reside in Vietnam. Thus, your spouse's hometown is correct as well where your spouse is currently registered as "temporary residence" (2 year registration).