Visa renewal

Terence Wetton wrote:

I've been using the same agent in HCMC for visa renewals for the past 10 years, he has just informed me of the new visa prices as follows in USD.

3 months single 150.

6 months single 285.

3 months multiple 245.

6 months multiple 1100.

12 months multiple 1300.

2 years residence card 1600.

So you posted this as a reply in another thread and then copy/pasted here?

Your first two forum posts?

One might be suspicious as to your purpose here.

Are you trolling for business for 'your agent'?

I ask because your information is incomplete/misleading and appears to be grossly inflated IF it applies to U.S. Citizens.

You are from Scotland.

Is this information specific to Scottish citizens?

Are you referring to tourist visas or business visas?

My Visa agent in Hanoi (where Immigration is centralized) has posted on her website since March, 2019 that only U.S. citizens are currently being approved for 6 month and 1 year "Visa on Arrival" business visa approval letters issued through an agent.

Her current price is $199 USD for a 12 month DN business Visa.

Incomplete or erroneous Visa information causes a lot of confusion on this site.

No tourist visas. The information was to show the increase in visa prices, as last year my wife paid 450 USD for a 1-year multiple entry business visa.

As it was my first time using Expat to inform in regards to general visa prices for most nationalities.

You can make of it what you want, as I think you have nothing better to do with your time than "nitpick'

Enjoy your day.

Terence Wetton wrote:

No tourist visas. The information was to show the increase in visa prices, as last year my wife paid 450 USD for a 1-year multiple entry business visa.

As it was my first time using Expat to inform in regards to general visa prices for most nationalities.

So you are saying it was a business Visa for a Scottish citizen?

Also, your list of prices is not for U.S. citizens?

Important points for me, and I think also for future readers of your anecdotal post:

1. Visa agents charge whatever the market will bear. There is NO government control of the service charge imposed by Visa on Arrival (VOA) agents to provide you with a VOA approval letter.

If someone (including me) quotes a current VOA approval letter price, it is NOT the price that all agents charge.

2. The visa stamp fee paid on arrival in Vietnam is a separate set fee regulated by the government.

3. In general, prices for U.S. citizen VOA approval letters tend to be less than the prices charged to citizens of other nations. Two different VOA agents have told me this is because the government currently makes it easier for U.S. citizen applications to be approved.

4. The casual reader should always clarify if a price quoted covers their nationality. Also, make sure that the category of Visa (tourist or business) is specified.

5. There have been many reports of exorbitant Visa prices being charged by agents recently.

Some reports are similar to the OP, simply reflecting price increases.

Others are reports of "black-listing", which may or may not be scams forcing the individual to pay huge "legal" fees to fix the problem.

I encourage everyone to shop around.

Hello,
Who is that agent. Yes that post is BS.

Vietnam01! wrote:

Hello,
Who is that agent. Yes that post is BS.

Who are you replying to?

To Colinscape. I am in Saigon, and am having a hell of a time trying to figure out from any of these supposed agents who is for real or not. They have told me they can sponsor me as a US Citizen for a business visa. My current 1 year multiple expires beginning April.

I have a rental contract and want to keep it going. I don't care either business or tourist visa but business would be a lot easier than doing all these border runs.

Terence Wetton wrote:

No tourist visas. The information was to show the increase in visa prices, as last year my wife paid 450 USD for a 1-year multiple entry business visa.

This is a bit ambiguous.  Did your wife pay 450USD for a visa for herself or for you?  Or is you wife Vietnamese, in which case why are you messing with a business visa at all instead of getting a VEC or a TRC?

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

You are from Scotland.

Is this information specific to Scottish citizens?

Just a little  pin prick  but there are no Scottish citizens.  Scots are subjects of Queen Elizabeth II.  Now if after Brexit they have another referendum and decide to leave the Union, they presumably would be citizens of a new republic. 

Or perhaps they could find a descendant of one of the Stuarts and go back to being subjects.    It might prove a little contentious though as apparently half of all men named Stewart or Stuart share the DNA of the founder.  https://www.scotclans.com/royal-stewart … -and-well/

back to the the topic.. I now find out that 1st July everyone who isn't married, running a business etc. will be limited to 30 days , then a border run,...period. So
I am still trying to find out of a decent visa agent in Saigon to get my last 90 day tourist visa...from USA. Before I decide what to do next. Don't know if I have it in me at my age to take an entire day every month to through that stuff, and of course the immigration officials at the borders will just love the new revenue stream.