Notice of "Automatic Renewal of Temporary Residence" to foreigners

So, if I read this correctly (no guarantees!) if you cam here on or after March 01, 2020 you can stay until June 30, 2020.

If you came before March 01, 2020 you have to justify staying here. No flight home for example or maybe you can't afford the ticket? Otherwise you need a note from your embassy or proof that you are in quarantine or actually have the virus. Then you can stay until June 30, 2020.

Yes... for 'free'... no need to pay for an extension.

Crazy.. so people who arrived earlier and plan to stay have to justify why they need to stay.. same reason borders closed.

A step in the right direction though

I can't see VN rounding people up and parading them to the border or airport but it would put pressure on people who keep renewing one month visas. Especially if they have to pay someone to do it.

I suppose they could ask people or add a line to the extension form where one has to outline one's plan to return to one's home country but I doubt it.

Thanks very much for posting the link with Google translation CruiseMonkey!

I realize everyone on the forum is not a US citizen, but I want to share the text of an email alert I received yesterday from the US Embassy in Hanoi, because it adds a couple of significant points in their official diplomatic English language translation and explanation (red highlights added by me):

☆US_EMBASSY☆HANOI wrote:

New Government of Vietnam Policy Regarding Extension of Temporary Stay for Certain Foreigners – U.S. Embassy Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (May 19, 2020)

Location: Vietnam

This is an update from the U.S. Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City to assist U.S. citizens in remaining informed during the evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Vietnam.

Important Information for U.S. Citizens:

On May 18, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced a new policy that provides an automatic extension of temporary stay for foreigners in certain qualifying groups with plans to depart Vietnam:

·         U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals who entered Vietnam with a visa exemption certificate, e-visa, or tourist visa on or after March 1, 2020, will be granted an automatic extension of stay through June 30, 2020, and may exit Vietnam during this period without having to apply for an extension of stay.

·         U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals who entered Vietnam before March 1, 2020, may be considered for an automatic extension through June 30, 2020, provided that they can provide proof that they have been stranded in Vietnam due to COVID-19 mandatory quarantine, treatment, or other reasons beyond their control by presenting an exit letter from their Embassy or Consulate about their situation.  They must present these documents upon exiting Vietnam.

U.S. citizens are reminded that they must declare their temporary stay with Vietnamese local authorities and complete a health declaration form during the extension period in accordance with local regulations.  The U.S. Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City cannot ask local authorities to give individual U.S. citizens special treatment or exemptions from local laws.  U.S. citizens are responsible for directly addressing immigration-related problems with Vietnamese immigration authorities, such as overstaying a visa, visa extensions, visa renewals, and new visa applications.  Questions should be referred to the Vietnamese Immigration Department at (024) 39387320 for further guidance. 

The U.S. Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City will continue providing letters in support of visa extensions until Friday, May 22. After May 22, we will no longer provide letters in support of visa extensions, but will issue exit letters in support of U.S. citizens who entered Vietnam before March 1, 2020, and have plans to exit Vietnam by June 30.  U.S. citizens may request an exit letter here:

Key points:

1. This action by immigration is another stopgap measure to help THOSE WHO ARE PLANNING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY avoid illegal overstaying in country while they are making plans to leave.

2. IF people who arrived prior to March 1, 2020 have overstayed or will have overstayed their permission to stay as noted in their passport AND are planning to depart Vietnam through June 30, 2020, they will be required to present their supporting documents to immigration at the airport.

Obviously, if people in this category aren't in possession of those documents, they will be assessed a fine for overstay depending on the length of their illegal stay.

3. One easy way to fulfill the requirements for declaring their temporary stay and completing a health declaration form is by using the NCOVI official app for smartphones.

Click Here to follow the link for android phones in the Google Play store.

4. Nothing in this message indicates that visa extensions are not possible, but it does indicate that THESE SPECIFIC extensions are intended to help people clear immigration legally as they are leaving the country.

So, let's say your current visa expires in June, but you are planning to extend your visa and remain in Vietnam.

IF you wait until after your visa expires in June and then submit your application for extension through immigration (1 month) or an authorized visa agent (up to 3 months) you will probably be charged an overstay fine and possibly have your extension application denied.

That last paragraph is a summary of a conversation I had this morning with my trusted visa agent in Hanoi.

How does a person "declare one's temporary residence"? Where does one go?

I filed a health declaration online a few weeks ago. Do I have to keep updating it?

hyagly256 wrote:

How does a person "declare one's temporary residence"? Where does one go?

I filed a health declaration online a few weeks ago. Do I have to keep updating it?

For the first question, do you mean where to go to register your presence with the local authority?  If that's the question, it's the landlord's job if you stay in a rented apartment.  If you stay with friends, the head of household's job.  Ask for a copy of it from the landlord/head of household for your peace of mind.

The landlord should renew your registration every 6 months, BTW.

For the second question, update daily if you wish, or not if you don't.  I registered then ignored the updating because I didn't go anywhere for weeks.  Until we travelled to the Highland the other day.  I updated twice then, the day we left home and the day we returned.

hyagly256 wrote:

How does a person "declare one's temporary residence"? Where does one go?

I filed a health declaration online a few weeks ago. Do I have to keep updating it?

As I mentioned in the previous post, there is an official android smartphone app that let's you do both things:

CLICK HERE to go to the Google Play store and download app for free

There is also a way to access the same functions via a laptop and (I think) via iPhone, but I don't have those specifics (GoodOldBoy? You do it by laptop?)

You enter your address once and then you self-report your health at least once.

I report my health every 1 to 2 days.

If you are traveling from province to province, the app will serve as a way to update any authorities who stop you with your information via a QR code image you can show them for scanning.

If you move, open up the app and update your address.

The app will also track your movements...

Thanks Ciambella and OB. I don't really like to install apps that are going to track everything I do, so I will stick to other methods. My health is still fine, is there any need to update this silly report?

hyagly256 wrote:

I don't really like to install apps that are going to track everything I do, so I will stick to other methods. My health is still fine, is there any need to update this silly report?

Then don't install app, do it online when you travel out of the province.  That's what my husband did, online using the laptop which he left at home when we travelled. 

The need is real: the government wants to know that if you come down with the virus when you travel, they can track all the locations where you pass through so they can bring all the people with whom you have contacted in for tests.  It's a legitimate concern so IMO, we should cooperate.  But if you do it online and on a device which is not an extension of your appendage, the officials would still be able to see where you depart but not every stop along the way, and you would feel as if you have some control over your privacy.

All devices connected to the net are tracked. App... browser... phone. Doesnt matter every single one of them has a MAC address which cannot be changed

Jlgarbutt wrote:

All devices connected to the net are tracked. App... browser... phone. Doesnt matter every single one of them has a MAC address which cannot be changed

Yes, but your movements cannot be tracked through the device if it's not with you, right?

Huh, I deleted the app a few weeks ago.  I thought we were done with that.

SteinNebraska wrote:

Huh, I deleted the app a few weeks ago.  I thought we were done with that.

I figured I'd keep using it until July 1st

From what I understand, if I am stopped by authorities who want to know where I've been and what's my health status, they only have to scan the code and I'm free to proceed.

Most people don't go out without a phone with them.. but yes leaving it home does limit the ability to be tracked.

It's not as bad here as back in the UK, but every store loyalty card you have gives those in power the possibility to track your movements. Starbucks loyalty card.. yep.. anything that has your name attached to it and is used to effectively check in somewhere has the possibility to be tracked.

Paying by chip and pin.. same thing - we all do it without even thinking.

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Most people don't go out without a phone with them.. but yes leaving it home does limit the ability to be tracked.

It's not as bad here as back in the UK, but every store loyalty card you have gives those in power the possibility to track your movements. Starbucks loyalty card.. yep.. anything that has your name attached to it and is used to effectively check in somewhere has the possibility to be tracked.

Paying by chip and pin.. same thing - we all do it without even thinking.

There goes my alibi...

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Most people don't go out without a phone with them.. but yes leaving it home does limit the ability to be tracked.

That's the reason behind my thinking (correctly or not) to do the health report on laptop and leave it at home, keeping cell phone free of those ties that bind.

SteinNebraska wrote:

Huh, I deleted the app a few weeks ago.  I thought we were done with that.

Its not done with, on the contrary, there is now a page (been for a few weeks now) where you are supposed to fill in if you are traveling within Vietnam. Where you are leaving from, where you are going to, what transport you are using etc etc etc.
If you are in the country, the least you could do is try to obey the rules, after all its for everyone's benefit & health security. Your comment just confirms the lousy attitude I see every day highlighted on TV news in your home country & mine.
My take on it.......it takes me 1 minute every day to fill it in & comply, so whats the big deal! & I am off to Da Lat next week with my phone & am quite happy if I am tracked & god forbid I am exposed to the virus at least the authorities will know where I have been & who I have been in contact with.

By the way I fill it in mostly on my laptop but when I open up the app on my phone its been updated accordingly.

Several of us flew to Con Dao Island this past weekend.  I was the only foreigner, the rest were Vietnamese.  They didn't ask for it.  Everyone did have to fill out a different kind of online health check before boarding the plane on the way down.  We just had to show the original screen shot of the QR code when we all flew back.

SteinNebraska wrote:

Several of us flew to Con Dao Island this past weekend.  I was the only foreigner, the rest were Vietnamese.  They didn't ask for it.  Everyone did have to fill out a different kind of online health check before boarding the plane on the way down.  We just had to show the original screen shot of the QR code when we all flew back.

so what you saying, you have official conformation that there is now no requirement to fill in the online Health Declaration?

goodolboy wrote:

SteinNebraska wrote:

Several of us flew to Con Dao Island this past weekend.  I was the only foreigner, the rest were Vietnamese.  They didn't ask for it.  Everyone did have to fill out a different kind of online health check before boarding the plane on the way down.  We just had to show the original screen shot of the QR code when we all flew back.

so what you saying, you have official conformation that there is now no requirement to fill in the online Health Declaration?

I never said anything of the sort.  Why would you say that?  I just provided an anecdotal statement of what I had experienced last weekend.

SteinNebraska wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

SteinNebraska wrote:

Several of us flew to Con Dao Island this past weekend.  I was the only foreigner, the rest were Vietnamese.  They didn't ask for it.  Everyone did have to fill out a different kind of online health check before boarding the plane on the way down.  We just had to show the original screen shot of the QR code when we all flew back.

so what you saying, you have official conformation that there is now no requirement to fill in the online Health Declaration?

I never said anything of the sort.  Why would you say that?  I just provided an anecdotal statement of what I had experienced last weekend.

Huh, I deleted the app a few weeks ago.  I thought we were done with that........I rest my case!!!

Update on flying domestic as foreigners:

Travelled on Vietnam Airlines from Saigon to Hanoi a couple days ago; nothing special was asked.  No health declaration either in paper or via app. Temperature was checked before boarding the plane, and antibacterial wet wipes were given at the beginning of the flight. No social distancing in flight; seats were cheek to jowl as before COVID.  Everyone wore masks as routine, not as required, except the man across the aisle from us who was too cool to wear either seatbelt or mask.

OTOH, the cleaning crew with shields and masks waiting to enter the plane as we barely left; they all looked serious.

It’s even more lax on the long distance bus to Sapa. We continued to wear masks but other foreigners did not. Neither did they follow the rules of no eating on the bus. They had a feast with food passing back and forth between two cabins and three berths.

It’s 7° in the daytime and 0° tonight. With the rain, it feels even colder, a perfect climate for the virus to spread if they have a mind to do so.

Ciambella wrote:

Update on flying domestic as foreigners:

Travelled on Vietnam Airlines from Saigon to Hanoi a couple days ago; nothing special was asked.  No health declaration either in paper or via app. Temperature was checked before boarding the plane, and antibacterial wet wipes were given at the beginning of the flight. No social distancing in flight; seats were cheek to jowl as before COVID.  Everyone wore masks as routine, not as required, except the man across the aisle from us who was too cool to wear either seatbelt or mask.

OTOH, the cleaning crew with shields and masks waiting to enter the plane as we barely left; they all looked serious.

It’s even more lax on the long distance bus to Sapa. We continued to wear masks but other foreigners did not. Neither did they follow the rules of no eating on the bus. They had a feast with food passing back and forth between two cabins and three berths.

It’s 12C in the daytime and 4C at night. With the rain, it feels cold and damp, a perfect climate for the virus to spread if they have a mind to do so.

As long as you stay safe, that is the most important thing.

colinoscapee wrote:

As long as you stay safe, that is the most important thing.

It seems we’re the only ones who care, a small group of oddballs from the south who travel with masks and antibacterial hand wash.