How do we go about moving to Vietnam?

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Thank you for such a quick reply. I have actually owned my own business in the UK for over 25 years so that seems a good start. I am sorry to appear so naive but we have only had 3 holidays in Vietnam but fell in love (5 weeks, 4 weeks and 3 weeks respectively) so your suggestion for a long stay seems a great idea. Again, I might seem a bit daft here, but how do i contact expats personally?

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Thank you very much. That's also very interesting, I might hang around a bit to be entertained!

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Thanks, one last thing...how do I cpontact OceanBeach please?

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Oh dear, the troll is back.

MichaelDavies wrote:

I have absolutely no idea if you can just MOVE to Vietnam.

You can't, especially now.

Well I realise not now. I am looking at how to go about doing so for the future. There is pprobably so much to look into that I am just starting the process, I like to know what I'm doing (be prepared). I was actually advised to contact you as the person who would know most about what I need to do, in what order etc. but it seems that you are saying it will never be possible. Surely there are lots of expats in Vietnam? Why wouldn't I be able to in the future?

You can buy a house, but not land as an individual.

Depends on what type of company you setup and how deep your pockets are.

Visas are an issue here as the goal posts keep moving.

MichaelDavies wrote:

Well I realise not now. I am looking at how to go about doing so for the future. There is pprobably so much to look into that I am just starting the process, I like to know what I'm doing (be prepared). I was actually advised to contact you as the person who would know most about what I need to do, in what order etc. but it seems that you are saying it will never be possible. Surely there are lots of expats in Vietnam? Why wouldn't I be able to in the future?

The move is never the first consideration.

The first consideration is your value to the government of Vietnam and the economy here.

It sounds like you have a lot of researching to do because you're going to need to figure out what kind of expert you can be in order to be employed here, or, you need to pull out about $200,000 US dollars and prepare to invest money over here.

I know this website doesn't have the best search function, but there is a lot of information about moving here and gaining employment here and being an investor here.

So since you really haven't told us anything at all about yourself that would qualify you to be even a Temporary Resident here, start reading some of those threads especially the sticky threads at the head of the list of subjects in the Vietnam forum.

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Thanks. I've spent the last hour so reading other threads and yes, it's complicated. We are not ready for retirement quite yet but nearly there so not really looking for a job. I guess it's what visa we could possibly apply for. I will do more research about an investment visa as I guess that's the only way to 'retire' to Vietnam!

It seems you just cant let go, numerous usernames, same dribble.

Dont you ever get tired of being a *** ?

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colinoscapee wrote:

Oh dear, the troll is back.

True but if I recall correctly, his post telling the OP how to contact OceanBeach by direct messaging was pretty straightforward.   The others, I have no idea as they are both gone and forgotten.   

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As far as I can see it is impossible for a European citizen to obtain a visa to visit Vietnam for more than three months. If you find a way around this problem I would be delighted to hear of it.

MichaelDavies wrote:

Thanks. I've spent the last hour so reading other threads and yes, it's complicated. We are not ready for retirement quite yet but nearly there so not really looking for a job. I guess it's what visa we could possibly apply for. I will do more research about an investment visa as I guess that's the only way to 'retire' to Vietnam!

That's probably your best bet.

You can send me a private message if you want and I can connect you with an attorney we (THIGV and I) respect on here.

She can help steer you through the process.

Malcolmleitrim wrote:

As far as I can see it is impossible for a European citizen to obtain a visa to visit Vietnam for more than three months. If you find a way around this problem I would be delighted to hear of it.

This sticky thread....

expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=823006

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JeremyJones wrote:

Malcolmleitrim wrote:

As far as I can see it is impossible for a European citizen to obtain a visa to visit Vietnam for more than three months. If you find a way around this problem I would be delighted to hear of it.

start with defining the difference between a tourist visa and a business visa and stop confusing the illegal visa from the corrupt bastards selling the illegal 1 year self sponsored business visa with the actual legit legal business visa. ( this is why gossip alters information over time! and what they local corrupt crap used to keep price gouging you guys )

I don't know what any of this means? How could I  be a tourist if I  wanted to live in Vietnam? I don't want a business visa, I'm retired.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Malcolmleitrim wrote:

As far as I can see it is impossible for a European citizen to obtain a visa to visit Vietnam for more than three months. If you find a way around this problem I would be delighted to hear of it.

This sticky thread....

expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=823006

I don't want to be an investor, I don't want to run a company, I don't want a job, as far as I can see this makes it impossible for me to stay in Vietnam for more than three months. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Malcolmleitrim wrote:

I don't want to be an investor, I don't want to run a company, I don't want a job, as far as I can see this makes it impossible for me to stay in Vietnam for more than three months. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Your problem is that Vietnam has no investor visa the way Thailand and the Philippines do.  People may sympathize but they can's suggest what does not exist.  The problem that Jones alluded to is that many resort to businesses and business relationships that only exist on paper to enable one year business visas which are really just a way to stay for extended periods.

By the way you forgot to include "I don't want to get married." 

Malcolmleitrim wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Malcolmleitrim wrote:

As far as I can see it is impossible for a European citizen to obtain a visa to visit Vietnam for more than three months. If you find a way around this problem I would be delighted to hear of it.

This sticky thread....

expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=823006

I don't want to be an investor, I don't want to run a company, I don't want a job, as far as I can see this makes it impossible for me to stay in Vietnam for more than three months. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Part of it depends on your nationality, since the Vietnamese government gives different lengths of approval for certain visas to citizens of different nations.

For instance it appears there is still such a thing as a one-year tourist visa for US citizens.

I'm not sure what the longest Visa is that you can get.

And it used to be that when your Visa was up you pretty much had to leave the country for at least 1 day in order to purchase a new Visa.

However it seems that legal Visa extensions are becoming much more common, the longest periods of time up to 3 months being available through agencies.

You might be able to get a one month extension through your local immigration office.

Then there is the new rule that no matter how long your Visa, the period of time that you are approved to remain in country will be limited to 30 days on any tourist visa.

Let's say you are on a 90-day visa and you are at the end of your 30-day approved stay in the country.

You will have to report to the local immigration office and pay $10 for a new 30 day period of time approved to remain in country.

But it's conceivable, with Visa extensions being more common (and more expensive than purchasing a new Visa) that you could come here on a 90-day Visa and stay for 3 approved periods of 30 days, then get a 90 day extension of your visa through an agent, and continue to have 30 day periods of approval to remain in country.

Apparently there is a limit to the amount of extensions you can get.

I've heard two extensions and then I've also heard three extensions.

Maybe we have an agent 'lurking' here who can provide the law on that particular subject.

But if 3 extensions are allowed then you would eventually be able to stay here for one year without leaving the country.

The caveat is the ability to get into the country in the first place.

If you (someone else reading this thread) wanted to break into your savings and become an investor here, then you could make it work to stay longer without monthly trips to immigration.

At today's exchange rate it will take $129,888.81 USD/₫3,000,000,000 VNĐ to get an investor visa, but the good news is that the requirement can be spread across investors (according to what I've been told).

So if you can get a Vietnamese partner to put up half and you put up half, that apparently meets the requirement and you can get your TRC.

Please, if I'm wrong about this (including the latest financial requirements) someone kindly correct me.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Malcolmleitrim wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

This sticky thread....

expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=823006

I don't want to be an investor, I don't want to run a company, I don't want a job, as far as I can see this makes it impossible for me to stay in Vietnam for more than three months. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Then there is the new rule that no matter how long your Visa, the period of time that you are approved to remain in country will be limited to 30 days on any tourist visa...........according to my long standing visa agent this rule is not actually law yet.......anyone that can contradict I would like to know.

But it's conceivable, with Visa extensions being more common (and more expensive than purchasing a new Visa) that you could come here on a 90-day Visa and stay for 3 approved periods of 30 days, then get a 90 day extension of your visa through an agent, and continue to have 30 day periods of approval to remain in country...........do you mean that even with a 90 days extension to a 90 days tourist visa every month you must go to the immigration, pay the usd 10 & get a stamp?

Apparently there is a limit to the amount of extensions you can get........I was told last week when I handed in my passport for 2nd 90 days extension that "as of right now" there is no limit to the amount of extensions. Right now being the critical comment!

At today's exchange rate it will take $129,888.81 USD/₫3,000,000,000 VNĐ to get an investor visa, but the good news is that the requirement can be spread across investors (according to what I've been told).........again, last week I asked this question as I was considering this as an option. I was told that the 3bil investor gets you a 2 year TRC but you can actually invest a much smaller amount to get a 1 year TRC. My idea was to say bung 1 bil into stocks in Vina Milk or some pretty boring stock on the Vietnamese market. But oh no, not as simple as that! that does not qualify. What she said was say for example a new start up with a Vietnamese partner in a company that would qualify you to get a legal certificate of investment. A coffee shop or salon nails  did not qualify. That was as far as that idea got

Please, if I'm wrong about this (including the latest financial requirements) someone kindly correct me.

You will have to make adjustments and compromises to live in Vietnam. It isn't for everybody, but you have had plenty of in-country visits. Try it for a year.

Talk to a visa agent. There are unpublished ways to get visas, some legal, don't pretend to be an employee of a bogus business, can get you tossed out. Google or Facebook "vietnam visa agent". Johnny Le Manh Hung (google) is a forum member and has a legitimate business, he got me visas twice a few years ago before I got married.

It might mean quarterly or even monthly visa runs. The law is in flux because CCP bio-weapon release, and because it continually changes anyway.

A business in Vietnam will be difficult. Why not hire someone to run your current business. Or sell it. Or start a business in Britain and work on it remotely. Or be someone's remote employee. Or consult online. Be creative. Do you own real estate you can rent for income? No? then buy something now for just that purpose. You won't want to buy RE in Vietnam anyway, apartments are cheap and plentiful.
Anyway just ideas. Good luck next year!

gobot wrote:

.. Johnny Le Manh Hung (google) is a forum member and has a legitimate business, he got me visas twice a few years ago before I got married....

Here's the link to Johnny's profile:

expat.com/forum/profile.php?id=1706304&lang=en

Thank you guys. Hopefully next year we may be able to stay for a few months to get to know Vietnam better.