Reentry to vietnam

Not yet, except for some very limited special cases.  It looks like it's starting to loosen up some with some new rules that went into affect Sept 15 but not generally open yet.

This is what I have read on vietnaminsider.vn, yesterday:

“ After five months of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the South East Asian country will open its borders for Vietnamese nationals, diplomats, experts, managers, skilled workers, investors and their families. The country will not open for tourism, yet.

Flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to destinations in South Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan will operate on a weekly basis. Connections with Cambodia and Laos will resume next week.

Travellers boarding a flight must have a negative Coronavirus test certificate (they must have tested no more than five days before the departure date). Passengers would be tested upon arrival and kept in quarantine if required.”

Hi SP0, the govt. has allowed the entry for foreign experts, investors, managers, and diplomats in recent weeks.  In my case, I have booked/re-booked due to flight cancellation since Aug.  In other word, getting to VN is another story (cost + duration of the flight).  I am hoping my last booking will not be canceled again.

Simply put, tourism is still no go.

Everything else is okay with certain restrictions.

Kurterino wrote:

Travellers boarding a flight must have a negative Coronavirus test certificate (they must have tested no more than five days before the departure date). Passengers would be tested upon arrival and kept in quarantine if required.”

My experience with Immigration department is only negative. They don't do their job.
What does this imply?

                    "tested upon arrival and kept in quarantine if required"

If you test positive on return?

You are absolutely correct about VN immigration department.  Lucky for you as a foreigner.  In my case, as a Vietnamese American, and I am almost as old as their grand parents in most cases, they talk to me like with no mannerism or sometime as  a criminal.  BUT, with couple Andrew Jackson, believe me..... you can get in and out so fast!

As of 9/15 since VN has opened 6 international routes the requirements for Covid 19 testing is must be within 3 days of the departure date.   I am still searching and validate if TRC status will be treated as VN citizen (Govt. can interevent to get you back in the country) during this abnormal time or TRC follows the same rules for the experts/skill workers/business owners etc... Again, not for tourist!

OK, thanks,  not for me.
I hate this Benjamin business.
I have to pay 3-4 times as much to get my visa via a slimy agent.
Because Immigration doesn't do their job.
And I get slapped with overstay fine.
Life is getting complicated in VN.
If I can get a flight out, i will. Booked twice and twice cancelled.

So my immigration impression is right. I trust you speak VN. I don't and I'm 76.

I am with you 100% about this Andrew/Ben monkey business.  Living in US for 35 Yrs and I’m speak fluent VN.  I lived in VN for 20 and I have spent many years in APAC, I truly believe bribery is part of the culture in APAC.

Funny, you are trying to get out and I am trying to get in with multiple booking and canceled.

RealPommy wrote:

OK, thanks,  not for me.
I hate this Benjamin business.
I have to pay 3-4 times as much to get my visa via a slimy agent.
Because Immigration doesn't do their job.
And I get slapped with overstay fine.
Life is getting complicated in VN.
If I can get a flight out, i will. Booked twice and twice cancelled.

So my immigration impression is right. I trust you speak VN. I don't and I'm 76.

That's a very important point about your overstay fine.

Can you expand on it a little bit?

Are you saying that you stayed in country and didn't extend your visa because you were told you had an automatic visa extension, and then when you finally applied for a visa extension you got an overstay fine because you weren't covered by the automatic visa extension?

If that's the case, I'd like to start a new thread based on your report, because there have been a lot of people thinking that they are not going to get charged an overstay fine, even though they are not trying to get out of the country, but are instead relying on the automatic extensions to try and stay here as long as possible.

You just expressed my opinions. Well done.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

...there have been a lot of people thinking that they are not going to get charged an overstay fine, even though they are not trying to get out of the country, but are instead relying on the automatic extensions to try and stay here as long as possible.

Yes... and they're in for a shock when they try to exit Vietnam after the COVID-19 situation 'dies down' and things return to (relative) normalcy.

+1

"there have been a lot of people thinking that they are not going to get charged an overstay fine"

I went to Immigration 8th of June. My visa expired 21st of June. I was told by Immigration that "don't worry", automatically extended to 31st of June.

So at the end of June I had go go through one of these slim ball agents. Of course I had to pay 1,2 mill dongs in fine. And 300 USD on top of it, because immigration doesn't do their job.

Same story in October. Now I had learned and handed my passport to the slime ball. I'm without my passport for 14 days and now you only get 1 months.

Obviously, Vietnam don't want us here. That poses another problem Twice i booked a flight and twice it was cancelled.

But I don't mind. I sufficient funds to live off and enjoy the warmth, friendliness and food in Vietnam. Actually a great place to retire in.

RealPommy wrote:

"there have been a lot of people thinking that they are not going to get charged an overstay fine"

So at the end of June I had go go through one of these slim ball agents. Of course I had to pay 1,2 mill dongs in fine. And 300 USD on top of it, because immigration doesn't do their job.

Same story in October. Now I had learned and handed my passport to the slime ball. I'm without my passport for 14 days and now you only get 1 months.

But I don't mind. I sufficient funds to live off and enjoy the warmth, friendliness and food in Vietnam. Actually a great place to retire in.

come on Pommy relax  they are not all slime balls they are just trying to make a buck & I bet at least 50% of the costs go to the immigration guys anyways!!

Yes, you are dead right. That's the reason they don't issue visas. They want the kickbacks.

RealPommy wrote:

Yes, you are dead right. That's the reason they don't issue visas. They want the kickbacks.

I know I'm going to get flamed for saying this but in most cases a Immigration Official won't accept your request for an extension for many reasons and one of them is  not to get a few  kick back bucks from an agent , it ain't worth it any more. Your document is not prepared correctly, you don't meet the current rules to extend, no sponsor or legal current residence. The Police haven't certified it is another. I could go on and add a few more but these are just an example of why the might refer you to an agent. A few weeks ago a person posted that they had every thing correct and the request got refused. I did a PM to try and figure it out. Yes he had all the correct information and signatures but when he printed it out he didn't duplex in and gave the official two pages one was the actual request, the other was the required signatures. No Go.
Rick

Budman1 wrote:

RealPommy wrote:

Yes, you are dead right. That's the reason they don't issue visas. They want the kickbacks.

I know I'm going to get flamed for saying this but in most cases a Immigration Official won't accept your request for an extension for many reasons and one of them is  not to get a few  kick back bucks from an agent , it ain't worth it any more. Your document is not prepared correctly, you don't meet the current rules to extend, no sponsor or legal current residence. The Police haven't certified it is another. I could go on and add a few more but these are just an example of why the might refer you to an agent. A few weeks ago a person posted that they had every thing correct and the request got refused. I did a PM to try and figure it out. Yes he had all the correct information and signatures but when he printed it out he didn't duplex in and gave the official two pages one was the actual request, the other was the required signatures. No Go.
Rick

Not quite true Rick. I did my own TRC two years ago and they refused to give me a three year visa, even though a friend of mine had already received a three-year TRC at the same office using an agent.
My TRC is due, we contacted the immigration dept and they said two-years again. Asked an agent, and BAM, a 3 year TRC can be obtained for an extra fee.

Immigration does get kickbacks, maybe where you live in the Delta not so much. Here in Vung Tau its a goldmine for police.

Gotta be honest here & this is just for me & understand not for all......but I am more than happy for someone to do the leg work & get paid for it. I am at the stage in life I just want easy, no hassle. The thought of filling in all that paperwork, sitting in a Visa office for god knows how long with people shouting at each other &  in the hope I got everything right just the thought of it makes me cringe & order another beer. So all you DIY guys I take my hat off to you & you have my admiration, as for me I just take the easy rout these days & go the agent rout.

goodolboy wrote:

Gotta be honest here & this is just for me & understand not for all......but I am more than happy for someone to do the leg work & get paid for it. I am at the stage in life I just want easy, no hassle. The thought of filling in all that paperwork, sitting in a Visa office for god knows how long with people shouting at each other &  in the hope I got everything right just the thought of it makes me cringe & order another beer. So all you DIY guys I take my hat off to you & you have my admiration, as for me I just take the easy rout these days & go the agent rout.

With a TRC you have to do your own paperwork, it costs us about 100k vnd to get it all done. I cant see an agent getting my wifes documents notarised legally.

In Saigon the police have wacked another 200 usd on top of the normal TRC price. Things are slow, lets screw those who are already here.

goodolboy wrote:

Gotta be honest here & this is just for me & understand not for all......but I am more than happy for someone to do the leg work & get paid for it. I am at the stage in life I just want easy, no hassle. The thought of filling in all that paperwork, sitting in a Visa office for god knows how long with people shouting at each other &  in the hope I got everything right just the thought of it makes me cringe & order another beer. So all you DIY guys I take my hat off to you & you have my admiration, as for me I just take the easy rout these days & go the agent rout.

Totally agree

Are you required to go to Immigration every month after you've gotten a visa extension?

Hey guys, just wondering is there a chance to land a job as a foreigner right now with no working visas before this? I believe I have the skillsets but not sure if it's worth the try right now.

Edit: Oops sorry I guess I'm in the wrong section lol

paulmsn wrote:

Are you required to go to Immigration every month after you've gotten a visa extension?

That will be determined by the stamp put in your passport when the extension is done.

"permitted to remain until __ __ ____" ("Được phép tạm trú đến")
will have a date filled in.

Based on the stories I'm hearing from everyone, only one month extensions of tourist visas are being given out at this time.

Business visas are still given three-month extensions (my personal experience).

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

Are you required to go to Immigration every month after you've gotten a visa extension?

That will be determined by the stamp put in your passport when the extension is done.

"permitted to remain until __ __ ____" ("Được phép tạm trú đến")
will have a date filled in.

Based on the stories I'm hearing from everyone, only one month extensions of tourist visas are being given out at this time.

Business visas are still given three-month extensions (my personal experience).

Thanks.  I have "Stay permit is extended up to 30/11/2020".  I just wasn't sure if the one-month requirement applied to three-month extensions.  I'm hoping we can fly again by the time it expires.

paulmsn wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

Are you required to go to Immigration every month after you've gotten a visa extension?

That will be determined by the stamp put in your passport when the extension is done.

"permitted to remain until __ __ ____" ("Được phép tạm trú đến")
will have a date filled in.

Based on the stories I'm hearing from everyone, only one month extensions of tourist visas are being given out at this time.

Business visas are still given three-month extensions (my personal experience).

Thanks.  I have "Stay permit is extended up to 30/11/2020".  I just wasn't sure if the one-month requirement applied to three-month extensions.  I'm hoping we can fly again by the time it expires.

We have matching expiration dates... 😎