Some Visa Extensions Discontinued

THIGV wrote:

Andybris2020 wrote:

2 days ago next door had a fire,,, we managed to save our roof floor going up and spreading to rest of building,,, so lucky it wasnt empty,,,,, I have now installed smoke alarms throughout and she is very happy we are still here.

Goodolboy,,, I sent you a PM - link to video of the fire

You are a very lucky couple.  The typical Vietnamese urban "tube house" design is a death trap with no rear exits and no fire escapes.  To make matters worse, most people use padlocks on the front gates which need a key to open and likely fumble over while the flames approach or smoke dulls your mind.   Hopefully your neighbors did not die. 

Is the video of the fire a public link?

Agree also no one has smoke alarms, the guy in the room woke to the pain of his arm on fire,,, grabbed his phone and ran,,,, the whole room and ceiliing was ablaze.

sent PM seeing any link here usually gets put under review

Fire
1:33 in video the balcony on right is our bedroom the square above the aircon has a hole that burnt through the brickwork there was flames spewing from it luckily we had no clothes hanging or our glass doors would have exploded and set fire to curtains and wardrobe.

Oh and to add to the story,,, was 5am Friday morning 25th June 2021,,,, NO ONE banged on our front gates/doors to wake us they stood down the street filming and watching, asked why next door didnt wake us "oh sorry we panic" Thanks to my GF hearing the explosions of the window glass and seeing flames licked around the balcony she managed to wake me then we got the 3 boys from the back bedroom got downstairs, I kicked the gates open and looked for andthing falling and got my bike out then she rode hers out before they could explode.

If you dont have smoke alarms,,, go grab some they are cheap online and take 5 min to install.

Andybris2020 wrote:

THIGV wrote:

Andybris2020 wrote:

2 days ago next door had a fire,,, we managed to save our roof floor going up and spreading to rest of building,,, so lucky it wasnt empty,,,,, I have now installed smoke alarms throughout and she is very happy we are still here.

Goodolboy,,, I sent you a PM - link to video of the fire

You are a very lucky couple.  The typical Vietnamese urban "tube house" design is a death trap with no rear exits and no fire escapes.  To make matters worse, most people use padlocks on the front gates which need a key to open and likely fumble over while the flames approach or smoke dulls your mind.   Hopefully your neighbors did not die. 

Is the video of the fire a public link?

Agree also no one has smoke alarms, the guy in the room woke to the pain of his arm on fire,,, grabbed his phone and ran,,,, the whole room and ceiliing was ablaze.

sent PM seeing any link here usually gets put under review

If you copy and paste it on your post it will get reviewed.

If you use the link next to the smiley face in the box above your reply, you can ad an url in there without any issues.

colinoscapee wrote:

Andybris2020 wrote:

THIGV wrote:

You are a very lucky couple.  The typical Vietnamese urban "tube house" design is a death trap with no rear exits and no fire escapes.  To make matters worse, most people use padlocks on the front gates which need a key to open and likely fumble over while the flames approach or smoke dulls your mind.   Hopefully your neighbors did not die. 

Is the video of the fire a public link?

Agree also no one has smoke alarms, the guy in the room woke to the pain of his arm on fire,,, grabbed his phone and ran,,,, the whole room and ceiliing was ablaze.

sent PM seeing any link here usually gets put under review

If you copy and paste it on your post it will get reviewed.

If you use the link next to the smiley face in the box above your reply, you can ad an url in there without any issues.

added.... thanks

Andybris2020 wrote:

THIGV wrote:

Andybris2020 wrote:

2 days ago next door had a fire,,, we managed to save our roof floor going up and spreading to rest of building,,, so lucky it wasnt empty,,,,, I have now installed smoke alarms throughout and she is very happy we are still here.

Goodolboy,,, I sent you a PM - link to video of the fire

You are a very lucky couple.  The typical Vietnamese urban "tube house" design is a death trap with no rear exits and no fire escapes.  To make matters worse, most people use padlocks on the front gates which need a key to open and likely fumble over while the flames approach or smoke dulls your mind.   Hopefully your neighbors did not die. 

Is the video of the fire a public link?

Agree also no one has smoke alarms, the guy in the room woke to the pain of his arm on fire,,, grabbed his phone and ran,,,, the whole room and ceiliing was ablaze.

sent PM seeing any link here usually gets put under review

Fire
1:33 in video the balcony on right is our bedroom the square above the aircon has a hole that burnt through the brickwork there was flames spewing from it luckily we had no clothes hanging or our glass doors would have exploded and set fire to curtains and wardrobe.

Oh and to add to the story,,, was 5am Friday morning 25th June 2021,,,, NO ONE banged on our front gates/doors to wake us they stood down the street filming and watching, asked why next door didnt wake us "oh sorry we panic" Thanks to my GF hearing the explosions of the window glass and seeing flames licked around the balcony she managed to wake me then we got the 3 boys from the back bedroom got downstairs, I kicked the gates open and looked for andthing falling and got my bike out then she rode hers out before they could explode.

If you dont have smoke alarms,,, go grab some they are cheap online and take 5 min to install.

Terrible,  lucky you guys reacted fast n were unhurt ..

really so glad that you at least survived unhurt apparently. that sound like a very close call. and as mentioned, elsewhere, typical Viet narrow cramped houses with their penchant for, not one, but several locks, on everything would hv to be about the absolutely worst place to be in.

how absolutely scary.

i did not see in this thread and it doesn't seem to want to scroll to the OP, but did your house go up to, or just next door?

i hear that fire engines simply take forever seeing they are usually miles away?

and what's with the watchers? "panic"? give me a break. but it does sound like Viet behaviour, sadly.

insurance?

btw, i have had two houses burn down in my previous life: one when i was kid while i was at school (i left the old-style toaster on on plastic tablecloth), and again In Canberra, when we WOULD have died except the newspaper (?) man was passing and saw smoke and knocked on bedroom windows and woke us up. you know what they say about dying of smoke inhalation, not fire - well, we had two shut doors between us and the living room where the fire started, and there was soot in the shoe boxes in the built-ins in our bedroom.

anyway so glad about this outcome.

PS so someone smoking in bed. any bets?

john3729 wrote:

really so glad that you at least survived unhurt apparently. that sound like a very close call. and as mentioned, elsewhere, typical Viet narrow cramped houses with their penchant for, not one, but several locks, on everything would hv to be about the absolutely worst place to be in.

how absolutely scary.

i did not see in this thread and it doesn't seem to want to scroll to the OP, but did your house go up to, or just next door?

i hear that fire engines simply take forever seeing they are usually miles away?

and what's with the watchers? "panic"? give me a break. but it does sound like Viet behaviour, sadly.

insurance?

btw, i have had two houses burn down in my previous life: one when i was kid while i was at school (i left the old-style toaster on on plastic tablecloth), and again In Canberra, when we WOULD have died except the newspaper (?) man was passing and saw smoke and knocked on bedroom windows and woke us up. you know what they say about dying of smoke inhalation, not fire - well, we had two shut doors between us and the living room where the fire started, and there was soot in the shoe boxes in the built-ins in our bedroom.

anyway so glad about this outcome.

PS so someone smoking in bed. any bets?

PPS smoke alarms definitely. cheap as chips. but also, fire extinguishers. used to have about three in AU - garage, kitchen, bedroom. now none of either.  didn't even think of it. go figure. but this might make me move fast. must be ten or times the risk here with risk factors we hv mentioned.

john3729 wrote:

really so glad that you at least survived unhurt apparently. that sound like a very close call. and as mentioned, elsewhere, typical Viet narrow cramped houses with their penchant for, not one, but several locks, on everything would hv to be about the absolutely worst place to be in.

how absolutely scary.

i did not see in this thread and it doesn't seem to want to scroll to the OP, but did your house go up to, or just next door?

i hear that fire engines simply take forever seeing they are usually miles away?

and what's with the watchers? "panic"? give me a break. but it does sound like Viet behaviour, sadly.

insurance?

btw, i have had two houses burn down in my previous life: one when i was kid while i was at school (i left the old-style toaster on on plastic tablecloth), and again In Canberra, when we WOULD have died except the newspaper (?) man was passing and saw smoke and knocked on bedroom windows and woke us up. you know what they say about dying of smoke inhalation, not fire - well, we had two shut doors between us and the living room where the fire started, and there was soot in the shoe boxes in the built-ins in our bedroom.

anyway so glad about this outcome.

PS so someone smoking in bed. any bets?

just their house not ours, fire took 20  mins,,,, guy who's room it was said,,, he was charging a battery bank for his phone, his laptop was plugged in still after he logged off & shut down & the fan was on, when he woke he grabbed his phone and didnt look back to see which could have started it,,, however my bet is the battery bank.

The fire engine chief parked before the house that was on fire got out walked past the house to the watching crowd and said "where is the fire?" to everyones amazment and shouts of "behind you" as they pointed to the flames shooting out the 2nd floor window and roof,,,,,, keystone cops moment.

Andybris2020 wrote:

john3729 wrote:

really so glad that you at least survived unhurt apparently. that sound like a very close call. and as mentioned, elsewhere, typical Viet narrow cramped houses with their penchant for, not one, but several locks, on everything would hv to be about the absolutely worst place to be in.

how absolutely scary.

i did not see in this thread and it doesn't seem to want to scroll to the OP, but did your house go up to, or just next door?

i hear that fire engines simply take forever seeing they are usually miles away?

and what's with the watchers? "panic"? give me a break. but it does sound like Viet behaviour, sadly.

insurance?

btw, i have had two houses burn down in my previous life: one when i was kid while i was at school (i left the old-style toaster on on plastic tablecloth), and again In Canberra, when we WOULD have died except the newspaper (?) man was passing and saw smoke and knocked on bedroom windows and woke us up. you know what they say about dying of smoke inhalation, not fire - well, we had two shut doors between us and the living room where the fire started, and there was soot in the shoe boxes in the built-ins in our bedroom.

anyway so glad about this outcome.

PS so someone smoking in bed. any bets?

just their house not ours, fire took 20  mins,,,, guy who's room it was said,,, he was charging a battery bank for his phone, his laptop was plugged in still after he logged off & shut down & the fan was on, when he woke he grabbed his phone and didnt look back to see which could have started it,,, however my bet is the battery bank.

The fire engine chief parked before the house that was on fire got out walked past the house to the watching crowd and said "where is the fire?" to everyones amazment and shouts of "behind you" as they pointed to the flames shooting out the 2nd floor window and roof,,,,,, keystone cops moment.

I received another one-month visa extension, to 29 July.  My passport will be delivered this afternoon.  the process will have taken eleven days, which means no passport for 1/3 of a month, for an extension of only one month.  Not the most rational system, I think, but at least I don't have to pack everything up just yet.

Hi I just paid 2.5m dong to the agent t for one month a big jump from last month. i am in Nha trang.
I am a pensioner here since January 2020 and leasing apartment until September so possibly lose a months rent.  The agent said may not get another month. What are other stories?

I am planning to stay long term. What are the requirement for US resident who want to stay in Vietnam for 6 months?

TheDucati wrote:

I am planning to stay long term. What are the requirement for US resident who want to stay in Vietnam for 6 months?

Your profile says you're currently living in Hanoi.

HenryJo wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

...
....
To quote my visa agent:

"It is said that automatic extension is ended this month and that all foreigners must find a way to leave Vietnam".

I wouldn't trust this agent with the shirt on my back, since the automatic extension has been extended until 30 June.

Didn't she say the same last year and you relayed the news to us?

Danger is if we don't believe her, next time it may be true. Remember the story about the boy who cried wolf

As I made very clear in my OP, she was passing along the best information she had at the time.

While everything hasn't turned out exactly as she *had heard* it might, it turns out that the major gist of what she shared was in fact based on an official government communique (issued just prior to the elections held in May; with a lot of people in government being under increased pressure to strictly follow all regulations).

The download link for the .docx document is on this webpage

This is the direct download link to the official document copy file

A Google Translation of the main parts of the document:
~~~
MINISTRY OF LABOR - TRADEMARKS
AND SOCIAL

Number: 03 /CD-LDTBXH

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence - Freedom - Happiness

Hanoi, May 14, 2021

On strengthening the management of foreign workers working in Vietnam

MINISTRY OF LABOR - INVALUATIONS AND ELECTRIC SOCIALITY:

- Presidents of People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities;
- Directors of Departments of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of provinces and cities under the central.

Currently, the situation of Covid-19 epidemic in the world and in the country is very complicated and tends to increase.  The situation of foreigners illegally entering and entering for the purpose of finding work is not in accordance with the provisions of the labor law is happening in many localities throughout the country.  To strictly implement the direction of the Standing Committee of the Secretariat, Official Dispatch No. 570/CD-TTg dated May 2, 2021 of the Prime Minister on the rectification and improvement of the effectiveness of the Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control work.  19, successfully realizing the dual goals of protecting and improving people's health and ensuring social security, the Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs proposed to the Chairman of the People's Committees of the provinces,  The city pays attention to and directs the implementation of the following contents:

1. Review all establishments and enterprises that are employing foreigners in the locality.  On that basis, strengthen management, closely monitor all cases of entry, foreign workers registered and working at establishments, enterprises, export processing zones, etc. Resolutely not to be missed, to  illegally entering the country to work in establishments and enterprises.  Report the review results to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (via the Employment Department) before May 25, 2021 to summarize and report to the Prime Minister.

2. Check and correct the issuance of work permits for foreign workers in the locality, ensuring the correct conditions, order, procedures and standards specified in Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP dated  30/12/2020 of the Government and Clause 1, Article 152 of the Labor Code 2019 (Enterprises, agencies, organizations, individuals and contractors are only allowed to recruit foreign workers to do managerial jobs).  managers, executives, experts and technical workers that Vietnamese workers have not yet met according to the production and business needs of foreign workers working in Vietnam and recruiting and managing Vietnamese workers.  Nam works for foreign organizations and individuals in Vietnam.).

3. Strengthen the inspection, examination and strictly handle establishments and enterprises that receive and use illegal laborers and cases of deliberate violations of the law.  Directing the authorities to consider deporting foreign workers who work in Vietnam but do not have a work permit (or written confirmation that they are not eligible for a work permit) and do not comply with regulations  of the Law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

4. Direct the organization of inspection of epidemic prevention and control at establishments and enterprises employing foreign workers in the locality, ensuring strict implementation of 5K requirements and regulations of health authorities.  Resolutely suspend and strictly handle establishments and enterprises that fail to ensure safety in accordance with law.

The Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs requested the Presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities to pay attention to and well implement the above-mentioned contents and report to the Government on the implementation through the Ministry of Labor.  - Invalids and Social Affairs.

MINISTER

Dao Ngoc Dung

No mention of non-working tourists.  It appears we were simply caught in the backwash.

Clueless

I find this passage somewhat puzzling but I suspect that the problem may lie with Google Translate.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

[ 3. Strengthen the inspection, examination and strictly handle establishments and enterprises that receive and use illegal laborers and cases of deliberate violations of the law.  Directing the authorities to consider deporting foreign workers who work in Vietnam but do not have a work permit (or written confirmation that they are not eligible for a work permit) and do not comply with regulations  of the Law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

In particular, i am curious about "(or written confirmation that they are not eligible for a work permit)"  Could this refer to the exemption of holders of VEC and marriage based TRC from work permit requirements?  In that case a better translation would be "exempt from" rather than "not eligible for."  Can anyone else explain this otherwise?

THIGV wrote:

I find this passage somewhat puzzling but I suspect that the problem may lie with Google Translate.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

[ 3. Strengthen the inspection, examination and strictly handle establishments and enterprises that receive and use illegal laborers and cases of deliberate violations of the law.  Directing the authorities to consider deporting foreign workers who work in Vietnam but do not have a work permit (or written confirmation that they are not eligible for a work permit) and do not comply with regulations  of the Law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam.

In particular, i am curious about "(or written confirmation that they are not eligible for a work permit)"  Could this refer to the exemption of holders of VEC and marriage based TRC from work permit requirements?  In that case a better translation would be "exempt from" rather than "not eligible for."  Can anyone else explain this otherwise?

I *think* you are right.

I also think that's the part that got them to deny extensions of business visas for people without work permits

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Clueless

And where is this comment directed?

paulmsn wrote:

No mention of non-working tourists.  It appears we were simply caught in the backwash.

It's true that it doesn't mention of non-working tourists. 

However, even though tourist visa can only be renewed or extended once, somehow many tourists have been staying for years.  That's what the second sentence is about,  "The situation of foreigners entering illegally..."

They might not enter illegally, but they have been staying illegally.  When they renewed their visa under a bogus purpose, that's illegal. 

If that sentence were written as  "The situation of foreigners entering or staying illegally...", then it would've clearly encompassed a good percentage of foreigners in Vietnam, working or non-working tourists.  Do you think the absence of the two words "or staying" should've made a difference in the result?

Ciambella wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

No mention of non-working tourists.  It appears we were simply caught in the backwash.

It's true that it doesn't mention of non-working tourists. 

However, even though tourist visa can only be renewed or extended once, somehow many tourists have been staying for years.  That's what the second sentence is about,  "The situation of foreigners entering illegally..."

They might not enter illegally, but they have been staying illegally.  When they renewed their visa under a bogus purpose, that's illegal. 

If that sentence were written as  "The situation of foreigners entering or staying illegally...", then it would've clearly encompassed a good percentage of foreigners in Vietnam, working or non-working tourists.  Do you think the absence of the two words "or staying" should've made a difference in the result?

Yes.  And it was not true that visas could not be renewed, before visa were stopped, nor is it true now that they cannot be extended more that once.  I renewed my visa once a year, and all it required was leaving the country and returning.  If it were truly illegal, that would not be possible.  Nor is extending my visa now illegal.

There seems to be a belief that these things are illegal, but as far as I can see, they were only discouraged.  There was nothing shady it what I did -- the government allowed it.  They could easily have stopped me.

paulmsn wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

No mention of non-working tourists.  It appears we were simply caught in the backwash.

It's true that it doesn't mention of non-working tourists. 

However, even though tourist visa can only be renewed or extended once, somehow many tourists have been staying for years.  That's what the second sentence is about,  "The situation of foreigners entering illegally..."

They might not enter illegally, but they have been staying illegally.  When they renewed their visa under a bogus purpose, that's illegal. 

If that sentence were written as  "The situation of foreigners entering or staying illegally...", then it would've clearly encompassed a good percentage of foreigners in Vietnam, working or non-working tourists.  Do you think the absence of the two words "or staying" should've made a difference in the result?

Yes.  And it was not true that visas could not be renewed, before visa were stopped, nor is it true now that they cannot be extended more that once.  I renewed my visa once a year, and all it required was leaving the country and returning.  If it were truly illegal, that would not be possible.  Nor is extending my visa now illegal.

There seems to be a belief that these things are illegal, but as far as I can see, they were only discouraged.  There was nothing shady it what I did -- the government allowed it.  They could easily have stopped me.

I lived in Vietnam from 2008 to about 2010 on 6 months tourist visa,s & from 2010 to  2020 on 3 months tourist visas. OK from 2008 to 2015 I was working month on month off so just renewed the tourist visa & from 2015 to 2020 same thing just flew out to BKK, went to Bumrungrad for hospital treatment & latterly check up. After a couple nights partying, flew back in & absolutely never a problem, had my letter on arrival (with a government stamp on it)  got in line for up to an hour on a good day & Bobs your Uncle never ever had a problem. Only problem was that each Visa used up 2 pages on my Pass Port.

paulmsn wrote:

...as far as I can see...

That's been a stumbling block for you understanding the legality and illegality of things for some time now

goodolboy wrote:

. 

had my letter on arrival (with a government stamp on it)  got in line for up to an hour on a good day & Bobs your Uncle never ever had a problem. Only problem was that each Visa used up 2 pages on my Pass Port.

You did not renew your visa then, you had a new visa each time.  If you actually renewed your visa, the only thing in your passport each time would've been a pair of stamps, one for exit and one for entry.  No other document. 

With renewable visa, the one and only document is affixed on one page of the passport.  Every page after that, it's a stamp indicated a different expiration date.

paulmsn wrote:

I renewed my visa once a year, and all it required was leaving the country and returning.  If it were truly illegal, that would not be possible.  Nor is extending my visa now illegal.

There seems to be a belief that these things are illegal, but as far as I can see, they were only discouraged.  There was nothing shady it what I did -- the government allowed it.  They could easily have stopped me.

If your visa was a single entry tourist visa and you left the country once a year to return with another visa, that's not a renewal of the original visa.  That's a brand new visa each time you entered the country.  See my answer to goodolboy above.

Ciambella wrote:

If your visa was single entry tourist visa and you left the country once a year then came back with another visa, that's not a renewal of the original visa.  That's a new visa each time you entered the country.  See my answer to goodolboy above.

I was in the same situation before getting married, visa runs. I’ve always wondered why the Vietnamese government didn’t do it in country and let other nearby countries benefit. I’ve come to realize if they did, they would be going down the path of letting tourist visa staying long term. That’s not what they want. In my opinion, they see this pandemic as a good opportunity to clean house of some unwanted foreigners and hope these foreigners will never return. In doing so, they also push out the foreigners that are actually contributing economically. I have friends that left recently and friends in nearby countries trying to get back in. It’s a shame, but we must not forget what country we are talking about and what party controls it.

Ciambella wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

I renewed my visa once a year, and all it required was leaving the country and returning.  If it were truly illegal, that would not be possible.  Nor is extending my visa now illegal.

There seems to be a belief that these things are illegal, but as far as I can see, they were only discouraged.  There was nothing shady it what I did -- the government allowed it.  They could easily have stopped me.

If your visa was single entry tourist visa and you left the country once a year then came back with another visa, that's not a renewal of the original visa.  That's a new visa each time you entered the country.  See my answer to goodolboy above.

That's a technicality  that does not show that I am wrong.  Please provide proof that what I did was Illegal.  I have not seen that yet.

I cannot believe that a country encouraging tourism, no matter how half-heartedly, would take the position "OK, you've seen the country, now never come back."  I'd rather think that they'd push tourists to return.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

...as far as I can see...

That's been a stumbling block for you understanding the legality and illegality of things for some time now

Again with the snide attack.  You can be nice, but for some reason you choose not to be here. 

Show me proof that I am wrong rather than the cheap attacks.

paulmsn wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

...as far as I can see...

That's been a stumbling block for you understanding the legality and illegality of things for some time now

Again with the snide attack.  You can be nice, but for some reason you choose not to be here. 

Show me proof that I am wrong rather than the cheap attacks.

As long as it's all black and white with you, no one is ever going to be able to convince you of the position of the government, even if someone shows you the exact wording that the government has been using, which is what I've already done in the past.

(When the government says it is issuing extensions to allow people to legally leave the country; not extensions to allow people to legally stay in the country.)

The government does not desire that you stay any more than it desires that the people who have been getting free extensions should stay.

As can clearly be seen in all of those free extension alerts, they are being given so as to give a person the opportunity to leave the country legally.

You can't seem to see in those announcements that the government wants tourists to leave.

So because you entered the country before March 1st 2020, you keep paying money now to have a visa extension, which you would have never been able to do in the past.

But you failed to recognize why the government is doing this.

They aren't doing it because they really want to keep you around.

They are doing it to give you the opportunity to get your affairs in order and get out of Dodge.

Can I show you that in codified writing?

Of course not.

Can it be read between the lines of everything the government has been saying?

Yes.

For those who are at all sensitive to the needs of the government, it is readily discernable.

But keep telling yourself that your tourism dollars are so important to the government that they really want you to hang around and that in order to get you to leave they are going to send up a skywriter with your name specifically mentioned.

paulmsn wrote:

That's a technicality  that does not show that I am wrong.  Please provide proof that what I did was Illegal.  I have not seen that yet.

I cannot believe that a country encouraging tourism, no matter how half-heartedly, would take the position "OK, you've seen the country, now never come back."  I'd rather think that they'd push tourists to return.

1- You're wrong in saying the government allowed you to renew your visa every year.  You're wrong in saying the new visa which you acquired upon returning to the country each year was a renewed visa. 

A new visa is not a renewed visa, full stop.  The definition of renew is extending the validity of something for a further period.  Your second visa did not carry the original expiration date; it wasn't a renewal or a continuation of the first visa.  It was a brand new document; it wasn't tied to an old document.  How many different ways do you need me to explain this simple concept?

That's not a technicality, that's as black and white as almost everything you've been saying on the forum, except that this time, you chose to sit firmly in your newly created grey area. 

2- I cannot judge the government's position.  Right or wrong, what they did is not within my power to change, and I've found that the best thing for me to achieve a peaceful life is not complaining about something I cannot change.  Nor is trying to make people agree with me.  Neither of those acts makes my life richer or better.

3- Whatever you "rather think" is your prerogative; not caring one whit of what you think is everyone else's, including the government's, prerogative.

4- I've never said what you did was illegal.  You put yourself in that category without my help.  I didn't know how long you've been living here; I didn't know what you did to stay in the country year after year; I didn't (still don't) know anything about you, so what made you think I would say that your stay is illegal?

If you're not one of those tourists who RENEWED their visa under bogus purpose, then my comment did not apply to you.

Stop tilting at windmills.

FYI:  Anyone who will be leaving on a jet plane and require a Covid test can have it done at either Hanoi or Saigon airports now.  The price is higher, but you pay for the convenience.

You wrote, "However, even though tourist visa can only be renewed or extended once, somehow many tourists have been staying for years.  That's what the second sentence is about,  "The situation of foreigners entering illegally..."

They might not enter illegally, but they have been staying illegally.  When they renewed their visa under a bogus purpose, that's illegal."

I took that to mean that you believe anyone staying for years is staying illegally.  I didn't know that you were speaking only about renewals of visas, which I didn't know was even possible -- is it?  On the subject of extensions, yes, they can be extended more than one, at least during the pandemic.  I have no idea of the time before, because I never had to.

So you agree that what I was doing is not illegal, yes?   By extension, my "backwash" comment was correct, since they were not targeting people like me, despite the derision of the Ocean guy.

i am constantly amazed (aghast) at how discourteous, humourless, arrogant, and utterly rude & offensive, the so-called Forum on this site is so often.

(i am not speaking about/referring to this particular Topic (only))

more often than not, it really is not a pleasant place to have a conversation

paulmsn wrote:

You wrote, "However, even though tourist visa can only be renewed or extended once, somehow many tourists have been staying for years.  That's what the second sentence is about,  "The situation of foreigners entering illegally..."

They might not enter illegally, but they have been staying illegally.  When they renewed their visa under a bogus purpose, that's illegal."

I took that to mean that you believe anyone staying for years is staying illegally.  I didn't know that you were speaking only about renewals of visas, which I didn't know was even possible -- is it?  On the subject of extensions, yes, they can be extended more than one, at least during the pandemic.  I have no idea of the time before, because I never had to.

So you agree that what I was doing is not illegal, yes?

My God, you're mulish, and not in a good way.

Read carefully what I'm writing below because this is the last time I'm replying to your post.  Enough is enough, understand?

1- I never said "anyone staying for years is staying illegally".  I wrote:  "When they renewed their visa under a bogus purpose, that's illegal."  Do you think you'll one day stop twisting other people's words?

2- >>I didn't know that you were speaking only about renewals of visas, which I didn't know was even possible <<  Is there something wrong with your reading comprehension?

3- >>On the subject of extensions, yes, they can be extended more than one, at least during the pandemic.  I have no idea of the time before, because I never had to.<<  Of course we were talking about pre-Covid, because for the last 18 months, extensions were given to all types of visa, no questions asked.  Does that mean you just now realized that you didn't understand the issue but you still replied to it anyway? 

4->> So you agree that what I was doing is not illegal, yes? << Did you read paragraph # 4 in my last post?  Go back and reread it, then ask yourself whether your question is necessary.

That's it. Goodbye.

Wow, just wow.

bug64 wrote:

i am constantly amazed (aghast) at how discourteous, humourless, arrogant, and utterly rude & offensive, the so-called Forum on this site is so often.

(i am not speaking about/referring to this particular Topic (only))

more often than not, it really is not a pleasant place to have a conversation

So why do you keeping coming back, Sanooku,Porkypig, Bug64 and on and on and on.

You dear sir have mental issues.

Ciambella wrote:

FYI:  Anyone who will be leaving on a jet plane and require a Covid test can have it done at either Hanoi or Saigon airports now.  The price is higher, but you pay for the convenience.

oh thats a bonus then & get the results right away & how early do you need to get there before the flight do you know?

goodolboy wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

FYI:  Anyone who will be leaving on a jet plane and require a Covid test can have it done at either Hanoi or Saigon airports now.  The price is higher, but you pay for the convenience.

oh thats a bonus then & get the results right away & how early do you need to get there before the flight do you know?

I thought the PCR test takes time, the antigen test is quick but not suitable for flying purposes as far as I know.

Ciambella wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

. 

had my letter on arrival (with a government stamp on it)  got in line for up to an hour on a good day & Bobs your Uncle never ever had a problem. Only problem was that each Visa used up 2 pages on my Pass Port.

You did not renew your visa then, you had a new visa each time.  If you actually renewed your visa, the only thing in your passport each time would've been a pair of stamps, one for exit and one for entry.  No other document. 

With renewable visa, the one and only document is affixed on one page of the passport.  Every page after that, it's a stamp indicated a different expiration date.

Agree one page for the visa but one page for the stamp in & out of Vietnam & the stamp in & out at BKK or Sing. At SGN they insisted on putting the stamp on the opposite page to the actual visa even although there were pages only half filled with stamps.

goodolboy wrote:

oh thats a bonus then & get the results right away & how early do you need to get there before the flight do you know?

Depends on the type of test.  With Abbott quick test, the result takes 30 minutes.  With RT-PCR, it's 4-5 hours  (same amount of time as at testing centers).  The cost of Abbott is 540k while RT-PCR is 1.69M.  If you're part of a group of 5 people who all take the RT-PCR, the cost for the whole group is 3.9M, bringing the cost per person down to 780k (53% off, if my calculation is correct.)

The cost includes transporting sample to Tam Anh General Hospital (2km away) and returning the result to you at the airport.

goodolboy wrote:

At SGN they insisted on putting the stamp on the opposite page to the actual visa even although there were pages only half filled with stamps.