5 year VEC validity

drybones wrote:

I have a 5 year VEC which expires in September 2023.
I plan to come to Vietnam in May this year and stay for 1 month.

I have been given conflicting information as to whether or not my VEC will be accepted on arrival at Tan Son Nhat.

I have told I can only get a 15 day access and also been told I can stay for 180 days.

I have had no response from the London embassy so far.

Does anyone have up to date information?

You will be fine and your VEC will be treated normally and you'll get an approval to remain for 6 months.

The government has clearly posted that all of the regulations for VECs and E-visas and Visa exemptions have been returned to pre-covid limitations.

On an anecdotal note, a forum "friend" just confirmed to me that she will be doing a border run soon to activate her/husband's new VEC from the San Francisco consulate, which is being forwarded to her by a third party.

Relax.

You shouldn't have any problem as long as you weren't on The Blacklist...

Thats great. Many thanks for that.

I think there was some confusion between a Visa Exemption Certificate and normal Visa exemptions from the people who were giving me information.

drybones wrote:

Thats great. Many thanks for that.

I think there was some confusion between a Visa Exemption Certificate and normal Visa exemptions from the people who were giving me information.

Yes.

Routine "visa exemption" in Vietnam is only approved for a limited number of countries around the world and the length of time differs depending upon the country of citizenship, being anywhere from 2 weeks to 1 month in length.

Your 5-year VEC (normally issued for spousal or family connections) is a valid certification of the right that you have to enter the country without a Visa.

Each time you enter the country you are only allowed to stay for 6 months, unless for some reason, immigration limits the length of your permission to stay.

In normal times without the restrictions of covid, you can effectively live in Vietnam for 5 years utilizing one VEC, as long as you are willing to do a border run every 6 months.

(It has been reported that in some cases, you can pay immigration to do one 6 month extension and remain in country without having to do a border run, but I've never actually seen that in writing, and it might be that that's only possible with the help of an agent. It could also vary based upon your province of residence. Anyone with real life experience having done a 6-month in country extension prior to covid restrictions, please comment)

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

drybones wrote:

Thats great. Many thanks for that.

I think there was some confusion between a Visa Exemption Certificate and normal Visa exemptions from the people who were giving me information.

Yes.

Routine "visa exemption" in Vietnam is only approved for a limited number of countries around the world and the length of time differs depending upon the country of citizenship, being anywhere from 2 weeks to 1 month in length.

Your 5-year VEC (normally issued for spousal or family connections) is a valid certification of the right that you have to enter the country without a Visa.

Each time you enter the country you are only allowed to stay for 6 months, unless for some reason, immigration limits the length of your permission to stay.

In normal times without the restrictions of covid, you can effectively live in Vietnam for 5 years utilizing one VEC, as long as you are willing to do a border run every 6 months.

(It has been reported that in some cases, you can pay immigration to do one 6 month extension and remain in country without having to do a border run, but I've never actually seen that in writing, and it might be that that's only possible with the help of an agent. It could also vary based upon your province of residence. Anyone with real life experience having done a 6-month in country extension prior to covid restrictions, please comment)

As you pointed out that the rules vary from provence to provence. A very good friend of mine had hers extended in Ben Tre without any issues which saved her a lot of time and money by not having to do a  run to the border.

colinoscapee wrote:

As you pointed out that the rules vary from provence to provence.

Sorry to get pedantic with you Colin     but Provence is a region in southern France and a province is a governmental subdivision.   Strictly speaking a capitol can not be part of a province.   I notice that in Vietnam, both Hanoi and HCM are not part of provinces but stand alone.

THIGV wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

As you pointed out that the rules vary from provence to provence.

Sorry to get pedantic with you Colin     but Provence is a region in southern France and a province is a governmental subdivision.   Strictly speaking a capitol can not be part of a province.   I notice that in Vietnam, both Hanoi and HCM are not part of provinces but stand alone.

True, but breaking it down into provinces vs centrally administered cities may confuse some readers.

In Viet Nam there are 59 provinces and 5 centrally administered cities (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong, Da Nang and  Can Tho).

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

SNIP A LOT
(It has been reported that in some cases, you can pay immigration to do one 6 month extension and remain in country without having to do a border run, but I've never actually seen that in writing, and it might be that that's only possible with the help of an agent. It could also vary based upon your province of residence. Anyone with real life experience having done a 6-month in country extension prior to covid restrictions, please comment)

From 2011 up to the pandemic lock down, it was true for me.  I live in Ben Cat, but my wife (no agent) could get a single six month "extension" (actually a new entry stamp) from immigration in Thu Dau Mot for $10 equivalent fee.  During the lock down, she could only get 3 months but as many as needed since the borders were closed, and starting late 2021 immigration began requiring extensions to be issued only from the location where the sponsor is "homed" (where she is registered).  It doesn't matter we have lived in Ben Cat for six years and built a house here.

It is back to taking my wife out of Vietnam to spend my money somewhere else since the government here doesn't want all of it.  Thailand on the beach?  Maybe another trip to the USA.  Bali?

Travelfar wrote:

Maybe another trip to the USA.

Is your wife a US passport holder?   If not, I am curious how you did or will get a tourist or other visa for her.   I have heard it is next to impossible if you are already married.

Travelfar wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

SNIP A LOT
(It has been reported that in some cases, you can pay immigration to do one 6 month extension and remain in country without having to do a border run, but I've never actually seen that in writing, and it might be that that's only possible with the help of an agent. It could also vary based upon your province of residence. Anyone with real life experience having done a 6-month in country extension prior to covid restrictions, please comment)

From 2011 up to the pandemic lock down, it was true for me.  I live in Ben Cat, but my wife (no agent) could get a single six month "extension" (actually a new entry stamp) from immigration in Thu Dau Mot for $10 equivalent fee.  During the lock down, she could only get 3 months but as many as needed since the borders were closed, and starting late 2021 immigration began requiring extensions to be issued only from the location where the sponsor is "homed" (where she is registered).  It doesn't matter we have lived in Ben Cat for six years and built a house here.

It is back to taking my wife out of Vietnam to spend my money somewhere else since the government here doesn't want all of it.  Thailand on the beach?  Maybe another trip to the USA.  Bali?

Are you saying she would get an extension for your VEC or that you are both on a VEC?

If I understand you correctly you are saying that she is a Vietnamese citizen, you are in Vietnam on a VEC, and because you can't get a VEC easily you will take her somewhere else to live?

Why not apply for a spousal TRC?

THIGV wrote:

Travelfar wrote:

Maybe another trip to the USA.

Is your wife a US passport holder?   If not, I am curious how you did or will get a tourist or other visa for her.   I have heard it is next to impossible if you are already married.

She is Vietnamese and carries her Vietnamese passport.  She does not have any other passport or citizenship.  We have visited the USA several times over the past years.  As for how it is granted, you would have to ask US immigration for the details.

Hello all,

In a month or two I will be traveling to Vietnam to assist my step-son in the immigration process to the USA, i.e. interview and subsequent travel to the USA.

It’s a big deal and I want to insure I have what I need to enter Vietnam. No room for error / I must be there.

My US passport is valid for 8 more years / many blank pages in it

My V.E.C. is valid till Nov. 2024

Plan on staying in Vietnam about a month.

Entry to Vietnam shouldn’t be a problem, right? Just checking with the forum here.

Thanks

Yeah all sounds good.

I've friends on visa exemption certificates.

They come and go freely, no issues.

If they stay here long term , six months is the maximum stay on the VEC, they tend to take a vacation in South East Asia or do the ubiquitous Moc Bai border run. Don't even stay in Cambodia, walk out the Viet immigration around the corner of the building and back in to ......Viet immigration lol

Never a problem.

@OceanBeach92107 i have a 5y VEC. Been living in VN since 2017. Border run every 6 months, used agent services a few times without border run.

@OceanBeach92107 i have a 5y VEC. Been living in VN since 2017. Border run every 6 months, used agent services a few times without border run.
-@LoveVN

Thanks for your input 😎👍

Since you've been "living in VN since 2017" and it's now 2023, it's logical to assume that your 5 Year VEC expired at some point, yes?

If that happened during covid lockdowns, how did you get a new VEC?

Also, even if your full VEC didn't expire during covid lockdowns, please share a little bit about the extensions that were required to allow you to remain in country beyond the last 6 month exemption received before lockdown.

IOW, let's say you entered Việt Nam in February, 2020 for a 6 month exemption period.

Even if your 5 year VEC didn't expire until after the borders reopened in March, 2022, your 6 month exemption would have expired in August, 2020.

So in that scenario, from August, 2020 until March, 2022, you would have been obtaining extensions through immigration (as Ciambella & others were doing) or you were paying an agent to get the extensions for you, right?

I'm sincerely interested in your reply because everything I've heard from Việt Kiều Ciambella (former forum Vietnam expert) it progressively became a nightmare for her and her North American spouse to remain in country, paying increased amounts for shorter exemptions at immigration, and getting zero help from them when her 5 year certificate was about to expire and force them to leave the country.

My personal opinion is that anyone planning to live here with their spouse should afford themself the legal residency status of a TRC and not settle for the visitor status a VEC provides.

FOOTNOTE:

If anyone is thinking, "What does this matter?", consider this:

During covid, the government approved a lot of extraordinary measures that allowed people to remain in country because there was nowhere for those people to go if they were deported.

But what if Vietnam were to close its borders in the future for some other reason?

It's really not an inconceivable possibility given current geopolitical tensions.

In such a case, if people could get a flight back to their native country, I don't think the government would go out of its way to let people remain here on "visitor" status (tourists and those on Visa exemptions).

I would feel much more secure in my status here holding a Temporary Resident Card.

During covid lockdowns, how did you get a new VEC?

My agent got the VEC for me, cost about 3xx usd. Also the extension during covid lock down was only 3 months, instead of 6 months as usual, cost 2xx usd.

I born in VN, but only have an US passport.

"I would feel much more secure in my status here holding a Temporary or Permanent Resident Card".  Yes, but it cost too much for me to qualify for a TRC since i lost all  the paper to prove i am VNese and i don't have any VNese relative.

But what if Vietnam were to close its borders in the future for some other reason?

Philippines might be the 2nd choice.kkk

My English is limited, so forgive my unclear and mistake.