Getting Excited... need help!

Hello Emily and welcome to Expat.com!

Your discussion has been moved to Vietnam forum for better visibility.

I hope that other members will advise you soon.

You should take a look at the posts on the forum, they may be useful to you.

Harmonie.

Hi egrace,

You want to just live there or go there to work?  If you seek work, such as teaching English, for example, peruse through the teaching websites and/or google up positions available.  The employer will guide you through everything. If you just want to "move" there to live for some long duration, that might be problematic unless you have some kind of job there.  I know that there are tons of English teacher jobs there, and the pay is adequate for that particular region, having had some friends go there for work.  Also, I'm sure other members in the Vietnam forum can help you, as Admin has directed your post there. Good luck.

Hi Emily,
There's quiet a number of Aussies here in Vietnam.Some of my friends from Australia came here to teach ESL and they kind of like the life here because its not as fast as life in western countries and its a lot cheaper here.Most of them works 5 days a week and weekend is for Vietnam adventure.While you "test the water",you can give teaching a shot until you guys find what you really want to do while here.Good luck!

Hi Emily,

I love Vietnam, too.  I have been here almost 3 years now and love every moment of it. 

Currently, Vietnam is not very keen on foreigners residing here.  It keeps a very close tab on everyone.  Foreigners only come here to visit, to work or to do business.  All of which are temporary. 

To visit, a foreigner will be granted a visa that is only good for 3 months.  If a visitor wishes to stay longer, he/she can--prior to the expiration date--apply for extensions of 3 months each.  This may have changed lately, but before, Vietnam Immigration will only grant 2 extensions max.  It used to be that a foreigner could not stay within Vietnam borders for more than 9 months total, on a visitor visa.  Check on this, Emily.

Someone on here will have to help with the work visas because I don't know much about it.  All I know is that the type of work and the length of the employment contract play a big role in it.

As for business, you get a Certificate of Visa Exemption.  It is good for 5 years, and you can go in and out of Vietnam at will.  When I went to get mine back in the beginning of '09, it was $100 USD, about 4 times the rate of a visitor visa.  But, just like every other foreigner, a COVE holder must still check in with the ward official and immigration every 3 months.

Check with the Vietnamese owned and operated travel agencies in your area.  Find one that has been in business for awhile.  These guys can usually get you your visas much cheaper and faster than their western counterparts because they specialize in Vietnam travels.

So, what you want to do here is important in determining the way you go about moving here.  Keep this in mind though: EVERYTHING IS TEMPORARY, unless you can obtain Vietnamese citizenship.  Your belongings are best stored where you are.  Bring the essentials and rent or buy here as you need.

Don't hesitate to drop me a line, if you have more questions. 

Best wishes,
Howie

You can get the visa extention for a year. 3 months each time. Then you have to leave the country for a day or so and can come back with a letter of invitation which you can get from a travel agent here..

Gee, can't one just get a work visa, and not mess with the visa runs?

Wow, thank you so much for all of the replies. This all helps so much. All in all I think that we just have to go over there and see what we can do once we are there. This is kind of what I expected but now know it even more. Think we will plan a trip and head over. Definately going to store my stuff and only take what we need.

Just one more thing, to teach english in Vietnam do you need a teaching qualification or are there opportunities that exist without it.

Egrace

Go to the teacher websites. Job ads there tell you all the requirements. Most want a BA/BS degree of some kind, and a teaching certification such as CELTA, TESOL, TEFL, etc etc.

THanks will check it out. Much appreciated

Hi Emily,

There are lots of opportunities here for native English speakers.  However, more opportunities and better pays go to those who have degrees and teaching certificates. 

If you guys are really intend on staying here long term, then get the Certificate of Visa Exemptions.  They will save you lots of time and headaches later on.  Check with the GOOD Vietnamese travel agent where you live, he/she can provide with much more up-to-date info.

Wild_1,
Thank you for your reply, what is a certificate of visa exemption? Neither my partner or I have teaching qualifications. He is a shopfitter (construction) and I am studying counselling. Though we would not really be requiring work particularly for the money but more the experience and to keep busy while there.

Just want to thank everyone for thier help, these has been the most helpful way to find out what we need. I just have a few other questions if anyone could help.

Where would be the best place to look for a rental? Website etc?

Would it be easy to get a rental for Australians?

I have heard that they expect 6 months up front is this correct?

How much money should we be budgeting for for monthly expences (maybe what you find yourself spending each month on living, excluding rent).

I have found that most people from Australia tend to live in HCMC, is there a reason for this? Would it be difficult to live in Hanoi?

We will be looking to rent a one or two bedroom appartement/house, any idea how much we should be expecting to pay for rent per month?

In regards to Visas, getting a 3 month visa and then leaving vietnam and re-entering on a new 3 month tourist visa.... does this work? do they grant you a new tourist visa automatically?

Thanks again Would love to get your feedback.

Emily and everyone looking to get visas to Vietnam,

Please scratch what I had written about the Certificate of Visa Exemption above.  A fellow expat had just informed me that they are only for those of Vietnamese origins or those with Vietnamese spouses.  Check back here later on.  I will talk to one of my friends in immigration after lunch and will give you more up-to-date stuffs.

As for accommodations, a 3 to 6 months deposit is quite common here in Vietnam.  The route that I took was:  I came to HCMC, rented a room in one of the many "mini hotels," wondered around the city and country, and chose an area and a place that suited my lifestlyles and budgets best.

Currently, I am living in a city that is about 150 miles south of HCMC.  My rent is close to $300 USD/month, utilities included.  My room is about 4x10 meters, fully furnished (2 queen-sized beds, satelite TV and a bathtub, etc.). 

Food is cheap here; that is if you are not a picky eater.  Beers are cheap too.  Liquors cost about he same as back home.

Expats tend to congregate in HCMC because of work, its proximity to the international airport, night life and, most important of all, its larger number of Vietnameses who can speak foreign languages and understand western cultures.

Hope that helps.  Now, I must go do coffee.  This is how you learn new things here.  Haaaaa!