New laws about foreigners bank accounts

Careful using Paypal. Your payment can be held for 'review' without reason. For buyer/seller transactions Paypal only informs the seller. (Don't know if the same setup applies for sending/receiving money). Payment can be held for usually up to 24 hours, sometimes slightly longer.

Paypal doesn't warn you that your money could be held for review. Instead it's buried deep in the terms and conditions. Yep, in their 80+ page terms and conditions:

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/u … ment-full?

If you ever lodge a buyer protection claim. The seller can tell Paypal anything, and Paypal will believe them. You don't get another opportunity to challenge the seller or offer evidence, unless you go through their facebook page. I've done this, they've said a specialist will contact me. We'll see.

update: Specialist got back, asking me to describe the dispute again (because he doesn't have access to my personal details). All their teams are so disjointed that more often than not, the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

HAHutsell wrote:

I was turned down today trying to open an account at Sacombank to have my SS check deposited and use a debit card for the reason you refer.

My, perhaps incorrect understanding, is that SSI checks can only be sent to the US Embassy or Consulate in Viet Nam. It isn't that your bank "turned you down," it is that it was impossible for your bank to offer that service because of American law.

The best solution is to have your SSI check deposited in a US Bank account. It is not difficult to have money transferred from an American Bank to a Vietnamese Bank.

But, this may be changing
https://vn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-se … -security/

SSA beneficiaries in Vietnam

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is in the process of removing the payment restrictions in Vietnam.  SSA has attempted to contact all recipients in Vietnam who are currently receiving direct payment to notify them of this change and to complete required forms.  If you have been contacted by SSA directly then you are no longer required to sign in on a 90-day basis to receive your payment.  If you have not been contacted by SSA and are currently receiving payments, please contact the ACS section nearest you to finalize this paperwork.

Now that is real news.   

VanRoss wrote:

In Japan, I just go into a machine a push some buttons and the money goes to my U.S. account. This I used to pay debts and monthly CC stuff. IN Vietnam, sounds like a hard process.

This thread may have died long ago and I never got  to the end anyway, because everyone just keeps saying the same thing.

I got tired of the Vietnam bashing though.  I am new to Vietnam, only here two months, but I have lived overseas in a number of places.
Many counties have currency controls, get over it.
Vietnam is quite clear, to take money out, you must prove how you got it and thus paid taxes on it.
Simple.  If you make so much money, get on a plane every few months and ...

But why anyone would take money from a secure place to a country  in which you must prove how you earned it to take it with you, why bring it in the first place??

This is a real no brainer as everyone has already said.

Hi,

I am new to VN here and is currently on tourist visa.

Is there any local or international bank in HCMC that can allow a tourist to open a deposit/withdrawal account under the tourist visa?

You kind advice is much appreciated.
J