VEC, no more.

Ouch!!   ..that'll hurt (her?)

Very emotive, blue.   You wouldn't be a Kranky Kiwi by any chance..?     

Just wondering how your province can cancel it when it's a national law, these provinces seem to do as they want. So what will you get now as a visa if the VEC is cancelled.

No, they haven't canceled it, just telling us from now on they are no longer available, ( I still have 9 months left on the current VEC ).
In their infinite wisdom, they recommended getting a TT visa, OR,  do a border run and they will give me a VR visa??? I don't know what made them think I would suddenly want to do that???, ( after 6 years of never having left VN ), then they tried to tell me I could only get one year on a TRC????, ,  but you just have to quietly sit there, and not let them know that you may actually know more about their job than they do???
It was the same when I tried to change from a VEC to TRC last time, I found out a couple of months later that it couldn't even be done in my city.

Last month, an associate here must have been one of the last people in my province to get a VEC, and the wife said he will be " summoned " when his 90 day extension / renewal is due.
So it sounds like they have just finally made this decision?

Summoned? You must be a local VIP for them to give you that kind of personal attention. Either that or they keep tab on local foreigners residing in the boonies. It was nice of them to give you the heads up.

The VIetnamese government constantly changes its visa policy, with local Immigration offices often not knowing what the current policy is.  Different Immigration offices DO have different policies and non-major city offices are often not permitted to issue visas that other offices may issue. My wife once overheard the Nha Trang Immigration office telling a foreign couple it was unable to renew their vias, but to go to Danang to do it. Similarly, my wife and I were once shuttled between Nha Trang and Saigon Immigration offices to renew our visas, because NEITHER  office wanted to renew them. We got them in the end in Nha Trang by going through a travel agent.

..more than one way to skin a cat...       

Hypothalamus wrote:

Summoned? You must be a local VIP for them to give you that kind of personal attention. Either that or they keep tab on local foreigners residing in the boonies. It was nice of them to give you the heads up.

There are only 3 " permanent " foreigners living where I am, so it's not hard for them to keep tabs on us, especially as one is a well know attention seeker,  but there is the league of nations trying to teach English in the 22 centres we now have here.
Yes, it was very nice of them to give us the heads up, I'm still in shock, usually trying to get any ( correct ), info from this office is a major job,  it once took 40 minutes just to get the " correct " phone numbers for Da Nang Immigration, only to find out the 2 he gave me were also incorrect????
I was getting the impression he thought I wanted to complain about this office, ( lol ), or was going over his head? ( this was the moron that kept giving us the wrong info while trying to change from a VEC to a TRC 2 years ago ).

bluenz wrote:

Last month, an associate here must have been one of the last people in my province to get a VEC, and the wife said he will be " summoned " when his 90 day extension / renewal is due.
So it sounds like they have just finally made this decision?

The province won't issue VEC's but you can still get a VEC from other provinces?

Isn't VEC's 180 days now? When I arrived in Vietnam November 2015 and June 2016 both times airport custom stamped me for 180 days stay. I got a new VEC in June 2016 and it says can stay 180 days.

khanh44 wrote:

bluenz wrote:

Last month, an associate here must have been one of the last people in my province to get a VEC, and the wife said he will be " summoned " when his 90 day extension / renewal is due.
So it sounds like they have just finally made this decision?

The province won't issue VEC's but you can still get a VEC from other provinces?

Isn't VEC's 180 days now? When I arrived in Vietnam November 2015 and June 2016 both times airport custom stamped me for 180 days stay. I got a new VEC in June 2016 and it says can stay 180 days.

I'm going to Da Nang next week,  ( it's a different province than mine ), so I'll ask while I'm in Immigration if VEC are still available from there, but I doubt it, most " decisions " in my province come from there. 
I just answered my own question??? My VEC was issued from there, so that's 2 provinces we can take off the list.

Sounds like another money grab by officials, when will someone actually do something about these thiefs.

Write a letter in English to the minister of customs and immigration? Yeah may sound funny but worst they chuck it in the trash.

I've wrote some letters in English to some of the businesses in Vietnam expressing my displeasure with their services. Just wanted to vent but was surprised they took some initiatives to change though none replied back to me.

colinoscapee wrote:

Sounds like another money grab by officials, when will someone actually do something about these thiefs.

They're actually making it easier for people who were entitled to a  VEC, ( yes, I know that sounds very hard to believe ), a TRC is the same price as a VEC, you're just paying up front, ( for 3 years ), and none of this 90 day BS, I will actually save money, and more importantly time, and the frustration from visiting the immigration office twice every 90 days.  ( there seems to be a huge demand for workers overseas from my province at the moment, last week I counted over 40 VN's applying for passports, etc, the office is only about 4 m x 4m, and only 2 officers behind the counter).

By my calculations and I'm no maths genius
180 day stamping now,  10usd x2 equals 20 usd a year.
3 years times 20 usd equals 60 usd,compared to 150 usd for a TRC
Times that by the thousands of TRC they want to introduce and it's a nice little profit.

khanh44 wrote:

Write a letter in English to the minister of customs and immigration? Yeah may sound funny but worst they chuck it in the trash.

I've wrote some letters in English to some of the businesses in Vietnam expressing my displeasure with their services. Just wanted to vent but was surprised they took some initiatives to change though none replied back to me.

A friend of mine did work for one of the ministries in Ha Noi, didn't get paid. He wrote a letter of complaint, within a week he was being audited by the tax department. So I doubt a letter will be of much use when it comes to government agencies, they basically don't give a damn.

colinoscapee wrote:

khanh44 wrote:

Write a letter in English to the minister of customs and immigration? Yeah may sound funny but worst they chuck it in the trash.

I've wrote some letters in English to some of the businesses in Vietnam expressing my displeasure with their services. Just wanted to vent but was surprised they took some initiatives to change though none replied back to me.

A friend of mine did work for one of the ministries in Ha Noi, didn't get paid. He wrote a letter of complaint, within a week he was being audited by the tax department. So I doubt a letter will be of much use when it comes to government agencies, they basically don't give a damn.

So that's what obama was doing here, teaching the VN Tax dept how to persecute people who oppose the Govt?  Just imagine what the Clinton's can teach them????

bluenz wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

khanh44 wrote:

Write a letter in English to the minister of customs and immigration? Yeah may sound funny but worst they chuck it in the trash.

I've wrote some letters in English to some of the businesses in Vietnam expressing my displeasure with their services. Just wanted to vent but was surprised they took some initiatives to change though none replied back to me.

A friend of mine did work for one of the ministries in Ha Noi, didn't get paid. He wrote a letter of complaint, within a week he was being audited by the tax department. So I doubt a letter will be of much use when it comes to government agencies, they basically don't give a damn.

So that's what obama was doing here, teaching the VN Tax dept how to persecute people who oppose the Govt?  Just imagine what the Clinton's can teach them????

I think VN officials travel to the West to get ideas on how to shaft people. Look at the banking industry here now, fees for nearly everything,just as we have in the West.

colinoscapee wrote:

By my calculations and I'm no maths genius
180 day stamping now,  10usd x2 equals 20 usd a year.
3 years times 20 usd equals 60 usd,compared to 150 usd for a TRC
Times that by the thousands of TRC they want to introduce and it's a nice little profit.

Is the 180 days $10 or $20?, ( as before, 2 x 90 days = 2 x $10 ), if so, then that's $40 a year, x 3 years = $120 a year, which was what a TRC was last year, I think the $150 might include $30 for an agent, or it's increased by $30? ,which I won't mind paying just to stop wasting my time every 90 days, ( that's all I've ever been able to get before ).

I'm basing it on what they told my wife yesterday in Nguyen Trai street D1,. No need to get an agent to do the TRC your wife can do it all. I would also much prefer the TRC as it saves a lot of time and effort. Here in Bà Rịa Vung Tau they won't do a VEC unless you go through an agent, again it's about the Bucks. I don't bother with the local immigration, I'd rather deal with Saigon.

khanh44 wrote:

bluenz wrote:

Last month, an associate here must have been one of the last people in my province to get a VEC, and the wife said he will be " summoned " when his 90 day extension / renewal is due.
So it sounds like they have just finally made this decision?

The province won't issue VEC's but you can still get a VEC from other provinces?

Isn't VEC's 180 days now? When I arrived in Vietnam November 2015 and June 2016 both times airport custom stamped me for 180 days stay. I got a new VEC in June 2016 and it says can stay 180 days.

How much is it for 180 days, Khanh?

colinoscapee wrote:

I'm basing it on what they told my wife yesterday in Nguyen Trai street D1,. No need to get an agent to do the TRC your wife can do it all. I would also much prefer the TRC as it saves a lot of time and effort. Here in Bà Rịa Vung Tau they won't do a VEC unless you go through an agent, again it's about the Bucks. I don't bother with the local immigration, I'd rather deal with Saigon.

No way would I give those parasite agents 1 single VND, I would have done my TRC last year if my passport wasn't due to expire in 13 months, ( VEC in 8 months ), and then there's the 2 x 240km return trips to DN, but I'm going next week  to apply for a TT visa,  with this visa I only need 30 days validity , the VEC requires 6 months, I couldn't get them to understand when I asked, what was I supposed to do for those 6 months, renew my passport 6 months early? I'd already lost 6 months on the last VEC, ( I can only get a 5 yr passport now ). so with that 6 months lost, and needing translated, notarised copies of my marriage cert every 90 days, a TT or TRC sounds like a bargain.

My wife just told me that they said the new laws coming up that you will have to leave the country every six months even if you have a VEC. You have to wonder about the guys and gals in Ha Noi, it's constantly changing.

colinoscapee wrote:

My wife just told me that they said the new laws coming up that you will have to leave the country every six months even if you have a VEC. You have to wonder about the guys and gals in Ha Noi, it's constantly changing.

Actually my wife tried telling me something like that, I just pretended something got lost in translation because it sounded so bloody ridiculous. maybe she was right??? That TT visa is definitely sounding better all the time!!

haven't had to extend it another 6 months since they changed from 3 months to 6 months. I would think it still be 6 months.

I paid $80 in Canada for an agent to get me the VEC. Had a week before I was to depart for Vietnam and no VEC or visa so they got me one in less than a week.

Seems in VIetnam they are not issuing VEC's and might have to leave after 6 months if I want to extend my stay. Good excuse to travel to Thailand.

My wife found out today that all people on VEC's must leave the country every six months and that they will not be issuing VEC's to expats who marry from a certain date.

Yeah...  Like people Care what you and your Wife think..... Bud.

Johnny khuong wrote:

Yeah...  Like people Care what you and your Wife think..... Bud.

Can't tell who you are actually talking to.

Just for interest sake, what does khoung mean? Can't say I know that word.

C'mon Col.

You know better than to bite at Troll baits...     

Bazza139 wrote:

C'mon Col.

You know better than to bite at Troll baits...     

I know Bazza, but its a slow night here in the trenches.

I have a feeling Johnny means, Johnny Khung, which means Johnny Crazy, seems he is a tad confused.

Anyway back to work, trawling for trolls is hard work.

Actually..?   Feel pride.

..jealousy begins with recognition of (someone else's) talent.   aka Admiration.

But being unable to (even) copy the skills, how easy to denigrate it?

..which paints a very accurate picture - of their true self.

Yes, the tall poppy syndrome is alive and well.   Right here.
                                                                                                         

bluenz wrote:

I'd already lost 6 months on the last VEC, ( I can only get a 5 yr passport now ).

As you have told us you have been living continuously in VN for a while.  Were you aware that your country now issues a 10 year passport since Dec 2015?  This is not an official link so you might want to check with your embassy.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/kiwi-trav … n-November

Just trying to be helpful.   

Your welcome.   

Thanks, I remember signing an online petition for this a long time ago????, I never thought anymore of it, as petitioning Govt's so that they can actually make things easier for their citizens is usually a waste of time, but the NZ Govt must have realised how much money they were losing due to people not bothering to renew their passports, until they actually go overseas, which made it difficult for other kiwi's to renew their passports, as they also need the current passport number of another kiwi for the application.

When you say VEC's are soon to be made unavailable,are you talking about both categories of VEC or the one for those who work here?

cabraman wrote:

When you say VEC's are soon to be made unavailable,are you talking about both categories of VEC or the one for those who work here?

The one for people who marry VN nationals.

khanh44 wrote:

bluenz wrote:

Last month, an associate here must have been one of the last people in my province to get a VEC, and the wife said he will be " summoned " when his 90 day extension / renewal is due.
So it sounds like they have just finally made this decision?

The province won't issue VEC's but you can still get a VEC from other provinces?

Isn't VEC's 180 days now? When I arrived in Vietnam November 2015 and June 2016 both times airport custom stamped me for 180 days stay. I got a new VEC in June 2016 and it says can stay 180 days.

My wife obtained my 5 year non work VEC last May at the immigration office at 254 Nguyen Trai HCMC and it says "duration of stay not to exceed 180 days". That was because my visa at the time was a TT multiple entry and the same conditions would apply to the VEC. Had the TT been only single entry then the VEC would've been only for 90 days I said to my wife that I was worse off than I was when I had a TT visa which said "Length of stay is subject to permission of Immigration Authority" She said no, because she was told by the person she dealt with that because the VEC was multiple entry,  after 180 days she would only  need to go to our local immigration office here at Dalat and have it stamped.  We'll see.   Every case is different and the devil is in the detail.

bluenz wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

I'm basing it on what they told my wife yesterday in Nguyen Trai street D1,. No need to get an agent to do the TRC your wife can do it all. I would also much prefer the TRC as it saves a lot of time and effort. Here in Bà Rịa Vung Tau they won't do a VEC unless you go through an agent, again it's about the Bucks. I don't bother with the local immigration, I'd rather deal with Saigon.

No way would I give those parasite agents 1 single VND, I would have done my TRC last year if my passport wasn't due to expire in 13 months, ( VEC in 8 months ), and then there's the 2 x 240km return trips to DN, but I'm going next week  to apply for a TT visa,  with this visa I only need 30 days validity , the VEC requires 6 months, I couldn't get them to understand when I asked, what was I supposed to do for those 6 months, renew my passport 6 months early? I'd already lost 6 months on the last VEC, ( I can only get a 5 yr passport now ). so with that 6 months lost, and needing translated, notarised copies of my marriage cert every 90 days, a TT or TRC sounds like a bargain.

It does sound like a bargain doesn't it?   Exactly what I thought.  Got a TT last February as a stepping stone towards a TRC which was made available to those married to Vietnamese nationals only last November. When my wife applied for a 3 year no work  TRC at 254 Nguyen Trai HCMC last May she was told the TRC was no longer available but she could have a VEC instead.That window of opportunity had shut after just 6 months She got the VEC for me and at that stage going to the local immigration and getting a stamp every 6 months seemed ok to me. Now I read your story and comments that VEC holders will need to leave every 6 months. If that's what happens then I'll just go back to a TT.  Where I started.

cabraman wrote:

bluenz wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

I'm basing it on what they told my wife yesterday in Nguyen Trai street D1,. No need to get an agent to do the TRC your wife can do it all. I would also much prefer the TRC as it saves a lot of time and effort. Here in Bà Rịa Vung Tau they won't do a VEC unless you go through an agent, again it's about the Bucks. I don't bother with the local immigration, I'd rather deal with Saigon.

No way would I give those parasite agents 1 single VND, I would have done my TRC last year if my passport wasn't due to expire in 13 months, ( VEC in 8 months ), and then there's the 2 x 240km return trips to DN, but I'm going next week  to apply for a TT visa,  with this visa I only need 30 days validity , the VEC requires 6 months, I couldn't get them to understand when I asked, what was I supposed to do for those 6 months, renew my passport 6 months early? I'd already lost 6 months on the last VEC, ( I can only get a 5 yr passport now ). so with that 6 months lost, and needing translated, notarised copies of my marriage cert every 90 days, a TT or TRC sounds like a bargain.

It does sound like a bargain doesn't it?   Exactly what I thought.  Got a TT last February as a stepping stone towards a TRC which was made available to those married to Vietnamese nationals only last November. When my wife applied for a 3 year no work  TRC at 254 Nguyen Trai HCMC last May she was told the TRC was no longer available but she could have a VEC instead.That window of opportunity had shut after just 6 months She got the VEC for me and at that stage going to the local immigration and getting a stamp every 6 months seemed ok to me. Now I read your story and comments that VEC holders will need to leave every 6 months. If that's what happens then I'll just go back to a TT.  Where I started.

I'm going to Da Nang tomorrow to apply for a TT visa, I would have been applying for a TRC as well, but my passport only has about 14 months left on it, ( as you said, apparently the TT is a stepping stone for the TRC, UNLESS your VEC has expired, I think they said  you can then apply directly for the TRC )  , I will find out more tomorrow, I haven't heard anything about TRC being phased out yet????