Hey Aidan,
Hi Dane (long time member of expat.com). Thank you for your PM, and thank you for posting to the forum. As mentioned, this is a topic which will be of interest to many others on the forum.
Excellent info from members OceanBeach92107 and ajairon. I'll expand on their posts just a little.
I am hoping you will be able to guide me. I am a US citizen living in HCMC for the past 11 years with a TRC Unfortunately, I am no longer able to find a sponsor for a TRC, which expires 9 November.
That is quite soon and as suggested, the services of a local, trusted agent would be in order. If you'd like I can send you the contact info of an agency which has helped many other of our members and has earned the reputation of being reliable.
So my tentative plan is to take a run to Moc Bai and exit with my TRC and then re-enter with a tourist visa. Will I be able to get a visa at the border upon re-entering, or should I get ahead of time?
You must hold a Vietnam eVisa to reenter there, as there is no VOA (visa-on-arrival) available at the Moc Bai crossing.
I read your previous warning that there can be a time lag between the reporting of my departure on the TRC and then issuing a new re-entry visa. Will this affect me? Will I have to stay overnight or days waiting for confirmation of departure from Vn?
Some members have reported waiting for up to a week (or longer!) before immigration is made aware of their having exited VN. This is due to the fact that it is the military which mans all land/ocean border checkpoints, while immigration dept. personnel man the intl. air checkpoints. Immigration and the military do not share the same reporting network/system.
Or is there an agent who could expedite the whole matter for me so I could return the same day? Any recommendations?
Yes-siree-Bob, there is. In fact, I'm sure there are quite a few agencies which could facilitate the quick issuance of an eVisa, but one in particular has earned a stellar reputation with our members. We try not to promote any particular agency on the open forum, so let me know if you'd like the contact details and I'll PM you the info.
[I am un-employed so looking to save money, if possible].
Understood, of course. On top of the cost of the new VN eVisa, transportation to/from Moc Bai, food and drink along the route(s), you'll have to account for the cost of purchasing your Cambodia visa. There are two types of Cambodia visas available at their land crossing borders, and though I can't recall their specific nomenclatures/designations, I do recall that one is available at $30US, and the other at $35US. The $30 Cambodia visa is for single entry and is suitable for the purposes of your border run. There have been reports from members of their having to contribute a little coffee money to permit their check in/check out of Cambodia, as "officially" a traveller is required to spend a minimum of 24 hours in Cambodia before their being permitted to exit back into VN. 100K to 200K VND is sufficient.
The Cambodia visa(s), either the $30 or the $35, can be paid in VND, so no need to worry about carrying USDs with you. If you intend to pay in USDs, make sure the dollar bills are in like-new, pristine condition, as counterfeit USDs are an issue that Cambodian immigration officers are wary of.
I greatly appreciate your sharing your expertise with this! This is my first experience with a "border run."
Best, Dane - @dlewis516
You're very welcome, of course. Looking forward to hearing back from you of your successful and trouble-free run. Do keep us updated. We'd very much appreciate it.
Good luck!
