New Immigration Laws

Budman1 wrote:

Just the link, not going to remark on the current situation:

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/25211/sea … -visa-rule

makes you wonder sometimes...:
The new immigration procedure is a step back in the country’s immigration procedure, Phuong concluded.

snake77 wrote:

Budman1 wrote:

Just the link, not going to remark on the current situation:

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/25211/sea … -visa-rule

makes you wonder sometimes...:
The new immigration procedure is a step back in the country’s immigration procedure, Phuong concluded.

My comment:

Dien dau

Budman1 wrote:

snake77 wrote:

Budman1 wrote:

Just the link, not going to remark on the current situation:

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/25211/sea … -visa-rule

makes you wonder sometimes...:
The new immigration procedure is a step back in the country’s immigration procedure, Phuong concluded.

My comment:

Dien dau

I've been corrected:

"Điên cái đầu"

VanKhanh Ho wrote:

Hi all

This is the answers from Public Security Ministry in Ho Chi Minh City

1. Maximum term of VEC (for spouse of Vietnamese) now, 6 months or 12 months?
2. Can it be extended? How many times maximum?

- Under the new law, it will be 6 months and cannot be extended (My comment: why? the law said 12 months for spouse of Vietnamese. There must be some misunderstanding here).
- However it still not be applied at this moment, the authority is waiting for a Circular for detail guiding. For the time being, the 3 months exemption still be applied.
- Solution is VEC holder should apply for a Temporary Resident Card. Immigration Department of HCMC already sells forms for VEC holder to apply for a TRC.

3. If it cannot be extended and VEC holders have to leave the country, can they comeback immediately or have to wait for a certain period? How long is that period?

- They can comeback whenever they want and have to apply for a 6 months visa when the guiding Circular be issued and took valid.
   
4. When the current VEC with term 3 months expires, can VEC's holders extend it?

Depends on when it expires. Before the issuance of guiding Circular, yes. After the issuance of such Circular, no.

5. What is the documents for VEC holders to apply for a Temporary Residence Card?

I owe you this. Cause Public Security Ministry does not in-charge of TRC for VEC holder. You will have to go to Provincial Immigration Department to know. So, next time I will visit HCMC Immigration Department to check and revert to you later.

Thanks VanKhanh Ho for the update information. Slowly all the pieces of the puzzle will come together.

Rick

Budman1 wrote:

Budman1 wrote:

snake77 wrote:

makes you wonder sometimes...:
The new immigration procedure is a step back in the country’s immigration procedure, Phuong concluded.

My comment:

Dien dau

I've been corrected:

"Điên cái đầu"

Bi KHUNG thoi....

VanKhanh Ho wrote:

4. When the current VEC with term 3 months expires, can VEC's holders extend it?

Depends on when it expires. Before the issuance of guiding Circular, yes. After the issuance of such Circular, no.

I'm exactly in this situation. My 5years VEC would be expiring end of this month. So end of Nov.2014 I started to investigate and apply for a new VEC. Very complicated, for one, because they have not dealt with renewals of VEC to date that often. Furthermore, if applying at another place than the initial issuing place, they request the entire paper work (plus some extra) be submitted. So I did but short before years end they returned all and said to wait until the new rules are out plus that you can't apply for renewal before the old one actually expires.

Now, I have been told (this last Monday at Immigration in Ng.Trai Q.1) to apply for 3 month multiple entry and then either go to the place where they issued the original VEC or re-apply for a new one.

But they all could not answer what the terms and conditions would be on the new one, only that it will costs US$ 20 for a new one.

The old regulations state as follows:

3. The re-issuance or from the second issuance of Certificate of Visa Exemption

In case of applying for the re-issuance the Certificate of Visa Exemption (due to lost of visa exemption certificate or expired visa exemption certificate or issuance of new passport) at the initial issuing competent authorities, the applicant only needs to submit 01 application form with no certification of Vietnamese residing abroad required.
In case of application for re-issuance of Certificate of Visa Exemption (due to visa exemption certificate lost or expired) not submitted to the initial issuing agency, the applicant is required to submit all the documents as per the procedures applied to first-time issuance of Certificate of Visa Exemption.
http://mienthithucvk.mofa.gov.vn/Suppor … fault.aspx

I guess we all just have to wait and see.

Budman1 wrote:

We just renewed ours (VEC) in November, didn't have any problems, but it was at the same place (Saigon) where the initial ones were issued. Been going to Hau Giang where we actually live for all the extensions, again no problems. We're going on Monday to extend them again like usual with the normal request for 3 months. Hopefully a few more pieces of the puzzle will fall into place then.

I suspect that is because you renewed at the place where they issued the first one. Keep us posted on what happens next Monday then & good luck!

khanh44 wrote:

Did my extension near end of December no problem.

Did you extend your stay for another 3 month or RENEW the VEC for another 5 years? Because I am talking about actually renewing the VEC, not extending the stay.

snake77 wrote:

Budman1 wrote:

We just renewed ours (VEC) in November, didn't have any problems, but it was at the same place (Saigon) where the initial ones were issued. Been going to Hau Giang where we actually live for all the extensions, again no problems. We're going on Monday to extend them again like usual with the normal request for 3 months. Hopefully a few more pieces of the puzzle will fall into place then.

I suspect that is because you renewed at the place where they issued the first one. Keep us posted on what happens next Monday then & good luck!

Thanks snake77. My advice is that everybody, especially those of us with VEC's just relax and wait this out. Remember the ball busters back in 2009? People ran around saying "the skys falling, the skys falling" Guess what, the sky didn't fall and things worked out. It just a slow process.

Rick

khanh44 wrote:

Would be interesting to hear how these visa agents are renewing VEC's if any.

Currently they're not. I never used such agents but in my current situation I thought I could try and a relative of my landlord runs one of these agencies in PNL, so he's connected. However, they came back and said that nothing is happening until next week. I guess the folks at the immigration don't even understand the rules themselves.

snake77 wrote:

I guess the folks at the immigration don't even understand the rules themselves.

Nam_ wrote:

mrvranic wrote:

...Vietnam’s National Assembly revamped the Vietnam immigration system by...setting new entry and exit bans.

'exit bans'?     What on earth did that link have to do with the  O/P's topic ????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Kyi0WNg40

KathyBrown1410 wrote:

now, VEC allows you to stay in Vietnam for 6 months/ each entry. but you cannot extend the staying time as before.

Not what immigrations is telling me. Yet, if it works for you it works for me. Your guess is as good as mine. I suspect we will learn more as it all unfolds and each office interprets the law differently. My office says I can apply for a TT (6 months) or a VR (12 months). I see no reason at this point to disagree with them.

Vagabondone wrote:

KathyBrown1410 wrote:

now, VEC allows you to stay in Vietnam for 6 months/ each entry. but you cannot extend the staying time as before.

Not what immigrations is telling me. Yet, if it works for you it works for me. Your guess is as good as mine. I suspect we will learn more as it all unfolds and each office interprets the law differently. My office says I can apply for a TT (6 months) or a VR (12 months). I see no reason at this point to disagree with them.

Folks that the reason the official's down here do not want to commit themselves one way or the other till the circular comes out in the next 90 days or so.
Rick

Budman1 wrote:

Vagabondone wrote:

KathyBrown1410 wrote:

now, VEC allows you to stay in Vietnam for 6 months/ each entry. but you cannot extend the staying time as before.

Not what immigrations is telling me. Yet, if it works for you it works for me. Your guess is as good as mine. I suspect we will learn more as it all unfolds and each office interprets the law differently. My office says I can apply for a TT (6 months) or a VR (12 months). I see no reason at this point to disagree with them.

Folks that the reason the official's down here do not want to commit themselves one way or the other till the circular comes out in the next 90 days or so.
Rick

Not sure what constitutes the circular coming out Budman, but my office showed it to me and read from it as well. I stand corrected on the length of stay for the TT and VR, by the way. I had them inverted. Further reading of the new rules it appears we VEC holders can now be granted TRC for up to 3 years if sponsored by our spouses. Maybe that will be a positive. Not sure what the cost of a TRC is, but maybe we can avoid the 90 day dog-n-pony show. So, when you go down to renew are you going to try and get the TRC Budman. If so let us know how it goes. No matter what you get, please let us know how it goes.

Vagabondone wrote:

Budman1 wrote:

Vagabondone wrote:

Not what immigrations is telling me. Yet, if it works for you it works for me. Your guess is as good as mine. I suspect we will learn more as it all unfolds and each office interprets the law differently. My office says I can apply for a TT (6 months) or a VR (12 months). I see no reason at this point to disagree with them.

Folks that the reason the official's down here do not want to commit themselves one way or the other till the circular comes out in the next 90 days or so.
Rick

Not sure what constitutes the circular coming out Budman, but my office showed it to me and read from it as well. I stand corrected on the length of stay for the TT and VR, by the way. I had them inverted. Further reading of the new rules it appears we VEC holders can now be granted TRC for up to 3 years if sponsored by our spouses. Maybe that will be a positive. Not sure what the cost of a TRC is, but maybe we can avoid the 90 day dog-n-pony show. So, when you go down to renew are you going to try and get the TRC Budman. If so let us know how it goes. No matter what you get, please let us know how it goes.

We just renewed ours yesterday, so no need to go back for another 3 months. The circular I was referring to is what is being staffed now and will provide the guidance on how the new Decree will be implemented. The TRC would of course be nice but in less they allow both my wife and I to have them it won't work for us. She's not a VN national and we both hold VEC's.
Rick

Vagabondone wrote:

Kahan44, I think you might be mistaken that your VEC is a 5 year visa. It is my understanding that it only allows for the renewal of your 90 day visa for a period of 5 years max w/o having to leave the country. Am I wrong? If it were indeed a visa and not an exemption you would only have to renew it after your 5 year visa expired. Me, as I think most other, must renew our visa's every 90 days under current VEC's.

I can leave Vietnam and come back into Vietnam without having to apply for a new visa so that's why I consider it a 5 year visa. The 90 days check-in requirement for extended stay I look as a condition of the visa.