Visa Extension or Visa "Renewal"?

Ciambella wrote:

The answer to your question is no shorts for both genders.  I asked.

A bit ironic isn't it.  Bermuda shorts could be just above or right at the knee but a skirt could be quite a bit higher.  I suppose there is some mini-skirt hemline that could have a woman kept out but that would probably be entirely subjective and dependent on how excited the bureaucrat feels about the wearer.   

THIGV wrote:

A bit ironic isn't it.  Bermuda shorts could be just above or right at the knee but a skirt could be quite a bit higher.

My sentiments exactly.

On my trusted Visa agents company web site ( 4 LETTERS BEGINS WITH AN S & ENDS WITH AN I) the 3 months tourist visa extensions for those who entered before 1st March are no longer available. Only 1 months extensions from now on with conditions attached.
People who entered the country after 1st March can now qualify for free 1 months extension for Sept.
Anyone who has further information on the situation please feel free to correct me.

I just received my three month extension yesterday for my 1 year multiple entry category DN business Visa for U.S. citizens.

I was a little worried because I heard here in the Forum and another place that three month extensions were no longer available.

When I checked with my agent in Hanoi she was very surprised at the "high prices" that immigration was  now charging her compared to in the spring and early summer: ₫5,940,000 VNĐ or $255.00 USD.

Normally she would then have charged between $270 and $300, but we are good friends so she gave it to me at cost $255.

My Visa was set to expire on August 30th so she told me we could begin the process on August 15th.

I mailed her the passport from Danang on August 13th and she received it in Hanoi on August 14th.

I later learned from her that she had held on to the passport until August 20th before submitting it directly to immigration in Hanoi, in order to have the new extension date as close to the expiration date as possible.

By August 30th I hadn't heard anything and she said she was still waiting on immigration.

So when it took until yesterday evening, September 8th to receive photos of my new visa stamps, I'd gotten a bit worried.

We had applied for a single-entry extension, but Hanoi issued a new full page adhesive stamp for a category "DN1" multi-entry visa dated 31/08/2020 to 30/11/2020.

I won't post an image of it here, but Ciambella has seen it and can confirm that.

In addition, immigration added this hand stamp, extending my permission to stay until December 3rd, 2020:



This is just a SWAG*, but I think the holdup in getting my Visa back and the change in the extension date might have been due to the COVID-19 virus lockdown here in Danang.

In mid-August I had spoken with an Aussie who was trying to help a sick American find a travel companion to help return him to the states for surgery.

I had offered to help if I could be guaranteed a return Visa and re-entry here in Vietnam.

He quoted the U.S. Consulate HCMC as saying that at that time, no visas of any kind were being granted to any foreigners.

I'm thinking they had put a temporary lockdown on extensions as well.

The lockdown was eased here in Danang on September 5th, and I'm thinking that might have triggered immigration to resume issuing visa extensions, and granting me the additional extension till December 3rd because of their delay.

Anyway, anyone holding a business visa that needs an extension soon should be able to get it done, at least for U.S. citizens.

*Sophisticated Wild-Ass Guess

goodolboy wrote:

On my trusted Visa agents company web site ( 4 LETTERS BEGINS WITH AN S & ENDS WITH AN I) the 3 months tourist visa extensions for those who entered before 1st March are no longer available. Only 1 months extensions from now on with conditions attached.
People who entered the country after 1st March can now qualify for free 1 months extension for Sept.
Anyone who has further information on the situation please feel free to correct me.

I think your info is good, but you might want to check the website again. Now that the lockdown has been eased in Danang, it's possible they are now allowing three months extensions around the country.

Also, the free extension for the month of September for all foreigners is only good if you are planning to leave the country and can show that you've been making plans but haven't been able to accomplish exit

Anyone whose intent is to continue to remain in Vietnam should have been getting paid extensions when their permission to stay expired.

I fear there are going to be a lot of people with overstay fines when the dust settles here and they stop issuing these automatic extensions for foreigners who were planning to leave the country.

I think we have at least one person here on the Forum whose Visa "permission to stay" expired in May, but they have been assuming that they are covered by those automatic extensions.

My Visa agent has been telling me since April that anyone who wants to stay in country is required to apply for an extension.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

On my trusted Visa agents company web site ( 4 LETTERS BEGINS WITH AN S & ENDS WITH AN I) the 3 months tourist visa extensions for those who entered before 1st March are no longer available. Only 1 months extensions from now on with conditions attached.
People who entered the country after 1st March can now qualify for free 1 months extension for Sept.
Anyone who has further information on the situation please feel free to correct me.

I think your info is good, but you might want to check the website again. Now that the lockdown has been eased in Danang.

I live in hope Just sent them a message for clarification as of today but I think we all know "as of today" is as it says & can change by this time tomorrow. My extension runs out Nov 8th so a long time from now in the greater scheme of things but I like to stay ahead of the game.

goodolboy wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

On my trusted Visa agents company web site ( 4 LETTERS BEGINS WITH AN S & ENDS WITH AN I) the 3 months tourist visa extensions for those who entered before 1st March are no longer available. Only 1 months extensions from now on with conditions attached.
People who entered the country after 1st March can now qualify for free 1 months extension for Sept.
Anyone who has further information on the situation please feel free to correct me.

I think your info is good, but you might want to check the website again. Now that the lockdown has been eased in Danang.

I live in hope Just sent them a message for clarification as of today but I think we all know "as of today" is as it says & can change by this time tomorrow. My extension runs out Nov 8th so a long time from now in the greater scheme of things but I like to stay ahead of the game.

You are a citizen of Scotland per your passport, correct?

I can ask my agent if she's able to do a longer extension.

Yours is now a tourist visa or a business Visa?

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

I think your info is good, but you might want to check the website again. Now that the lockdown has been eased in Danang.

I live in hope Just sent them a message for clarification as of today but I think we all know "as of today" is as it says & can change by this time tomorrow. My extension runs out Nov 8th so a long time from now in the greater scheme of things but I like to stay ahead of the game.

You are a citizen of Scotland per your passport, correct?

I can ask my agent if she's able to do a longer extension.

Yours is now a tourist visa or a business Visa?

Citizen of UK .....for PP purposes Scotland is still part of UK but for how long who knows!

3 months Tourist Visa.......entered Vietnam 8th Feb through Tan Son Nhat


Thanks it will be interesting to hear what she says, not only for me I suspect.

goodolboy wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

I live in hope Just sent them a message for clarification as of today but I think we all know "as of today" is as it says & can change by this time tomorrow. My extension runs out Nov 8th so a long time from now in the greater scheme of things but I like to stay ahead of the game.

You are a citizen of Scotland per your passport, correct?

I can ask my agent if she's able to do a longer extension.

Yours is now a tourist visa or a business Visa?

Citizen of UK .....for PP purposes Scotland is still part of UK but for how long who knows!

3 months Tourist Visa.......entered Vietnam 8th Feb through Tan Son Nhat


Thanks it will be interesting to hear what she says, not only for me I suspect.

Just got back answer from my long standing Visa agent.

goodolboy wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

You are a citizen of Scotland per your passport, correct?

I can ask my agent if she's able to do a longer extension.

Yours is now a tourist visa or a business Visa?

Citizen of UK .....for PP purposes Scotland is still part of UK but for how long who knows!

3 months Tourist Visa.......entered Vietnam 8th Feb through Tan Son Nhat


Thanks it will be interesting to hear what she says, not only for me I suspect.

Just got back answer from my long standing Visa agent.



https://i.postimg.cc/7CcXzqm8/visa-1-month.png

As usual, no consistency!

colinoscapee wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Citizen of UK .....for PP purposes Scotland is still part of UK but for how long who knows!

3 months Tourist Visa.......entered Vietnam 8th Feb through Tan Son Nhat


Thanks it will be interesting to hear what she says, not only for me I suspect.

Just got back answer from my long standing Visa agent.



https://i.postimg.cc/7CcXzqm8/visa-1-month.png

As usual, no consistency!

& just got back how much the 1 months extension is gonna cost through an agent. 2 different prices depending on if you live in Ha Noi & HCMC. I am in shock!! but hey, it is what it is, but not many here on Tourist visa gonna be doing too many 1 months extensions now thats for sure.

Just for you Goodolboy.

Alan.

colinoscapee wrote:

Just for you Goodolboy.

Alan.

hahahahahahaha very good

Hmmmm....... learn something new here all the time. All of my life S.W.A.G.  Meant “scientific wild ass guess”. And now we have a new meaning.

Diazo wrote:

Hmmmm....... learn something new here all the time. All of my life S.W.A.G.  Meant “scientific wild ass guess”. And now we have a new meaning.

Well I think your interpretation works also. But the idea of a sophisticated wild ass guess is that the person is trying to appear sophisticated in making the guess. No science involved

Yeah I gathered that much. But the urban dictionary like “ scientific.....” better. No mention of the
“sophisticated” interpretation. But I like it.

Diazo wrote:

Yeah I gathered that much. But the urban dictionary like “ scientific.....” better. No mention of the
“sophisticated” interpretation. But I like it.

Swag can also mean a bag or a stash of stolen goods

I just was told by my agent that I can only get one-month extensions on my tourist visa from now on.   How are people dealing with this?  I have to send my passport to Hanoi for a week or more for each extension, so I'm thinking of switching to an agent here in HCMC.  My current agent quotes around $60 USD for a one-month extension -- does anyone have an agent in HCMC with a similar rate?

I really wish the Vietnamese government would consider a retirement visa, but I'll likely be long dead before that happens.

paulmsn wrote:

I just was told by my agent that I can only get one-month extensions on my tourist visa from now on.   How are people dealing with this?  I have to send my passport to Hanoi for a week or more for each extension, so I'm thinking of switching to an agent here in HCMC.  My current agent quotes around $60 USD for a one-month extension -- does anyone have an agent in HCMC with a similar rate?

I really wish the Vietnamese government would consider a retirement visa, but I'll likely be long dead before that happens.

I often recommend my agent in Hanoi but I'm hearing that the prices are cheaper in  Ho Chi Minh City.

I haven't read back on the whole thread but I'm guessing that you arrived in the country on 1st March or after?

There was a recent post by Ciambella which clarified the Vietnam government's position regarding extensions (I hope she will repost the link here).

If you entered after 1 March 2020, automatic extensions still cover through end of November, even if you aren't planning to leave, according to the link she shared.

No need to pay for a tourist visa extension yet, apparently.

Based on that, some of my previous posts regarding the U.S. Embassy's interpretation of visa rules may have been misleading or simply wrong.

People had been reporting that they went to immigration, only to be told they didn't need to do anything yet.

So before you mail your passport and pay for an extension, if you arrived on 1 March or after, maybe a free trip to immigration is worth a try?

Even if this doesn't apply to you it may be helpful to somebody else who arrived after the 1st of March

I use an agent in HCMC and was quoted $110 for a one month extension or $410 for a 3 month extension last week.
Doing one month at the time works out cheaper but it’s the hassle and the insecurity that you have to deal with

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

I often recommend my agent in Hanoi but I'm hearing that the prices are cheaper in  Ho Chi Minh City.

I haven't read back on the whole thread but I'm guessing that you arrived in the country on 1st March or after?

There was a recent post by Ciambella which clarified the Vietnam government's position regarding extensions (I hope she will repost the link here).

If you entered after 1 March 2020, automatic extensions still cover through end of November, even if you aren't planning to leave, according to the link she shared.

No need to pay for a tourist visa extension yet, apparently.

Based on that, some of my previous posts regarding the U.S. Embassy's interpretation of visa rules may have been misleading or simply wrong.

People had been reporting that they went to immigration, only to be told they didn't need to do anything yet.

So before you mail your passport and pay for an extension, if you arrived on 1 March or after, maybe a free trip to immigration is worth a try?

Even if this doesn't apply to you it may be helpful to somebody else who arrived after the 1st of March

I arrived 29 February, one day too early to benefit from the automatic extensions, so I've needed two three-month extensions so far, even though my US one-year visa didn't expire until October.  That's because of the rule about leaving every three months. 

Now I am told I can only have a one-month visa extension, and since the agency I use in Hanoi keeps my passport for seven to ten days, that means I will be without a passport for a significant part of each month.  I think an agency in HCMC might be better to reduce the time without a passport, but I have only used the agency in Hanoi since I started coming to Vietnam, so I don't have a clue about other agencies.  That's my situation.

paulmsn wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

I often recommend my agent in Hanoi but I'm hearing that the prices are cheaper in  Ho Chi Minh City.

I haven't read back on the whole thread but I'm guessing that you arrived in the country on 1st March or after?

There was a recent post by Ciambella which clarified the Vietnam government's position regarding extensions (I hope she will repost the link here).

If you entered after 1 March 2020, automatic extensions still cover through end of November, even if you aren't planning to leave, according to the link she shared.

No need to pay for a tourist visa extension yet, apparently.

Based on that, some of my previous posts regarding the U.S. Embassy's interpretation of visa rules may have been misleading or simply wrong.

People had been reporting that they went to immigration, only to be told they didn't need to do anything yet.

So before you mail your passport and pay for an extension, if you arrived on 1 March or after, maybe a free trip to immigration is worth a try?

Even if this doesn't apply to you it may be helpful to somebody else who arrived after the 1st of March

I arrived 29 February, one day too early to benefit from the automatic extensions, so I've needed two three-month extensions so far, even though my US one-year visa didn't expire until October.  That's because of the rule about leaving every three months. 

Now I am told I can only have a one-month visa extension, and since the agency I use in Hanoi keeps my passport for seven to ten days, that means I will be without a passport for a significant part of each month.  I think an agency in HCMC might be better to reduce the time without a passport, but I have only used the agency in Hanoi since I started coming to Vietnam, so I don't have a clue about other agencies.  That's my situation.

Look on Facebook for Jane SNVI based in D2.

TomVdB wrote:

I use an agent in HCMC and was quoted $110 for a one month extension or $410 for a 3 month extension last week.
Doing one month at the time works out cheaper but it’s the hassle and the insecurity that you have to deal with

They are letting you get a three-month extension?  My agent told me that since 01 September only one-month visas are allowed.  If that's not the case, I'd certainly choose a three-month visa extension. 

Or are you talking about a business visa extension?

Thanks, colinoscapee.

paulmsn wrote:

TomVdB wrote:

I use an agent in HCMC and was quoted $110 for a one month extension or $410 for a 3 month extension last week.
Doing one month at the time works out cheaper but it’s the hassle and the insecurity that you have to deal with

They are letting you get a three-month extension?  My agent told me that since 01 September only one-month visas are allowed.  If that's not the case, I'd certainly choose a three-month visa extension. 

Or are you talking about a business visa extension?

Also TomVdB is a Belgian citizen.

FYI, I last entered the country on 31 Aug 2019 with a 1 year business visa, US citizens.

My first 3-month extension (max allowed) is up on 30 November.

Renewal will probably be under $300 USD, though it seems prices are fluid these days.

yes, i could still apply for a 3 month extension, but they did tell me it might  be the last time. I guess that's why the cost of  the 3 month extension is more than triple the monthly one.
I don't mind paying a fee for the extensions, but it's a bit irritating that immigration officials set prices  so arbitrarily.

TomVdB wrote:

yes, i could still apply for a 3 month extension, but they did tell me it might  be the last time. I guess that's why the cost of  the 3 month extension is more than triple the monthly one.
I don't mind paying a fee for the extensions, but it's a bit irritating that immigration officials set prices  so arbitrarily.

Immigration officials do not set the prices for Visa extensions through an agent.

Search for the best agent with the greatest reputation and the lowest price.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

TomVdB wrote:

yes, i could still apply for a 3 month extension, but they did tell me it might  be the last time. I guess that's why the cost of  the 3 month extension is more than triple the monthly one.
I don't mind paying a fee for the extensions, but it's a bit irritating that immigration officials set prices  so arbitrarily.

Immigration officials do not set the prices for Visa extensions through an agent.

Search for the best agent with the greatest reputation and the lowest price.

i shopped around, but they're all quoting similar prices and told me the price is determined by the immigration officials.

TomVdB wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

TomVdB wrote:

yes, i could still apply for a 3 month extension, but they did tell me it might  be the last time. I guess that's why the cost of  the 3 month extension is more than triple the monthly one.
I don't mind paying a fee for the extensions, but it's a bit irritating that immigration officials set prices  so arbitrarily.

Immigration officials do not set the prices for Visa extensions through an agent.

Search for the best agent with the greatest reputation and the lowest price.

i shopped around, but they're all quoting similar prices and told me the price is determined by the immigration officials.

That's a flat lie. Immigration has a set price and it doesn't  include what the agents are trying to rip you folks off for. That's what the visa sellers want you to believe.
Rick

My friend gave me the number of the agent she uses at work, and says that you can get a three-month visa extension in HCMC but not Hanoi.  That doesn't make sense to me, but I will contact the agent and find out.  My friend quoted $370 USD.

Budman1 wrote:

TomVdB wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Immigration officials do not set the prices for Visa extensions through an agent.

Search for the best agent with the greatest reputation and the lowest price.

i shopped around, but they're all quoting similar prices and told me the price is determined by the immigration officials.

That's a flat lie. Immigration has a set price and it doesn't  include what the agents are trying to rip you folks off for. That's what the visa sellers want you to believe.
Rick

Rick is right.

Immigration's fee is set.

Agents take what they can get on top of that.

My latest 90 day DN business visa extension has been approved through my agent in Hanoi.

I received a photo of the new adhesive stamp plus a hand stamp extension.

Passport should arrive back here in Vũng Tàu in a day or two, based on previous experience.

I mailed the passport to Hanoi on November 22 (it arrived the next day) with my visa expiring on November 30th.

So as others have mentioned, it's about 2 weeks without a passport.

Price has dropped from $255 (at cost discount) on August 30th to $175 (at cost discount)

So now I'm good till March 2nd

I was able to obtain a three-month tourist visa extension, even though my previous agent, based in Hanoi, said they could only do 1-month extensions from now on.  My friend's agent in HCMC said that she could do three months because I arrived at Tan Son Nhat, which makes no sense to me, but I'll take it. 

It cost more  than my previous three-month visa extension, though -- 8.380.000 dong ($362 USD) compared to 5.616.000 dong ($243 USD).  Since a one-month extension would be quite annoying, it's worth it to me. 

It's gotten much more expensive to stay here.

paulmsn wrote:

I was able to obtain a three-month tourist visa extension, even though my previous agent, based in Hanoi, said they could only do 1-month extensions from now on.  My friend's agent in HCMC said that she could do three months because I arrived at Tan Son Nhat, which makes no sense to me, but I'll take it. 

It cost more  than my previous three-month visa extension, though -- 8.380.000 dong ($362 USD) compared to 5.616.000 dong ($243 USD).  Since a one-month extension would be quite annoying, it's worth it to me. 

It's gotten much more expensive to stay here.

True.

My wife can get a 3 month visa to Australia for $130 usd, VN visa prices are a joke.

colinoscapee wrote:

True.

My wife can get a 3 month visa to Australia for $130 usd, VN visa prices are a joke.

If they were still allowing visas here and I could leave the country and return, my cost for a one-year visa would be about that, but they are not allowing visas and travel is shut down for tourists, so I'm stuck with these expensive visa extensions.  If I had returned from Australia one day later, I would have qualified for the automatic monthly extensions, but I'm just unlucky.

I'm going to have to get another 3-month tourist visa extension after Tet, so I was wondering if anyone knew of an HCMC agent who charges less than the @ $360 USD that my friend's agent charged me last time.  Thanks for any help.