3 month extension - Anyone know the latest on this shameful farce???

SiCoTic Active member

33POSTS

10 years ago

Excuse my tone, I just find it frustrating that this great country, and my home for nearly 10 years, has become more ridiculous and patently corrupt, which makes this place look like some backward, banana republic,and the visa policy is exactly the sort of thing that supports that viewpoint. I was hoping property becoming open to foreign buyers would bring about some sense, any potential investor will surely run a mile when they discover the completely unregulated visa industry that only really exists because of the complete shambles the visa policy undeniably is. The fact that a $10 visa extension is routinely sold for $200+ isn't going to fill a property buyer with confidence, is it? There's normally someone who will reply to what I've just said trying to imply I'm somehow wrong, mistaken in what I say, but this pretending it isn't so, denial, call it what you will, is trying to defend the indefensible, which can't be done, OJ's attorney perhaps being a rare exception. But hark at me, talk about going round the houses, anyone with some current intelligence on the situation I'd be most interested, and grateful, for any vital statistics you'd care to share with me. Until then, cheers.

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Cloud9 Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

There's no discussion needed . This is not the U.S. nor the west. They do things differently here for many years so you either adapt or move on. Complaining will get you sympathy but nothing will change.

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SiCoTic Active member

33POSTS

10 years ago

I'm fully aware this isn't the U.S. or the West and far from getting any sympathy I usually get people who seem to take offense that I would dare to complain about visas, or anything else in this country, which then moves on to the '...if you don't like it ................ off back to "your" country' angle, which I think comes from the idea that because this isn't 'my' country I have no right to say anything negative (are positives OK?) about the place as I'm just a mere foreigner. I'd say that's a commonly held belief and being from London it's one that, sadly, I'm very familiar with but certainly not in agreement with. Vietnam isn't my country, neither is England, they're not yours, or his, or anyone's else, but they are ours, all of ours, none of it's mine or yours, it's all ours! I know that sounds a bit cosmic, hippy, but it's an outlook, a way of thinking, that for me is where it's at. All this talk of this bit's mine, and your bit's over there, so you shouldn't really be in this bit, is at the heart of racism, and most wars.
Vietnam, like any country, could do with a few changes and if, or when they happen it will be because of people like me, which probably sounds frightening but hear me out. Whinging, moaning, complaining, I go with whinging, has a time and a place and for me this is both, we can all choose what to read/respond to, whereas sitting about with your mates, out in public spouting wrongs, whether you agree or not, is not. Moaning may well not change a thing, shrugging your shoulders in acceptance and saying nothing, absolutely definitely won't, and criticizing people who do moan is showing support for an idea, collaboration you could say.
I posted as I wanted to know the sort of prices people are paying, and then went on, and on!, about how I felt about it all, I didn't tell anyone that they should do, or think anything, and that includes moving on, and adapting which I think means just accept everything and the fact they've been at it for a long time I guess must make it alright?
Before I go, I won't apologize if this is considered to be too long, it isn't an SMS and not everything has to be 100 miles an hour, does it?, some people enjoy reading (not my tosh, obviously) books for example but maybe I'll draw some pictures if I post again and keep those forever in a hurry happy? Until then, Xin Chao.

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Yogi007 Serial expat

948POSTS

10 years ago

Hi there SiCo Tic.

Yogi is getting a 3 mth single second extension at the moment. My agent is getting a price. She said they keep changing. Who knows why😄
Last time I paid $110. Some guys here recently paid this week $110 also for a DL 3mth single. I hope it's the same for me this time.

I dont mind leaving for a break and coming back in either. I'm still pondering the idea. Yogi doesn't like to let the grass grow under his paws.

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cossmo Serial expat

247POSTS

10 years ago

why don't you apply for a citizenship?

bluenz Member

1933POSTS

10 years ago

cossmo wrote:
why don't you apply for a citizenship?

Hahaha, hilarious
.

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stumpy Laos Expert

18028POSTS

10 years ago

cossmo wrote:
why don't you apply for a citizenship?

As if that's easier......

Yogi007 Serial expat

948POSTS

10 years ago

cossmo wrote:
why don't you apply for a citizenship?

Yogi already tried that.

They found Yogi hiding at the Saigon Zoo pretending to be an exhibit.

I gave that idea up when the Orangutang got too friendly. Grrrrrrrrr

1 member reacted to this post

cossmo Serial expat

247POSTS

10 years ago

#10

it would only seem logical if one were to reside in Vietnam for 10 odd years to have some form of citizenship or residency card. having to reapply for an extension kind of defeats the whole idea.

SiCoTic Active member

33POSTS

10 years ago

#11

Yogi007 wrote:
cossmo wrote:
why don't you apply for a citizenship?

Yogi already tried that.

They found Yogi hiding at the Saigon Zoo pretending to be an exhibit.

I gave that idea up when the Orangutang got too friendly. Grrrrrrrrr

Nice try Yogi, shame about the Orangutang but I'm sure you were flattered by the attention, I know I would have been, I don't get out much......

SiCoTic Active member

33POSTS

10 years ago

#12

Yogi007 wrote:
cossmo wrote:
why don't you apply for a citizenship?

Yogi already tried that.

They found Yogi hiding at the Saigon Zoo pretending to be an exhibit.

I gave that idea up when the Orangutang got too friendly. Grrrrrrrrr

SiCoTic wrote:
Nice try Yogi, shame about the Orangutang but I'm sure you were flattered by the attention, I know I would have been, I don't get out much......

khanh44 ViP

1191POSTS

10 years ago

#13

cossmo wrote:
why don't you apply for a citizenship?

Vietnam only recognizes 1 citizenship. Unless you're a Viet Kieu the chances of a foreigner getting citizenship is slim to none.

bluenz Member

1933POSTS

10 years ago

#14

cossmo wrote:
it would only seem logical if one were to reside in Vietnam for 10 odd years to have some form of citizenship or residency card. having to reapply for an extension kind of defeats the whole idea.

Vietnam and logical in the same sentence, again, hilarious. The best we can do, ( without working here ), is a 3 yr TRC, after receiving a 12 month TT Visa. ( still not 100% sure if that is even possible , yet ).

cossmo Serial expat

247POSTS

10 years ago

#15

bluenz wrote:
cossmo wrote:
it would only seem logical if one were to reside in Vietnam for 10 odd years to have some form of citizenship or residency card. having to reapply for an extension kind of defeats the whole idea.

Vietnam and logical in the same sentence, again, hilarious. The best we can do, ( without working here ), is a 3 yr TRC, after receiving a 12 month TT Visa. ( still not 100% sure if that is even possible , yet ).

The point i was making is that with any country visa types, a tourist visa doesn't equate to living for 10 years in the country. That doesn't make sense.

bluenz Member

1933POSTS

10 years ago

#16

cossmo wrote:
bluenz wrote:
cossmo wrote:
it would only seem logical if one were to reside in Vietnam for 10 odd years to have some form of citizenship or residency card. having to reapply for an extension kind of defeats the whole idea.

Vietnam and logical in the same sentence, again, hilarious. The best we can do, ( without working here ), is a 3 yr TRC, after receiving a 12 month TT Visa. ( still not 100% sure if that is even possible , yet ).

The point i was making is that with any country visa types, a tourist visa doesn't equate to living for 10 years in the country. That doesn't make sense.

I'd hate to think what 10 years living here on a tourist Visa would have cost.
Yes, to us it doesn't make sense, why they don't have a retirement visa, or at least make it possible to get a PR is a mystery, it must be about making more money from visa renewals and extensions???? As usual VN Govt only thinks of the short term gain, imagine how much more money we would spend, ( and visiting relatives/friends etc ), if we knew we had more permanency here?

Teacher Mark Serial expat

978POSTS

10 years ago

#17

I just got my 2nd extension on a DN visa. It was $300, which makes my grand total in visa expenditures over $1000 since January.

"We gotta play 'em one day at a time. I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ball club. I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out.

A good friend of mine used to say, 'This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains. Think about that for a while."

"Nuke" LaLoosh (Bull Durham)

1 member reacted to this post

Cloud9 Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#18

Cossmo, I see you cant get your head around VN logic,neither can we. As stated before,its all about short term gain,thats why so many officials here are very,very wealthy.

1 member reacted to this post

cossmo Serial expat

247POSTS

10 years ago

#19

colinoscapee wrote:
Cossmo, I see you cant get your head around VN logic,neither can we. As stated before,its all about short term gain,thats why so many officials here are very,very wealthy.

Things always cost money. Just like at home where you can get citizenship with a couple of million.

Cloud9 Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#20

Vn government dont hand out citizenship to expats very easily.

cossmo Serial expat

247POSTS

10 years ago

#21

colinoscapee wrote:
Vn government dont hand out citizenship to expats.

I was talking about Australia.

Cloud9 Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#22

cossmo wrote:
it would only seem logical if one were to reside in Vietnam for 10 odd years to have some form of citizenship or residency card. having to reapply for an extension kind of defeats the whole idea.

You quoted Viet Nam here.

cossmo Serial expat

247POSTS

10 years ago

#23

colinoscapee wrote:
cossmo wrote:
it would only seem logical if one were to reside in Vietnam for 10 odd years to have some form of citizenship or residency card. having to reapply for an extension kind of defeats the whole idea.

You quoted Viet Nam here.

Yes, then you responded about government officials in VN only think for short term gains. Then I responded by saying so too does Australia.

Cloud9 Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#24

Ok, seeing as its about Viet Nam and not Australia, I thought it was a VN forum.

cossmo Serial expat

247POSTS

10 years ago

#25

Well I am not the first in this thread to mention about other countries.

Cloud9 Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#26

Ok, well when you come and live here get back to us how you went applying for citizenship.

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stumpy Laos Expert

18028POSTS

10 years ago

#27

Sliding off topic now.....

Cloud9 Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#28

stumpy wrote:
Sliding off topic now.....

f

Conversations/debates rarely stay on topic.

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bluenz Member

1933POSTS

10 years ago

#29

colinoscapee wrote:
Vn government dont hand out citizenship to expats very easily.

I've only ever heard of one ex pat who had received VN citizenship, and that was posthumously, and I still haven't heard of any person who has PR. ( live or dead ). I applied 3 - 4 yrs ago, but gave up waiting after 2 yrs, apparently it's still in Hanoi's " hands ".

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jimbream Serial expat

693POSTS

10 years ago

#30

colinoscapee wrote:
stumpy wrote:
Sliding off topic now.....

f

Conversations/debates rarely stay on topic.

Except here. It's the rule dontchano?

SimonEPB Active member

33POSTS

10 years ago

#31

I inquired about citizenship or a residency with a sensible Immigration person recently. He told me to not count on it ir forget it. An increase in foreigners landing here to find wife's etc esp Indian and African men. Some months back he said it was possible. So they must be tightening up. Looking at multicultural open immigration countries, I can understand them. I rely on my 5 year term spousal visa which still involves a 90 day stay period ea time I arrive back from travel. I travel a bit so the 90 days usually works. Only twice in 8 years I have needed a border run - Phnom Penh. One time I was a day late departing - 100,000 "fine". Silly me. Having a daughter is another basis for a longer term visa but regular travel is my way around the 90 day limit. Best!

Yogi007 Serial expat

948POSTS

10 years ago

#32

Hi Simon,
That's my view also. When you have access to cheap travel in this region ,why not.
I get the odd extension but usually look forward to heading off somewhere every now and then.

Besides, this time around the agent couldn't guarantee a 3mth extension, maybe only 1mth. So I took the month for $40 and that gives me time to,plan my next getaway. Alls good.

Their inconsistency is really costing them money. I really don't travel much within Vietnam, because it's in the back of my mind I might have to leave the country and come back inside 90 days. So as a result I spend more money doing touristy stuff with neighbouring countries. I don't want a TRC for certain reasons. Just being an under the radar tourist is all I want.

tomrwebster New member

8POSTS

10 years ago

#33

My sympathy and support, my wife and I are both on UK passports with spouse visas, my wife is VN but not allowed a VN passport so we are both limited to 90 days, I don't have a visa problem because I travel out of Vietnam and get 90 days from the date of my return, however my wife is fairly static so has recently come up to the 90 days limit, we tried a visa agent who wanted 150 usd so we told them what they could do with their help, we then went to the local immigration office and met some resistance and a bit of a runaround however on our 3rd visit with yet more documents they accepted her extension application and now we will wait two more days and hopefully all will be done, we are both retired have paid our taxes in VN and the UK and we are home owners as well, we only put money into the system we don't take it out, I couldn't agree more that it's a corrupt & failed system when local government officials and police can interpret and dictate policy other than what was intended

tomrwebster New member

8POSTS

10 years ago

#34

One more thing to add, when an official recommends that you use an agent at the cost of 150 usd it does not take much intelligence to understand that the agent and the official are splitting the proceeds

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bluenz Member

1933POSTS

10 years ago

#35

tomrwebster wrote:
My sympathy and support, my wife and I are both on UK passports with spouse visas, my wife is VN but not allowed a VN passport so we are both limited to 90 days, I don't have a visa problem because I travel out of Vietnam and get 90 days from the date of my return, however my wife is fairly static so has recently come up to the 90 days limit, we tried a visa agent who wanted 150 usd so we told them what they could do with their help, we then went to the local immigration office and met some resistance and a bit of a runaround however on our 3rd visit with yet more documents they accepted her extension application and now we will wait two more days and hopefully all will be done, we are both retired have paid our taxes in VN and the UK and we are home owners as well, we only put money into the system we don't take it out, I couldn't agree more that it's a corrupt & failed system when local government officials and police can interpret and dictate policy other than what was intended

Why has your wife been refused a VN passport, never heard of that before?? Being married to a VN, you are entitled to the 12 month TT visa, ( $95 ), then a 3 yr TRC, ( which you can do yourself instead of paying a rip off agent ), no more 90 day bullshit.( which should have been only a matter of filing an NA5 form and paying $10, no need to leave the VN ).
Unless you're trying to tell us that your wife is a VN, but wasn't born in VN???? ( hence no passport , understandably, which means she isn't a " full " VN ), Your description of a "spouse " visa is confusing, some people think that was what the old VEC was called.

tomrwebster New member

8POSTS

10 years ago

#36

Thanks for the info, my wife was refused her passport renewal in the UK by the Embassy there, I dare say you are correct and she may now be able to hold both passports she hS tried a few times over the years without success, as for my visa I was totally un aware of the one year visa, for many years I used my temporary residence card for which I did not need a visa, however when I retired I was advised by immigration that iAd I no longer worked I needed a visa, do I went to the embassy inLondon and they advised that I should get a 5 year visa, that's the story so now I will start to look deeper into the visa system

bluenz Member

1933POSTS

10 years ago

#37

tomrwebster wrote:
Thanks for the info, my wife was refused her passport renewal in the UK by the Embassy there, I dare say you are correct and she may now be able to hold both passports she hS tried a few times over the years without success, as for my visa I was totally un aware of the one year visa, for many years I used my temporary residence card for which I did not need a visa, however when I retired I was advised by immigration that iAd I no longer worked I needed a visa, do I went to the embassy inLondon and they advised that I should get a 5 year visa, that's the story so now I will start to look deeper into the visa system

Has your wife applied for her passport renewal in VN? She is entitled to dual citizenship.
The 12 month TT visa became official in May 2015, although I've heard of 1 other ex pat being on one before this time, but when he was asked, ( several times ), he wouldn't say how much this cost. Of course immigration aren't likely to tell you of these longer visa's, ( I was on a C2 visa for 2 years , paying $35 every 90 days, ),when one day they told my wife about the VEC, ( a friend was on one, but being French , he couldn't explain how it worked to me properly, and we had already applied for PR, ( lol ), and were waiting for their decision ). Your wife had to be a VN national for you to get the 5 yr Visa, ( which ceased in May 2015 ).

charmavietnam ViP

2841POSTS

10 years ago

#38

Can you explain both in details, pls?
TT visa = 1 year spouse visa, that understandable.
Spouse already in Vietnam cannot apply directly for 3 year TRC?
In my knowledge, TRC includes visa. With TRC we can travel outside Vietnam without visa which inscribed in it.

bluenz wrote:
Being married to a VN, you are entitled to the 12 month TT visa, ( $95 ), then a 3 yr TRC, ( which you can do yourself instead of paying a rip off agent ), no more 90 day bullshit.( which should have been only a matter of filing an NA5 form and paying $10, no need to leave the VN ).

bluenz Member

1933POSTS

10 years ago

#39

charmavietnam wrote:
Can you explain both in details, pls?
TT visa = 1 year spouse visa, that understandable.
Spouse already in Vietnam cannot apply directly for 3 year TRC?
In my knowledge, TRC includes visa. With TRC we can travel outside Vietnam without visa which inscribed in it.

bluenz wrote:
Being married to a VN, you are entitled to the 12 month TT visa, ( $95 ), then a 3 yr TRC, ( which you can do yourself instead of paying a rip off agent ), no more 90 day bullshit.( which should have been only a matter of filing an NA5 form and paying $10, no need to leave the VN ).

The old VEC was for spouse, AND/OR siblings, dependants, ( children, etc , unfortunately not pets ).
Yes, you always have to have some sort of Visa first, same as BEFORE you applied for a VEC, ( unless you applied overseas ), BUT, if you still have a VEC , I can't see why, ( ??? new territory here ), you can't apply directly for the TRC, ( I would have by now , especially after the last fiasco trying to extend my VEC, but I only have 2 1/2 yrs left on my passport, and also 2 yrs left on my VEC ).

Accordingly, foreigners issued TT visa (including: foreigners are parents, spouse, and children under 18 years of age of the foreigners issued with LV1, LV2, ĐT, NN1, NN2, UNIVERSITY, PV1, LĐ visas, or foreigners that are parents, spouse, and children of Vietnamese citizens) are considering issuing Vietnam Temporary Residence Card. This article is EXPANDED for foreigners that are parents, spouse, and children of Vietnamese citizens.
. The duration of a NN1, NN2, TT temporary residence card shall not exceed 03 years.

I copied and pasted this from a 2013 --14 Govt website, but this " are considering issuing Vietnam Temporary Residence Card ", could be a worry?????? It would be nice to find out for sure, which will probably only be able to be done by someone in HCMC or Hanoi? ( and by asking 3 different officers at 3 different offices? ).

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khanh44 ViP

1191POSTS

10 years ago

#40

I'm in the process of applying for a Vietnamese passport for my daughter.

I think one of the questions they ask is if the applicant holds any other passport.

Vietnam only recognizes one passport despite being a Vietnamese citizen hence why I haven't applied for her Canadian passport yet.

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