Any Updates on the newly passed 12 month tourist visa for US citizens

Well, my wife informs me that it is being reported in the Vietnamese news now that parliament passed a law today to the effect that US citizens can now be granted a 12 month multiple entry visa. I can't post the link as my Internet connection is pants.

It only just passed today, 9 April. No word yet on the date of implementation.

http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/v … 61048.html

It is reported in Than Thien news now that parliament ammended the law this morning to allow US citizens a one year multiple entry visa. You'll have too look it up yourselves as I'm using an iphone 4 on a dodgy Internet connection

Here it is again:
http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/v … 61048.html

Thanks JohnD!

eodmatt wrote:

Thanks JohnD!

Yes thanks for re-posting it. That's the same thing that I found last night and posted (#39) but when admin posted #40 the thread rolled over to page 2 and nobody saw it this morning till your post. I haven't seen anything else on the subject today, but will post if some thing does come up on the subject. It will be great when Aus and NZ folks can get the same deal, as well as our friends from England.

Rick

Someone posted on another site that the visa is $145usd and the letter from immigration will cost about $600usd

Budman1 wrote:

It will be great when Aus and NZ folks can get the same deal, as well as our friends from England.

Sorry to sound like a broken record but if this is tied to the TPP, as I am certain it is, then it is a matter of reciprocity.  Under the TPP, if NZ and AU give Vietnamese a multi-entry one year tourist visa as the US does, then those countries can demand reciprocity for their citizens.  Britain is not part of the TPP.

colinoscapee wrote:

Someone posted on another site that the visa is $145usd and the letter from immigration will cost about $600usd

The one year tourist visa to the US for Vietnamese is $160.  I don't know what the letter is but perhaps it is a  way around the demand for reciprocity.  That way they can say "Look, our visa is only $145."

colinoscapee wrote:

Someone posted on another site that the visa is $145usd and the letter from immigration will cost about $600usd

Would you post or PM me the site your referring to. It sounds like that guy that claimed there was a consulate in Hawaii 

Can we go directly to Immigration to get the visa? My gf is Vietnamese, so I have an interpreter to help me.

-JohnD- wrote:

Can we go directly to Immigration to get the visa? My gf is Vietnamese, so I have an interpreter to help me.

Seeing how the NA just passed it on Saturday and there has been no official guidance published as yet its way to early to even guess how its going to be implemented.  The current rules say if your in Vietnam and change your visa status you have to live the country and re-enter. As this new type of visa will change your status I can only assume that the same rule will apply. Better to wait and see what the rules of engagement are before making any plans. If they do allow a first time issue of it while your in Vietnam ( which I really doubt will happen ) just fill out the required form with any supporting documents and submit it to immigration. There will be no need, absolutely no need for you or anybody else to get a visa seller involved and pay outrageous amounts of bucks that they will try and charge to get it. I really cant see where taking your g/f with as an interpreter would be of any help either. If the paperwork isn't straight they should be able to explain to you what's needed in English.

Rick

Thanks again, Rick. My visa expires on 01 June, so I have plenty of time. I'm happy to return to the embassy in Phnom Penh if it means getting a one-year visa.

Will stay tuned here for more updates.

Should be available late May or early June.

http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/mr041116.html

Zep

Zepo wrote:

Should be available late May or early June.

http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/mr041116.html

Zep

Thanks for posting Zepo. However check out the caveat down at the bottom of the msg:


"While the United States and Vietnam will, in principle, issue maximum validity visas to each other's citizens, each side may limit visa validity and entry times for individual applicants on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable laws and regulations."

Rick

I'm sure that as usual the law will be different from provience to provience. I heard yesterday that in Nha Trang a ship full of tourists were charged 35usd for a visa for one day,even if they didn't leave the ship. Back in 2015 the Prime Minister passed a law stating that people from ships should pay 5 usd for a day pass, so it seems again that laws are there at the discretion of the local immigration department. 2000 people on board at 35 usd, someone has had a good payday.

Remember that it's all about reciprocity as the US Embassy link provided by Zeppo says.  In the cruise ship case, it would depend on what country the passengers were from, likely AU.   The US has no tourist visa other than the one year B-2 so even a one day stop for foreigners would be $160.  If the trip originated in the US, they would still need the visa unless they were from one of the 38 visa waiver countries.   Also foreign crew members are not allowed to leave the ship unless they have a D visa which costs the same $160.  Perhaps the $35 is not too bad.  If you can afford the thousands for the cruise, what's another $35?

I can't account for the difference of $5 and $35 but remember the Prime Minister does not pass laws;  the National Assembly does.  Perhaps the Prime Minister merely recommended $5.  Despite the one party structure, VN does have a form of democracy.

You may want to read this......http://www.talkvietnam.com/2015/01/immigration-procedures-eased-for-cruise-passengers/

The whole point is this, the Prime Minister changed the cost from $45 down to $5 usd, it's there in black and white. The other point is that even if you stayed on the boat, you still had to pay the 35 usd, so it just shows how the laws can be changed to suit the respective immigration office.

THIGV wrote:

Remember that it's all about reciprocity as the US Embassy link provided by Zeppo says.  In the cruise ship case, it would depend on what country the passengers were from, likely AU.   The US has no tourist visa other than the one year B-2 so even a one day stop for foreigners would be $160.  If the trip originated in the US, they would still need the visa unless they were from one of the 38 visa waiver countries.   Also foreign crew members are not allowed to leave the ship unless they have a D visa which costs the same $160.  Perhaps the $35 is not too bad.  If you can afford the thousands for the cruise, what's another $35?

I can't account for the difference of $5 and $35 but remember the Prime Minister does not pass laws;  the National Assembly does.  Perhaps the Prime Minister merely recommended $5.  Despite the one party structure, VN does have a form of democracy.

Not sure about the democracy part when you consider that the NA votes in who they want and not the people.

colinoscapee wrote:

I'm sure that as usual the law will be different from provience to provience. I heard yesterday that in Nha Trang a ship full of tourists were charged 35usd for a visa for one day,even if they didn't leave the ship. Back in 2015 the Prime Minister passed a law stating that people from ships should pay 5 usd for a day pass, so it seems again that laws are there at the discretion of the local immigration department. 2000 people on board at 35 usd, someone has had a good payday.

Putting aside the amount for a second, if the ship was within Vietnamese territorial waters, which it obviously was, it was in Vietnam. The government, therefore, was fully within its rights to require a visa from everyone on-board.

Back to the amount, that's one hell of a lot of coffee!

Budman1 wrote:

Zepo wrote:

Should be available late May or early June.

http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/mr041116.html

Zep

Thanks for posting Zepo. However check out the caveat down at the bottom of the msg:


"While the United States and Vietnam will, in principle, issue maximum validity visas to each other's citizens, each side may limit visa validity and entry times for individual applicants on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable laws and regulations."

Rick

I take that as meaning 'even though you have a US passport, we can still refuse to issue a visa to you or limit how long we want you in our country.' Countries refuse people entry all the time. Unless it's changed in the past few years, Americans (and probably others) with a DUI conviction are barred from entering Canada.

-JohnD- wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

I'm sure that as usual the law will be different from provience to provience. I heard yesterday that in Nha Trang a ship full of tourists were charged 35usd for a visa for one day,even if they didn't leave the ship. Back in 2015 the Prime Minister passed a law stating that people from ships should pay 5 usd for a day pass, so it seems again that laws are there at the discretion of the local immigration department. 2000 people on board at 35 usd, someone has had a good payday.

Putting aside the amount for a second, if the ship was within Vietnamese territorial waters, which it obviously was, it was in Vietnam. The government, therefore, was fully within its rights to require a visa from everyone on-board.

Back to the amount, that's one hell of a lot of coffee!

The point I was making was that the PM set a price of 5 usd, (as per the link I supplied)not the 35 usd  charged. At no time was the fact that the ship was in VN waters mentioned by me, it was mentioned by Thigv,I do understand the fact that the boat was in VN waters.

colinoscapee wrote:

The point I was making was that the PM set a price of 5 usd, (as per the link I supplied)not the 35 usd  charged. At no time was the fact that the ship was in VN waters mentioned by me, it was mentioned by Thigv,I do understand the fact that the boat was in VN waters.

You are correct, I quoted from the wrong post.

I would change it, but that is no longer possible.

I apologize.

-JohnD- wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

The point I was making was that the PM set a price of 5 usd, (as per the link I supplied)not the 35 usd  charged. At no time was the fact that the ship was in VN waters mentioned by me, it was mentioned by Thigv,I do understand the fact that the boat was in VN waters.

You are correct, I quoted from the wrong post.

I would change it, but that is no longer possible.

I apologize.

No problem, we all have done the same thing.

reciprocity agreement between Australia and Vietnam.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptEmSF_ … tml5=Falsehttp://www.jstor.org/stable/20693594?se … b_contentshttps://www.humanservices.gov.au/custom … agreementshttp://dfat.gov.au/geo/vietnam/Pages/au … rship.aspxhttp://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/alr … agreements   Good luck all

Without reading all of those was one of them related to a one year visa.

colinoscapee wrote:

Without reading all of those was one of them related to a one year visa.

Now your starting to get the thread back on topic. Thanks colinoscapee.

Rick

further into the same report  http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/s … 61113.html

Budman1 wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

Without reading all of those was one of them related to a one year visa.

Now your starting to get the thread back on topic. Thanks colinoscapee.

Rick

The reason for the diversion was more to highlight the fact that what the NA approves is not really how things will be done. I'm sure that the 1 year visa will have some hidden gems as it always does in VN.

MarkinNam wrote:

further into the same report  http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/s … 61113.html

This exact visa system was brought up at an ASEAN meeting about 6 years ago. All the countries agreed to look at making a single visa for all ASEAN nations, except for one country, I'll let you guess which one.

U.S. citizens will have to wait for about 1.5 months to be able to get a new, longer-duration visa, compared to the current three-month single-entry one, to enter Vietnam.

The "Visa agents" are saying not until the end of the year. But all other news reports indicate 1.5 months as this one.

http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/34223/vi … o-one-year

Zep

Well it was definitely ratified, now it's a waiting game to see how long the changes take to filter down through the system.
I'm sure there will be caveats though like providing evidence you can support yourself whilst in Vietnam so don't expect this to be a quick fix for illegal workers.

ScriptShack wrote:

Well it was definitely ratified, now it's a waiting game to see how long the changes take to filter down through the system.
I'm sure there will be caveats though like providing evidence you can support yourself whilst in Vietnam so don't expect this to be a quick fix for illegal workers.

Huh??? What in the world are you talking about?  Guys. this is the kind of BS non information type posts I'm trying to avoid on this thread.

Just the facts guy. The rest might be better served here:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … =6#3188861

Rick

Has anyone contacted the Vietnamese or US Embassies?
If anyone has the up to date facts, surely it would be them?

Contacting the US embassy would be fruitless. They have nothing to do with visas issued by Vietnam.

ScriptShack wrote:

Has anyone contacted the Vietnamese or US Embassies?
If anyone has the up to date facts, surely it would be them?

Yes as this is a valid question to the thread and ill post a response. last Sunday I sent emails to all the VN Consulates and the Embassy in the States requesting information on the new type of visa. How , when, costs the normal. Haven't received a response back from any of them. The US consulate as the Embassy will only say what they where able to get the VN Government to agree too  as requested  for the past few years along with the US chamber of commerce   that has been trying for more than a few years to get this  going.
Rick

These are just my reflections on the one year visa, not based on any sources other than what I read here:

1)  If you are legally married to a Viet citizen and eligible for the 3 yr TRC or a 5 year VEC get that instead.

2)  A one year tourist visa is still a tourist visa and it is still illegal to work.  However, being one year it does give someone a little more leeway to find a job and get things set up for a work permit and work based residency card.

3) This is conjecture but a year from now people may find that the one year visa is not renewable in country.  The one year B-1 or B-2 visas that Vietnamese can have to the US are not renewable except for limited periods and only for things like illness of relatives or conclusion of business dealings.  Goes back to reciprocity and the TPP.

4) For people who are not married and do not intend to work, the one year visa may function as a reasonable stand in for the non-existent retirement visa.  As conjectured in 3) it may require some travel to get a new one but annually and not quarterly.

THIGV wrote:

These are just my reflections on the one year visa, not based on any sources other than what I read here:

1)  If you are legally married to a Viet citizen and eligible for the 3 yr TRC or a 5 year VEC get that instead.

2)  A one year tourist visa is still a tourist visa and it is still illegal to work.  However, being one year it does give someone a little more leeway to find a job and get things set up for a work permit and work based residency card.

3) This is conjecture but a year from now people may find that the one year visa is not renewable in country.  The one year B-1 or B-2 visas that Vietnamese can have to the US are not renewable except for limited periods and only for things like illness of relatives or conclusion of business dealings.  Goes back to reciprocity and the TPP.

4) For people who are not married and do not intend to work, the one year visa may function as a reasonable stand in for the non-existent retirement visa.  As conjectured in 3) it may require some travel to get a new one but annually and not quarterly.

Having a TRC or VEC also doesn't legally allow you to work here.

colinoscapee wrote:

THIGV wrote:

1)  If you are legally married to a Viet citizen and eligible for the 3 yr TRC or a 5 year VEC get that instead.

2)  A one year tourist visa is still a tourist visa and it is still illegal to work.

Having a TRC or VEC also doesn't legally allow you to work here.

That is true but you can work legally while holding a VEC and a work permit simultaneously.  A work permit allows you to apply for a TRC but you don't have to obtain it if you have a VEC.  This is on the advice of my attorney who could have charged extra for the TRC and still told me that it was not needed in my case.   This was before the existence of the new TRC for married people but I would assume that the same is true in that case.

Thats right, a TRC related to a work permit is different to the TRC through marriage. The laws changed last year as noted in a thread on here from last year.