Registering with Police

In the 3 years I have been here. I have lived in several places. I have always paid a fee to Police when I move to an area with registering that I am there. I did the same in the place I am in now and I have been here for 18 months. It has always been a one of payment. Recently I was told that They want a regular payment every 6 monhts. Then that changed to every time I renew my Visa. Now its every month. I have ignored it for most part. But, today I was told I have to leave the area unless I start payments. Where do I stand on this? Does anyone have any suggestions. I do not want to upset local constabulary. But, I don't want to be a victim of extortion either. Any advice would be appreciated.

I'd agree with WA on the previous thread, let the landlord deal with it. But I'd move tbh I don't even know where my local police station is!
The only times I've known someone get a visit from the police is due to his girlfriend staying, someone reported him for having prostitutes over all the time! His paperwork was all in order so they left once they couldn't prove otherwise.

If you have enough document like visa or work permit or temporary resident card and rental contract, there's nothing to worry about that guy. If he still asks for money, you just ask him what that money for, does he have any law or regulation about that fee, or you can talk to his boss.

I've lived here since 2006 and moved 5 times until I found my preferred environment. I never dealt directly with any police. The landlord deals with them. This is the landlords problem, not mine. It's highly likely the police are getting paid by both you and the landlord. Many places where I've tried to rent didn't even want foreign renters because of police harrassment. But personally, I won't even talk to the police. They want to see a contract registered at their office showing how much rent you pay. Some renters agree upon one low price for a written contract but made verbal agreements as to the higher rental amount. Of course, wink, I'd never do anything against the law, if I could find out what the law really states.

My advice is to let the landlord deal with it all and you either agree to the police arrangement they make or not, or move. I make it a point to never talk to the police when they came to the door. I call the landlord and let them deal with it. If the police understand some English, which they seldom do, I say that I don't want to say things that may be misinterpreted.

I thinnk you make a mistake dealing directly with the police. Vietnamese are well versed in dealing with them.

Hello Mikeinvietnam,

Thanks you very much to share your experience, I'm living in vietnam since one month ago, and my wife told me something about to pay the police, but she didn't explain to me well why we have to pay them, of course, I didn't pay because is not my job to pay the police, police are there to servire, help and protect the citizens and the civils. That's is what I always heard in europe at least.
Bye bye, c ya.
Steve.

hello all, i thinking of takin a job offer in ho chi minh, next month and would welcome any comments or advice about the city and people and way of life, i currently live in the uk.. many thanks

Vietnamese police are nothing but corrupt, racist, pindick little faggots who I would happily take a steel bar to given a private space. FUCK THEM!

There s ABSOLUTELY NO FEE for registering your occupation in legal accommodation. We are talking Pink Book, SO KHAI BAO TAM TRI.

(Police can, and do, order people to leave. Legal accommodation for Foreigners includes all approved hotels but NOT any home built with/subsidised by government money. Some really rough hotels, usually remote areas are used with police approval on an individual basis.)

For readers who don't live in VietNam every person, whether staying in a hotel or home accommodation has to register with the police.

In larger cities there are mini-police station, then there are ward police stations (with cells and two-way radio base station)  and there is the District Head Quarters (if you ever get to visit a District headquarters you ARE in trouble). The ward police station is usually the one that handles registrations

I am registered in my home in DakLak, my mini-hotel in DakLak, my mini-hotel in Cam Ranh Bay and I rent a place in Ho Chi Minh. It really confuses them!

When I am in HCMC I get to baby sit my housekeepers son three nights a week. On the way back from his school we always pop in to register him and they always say no problem and tell us to leave without doing anything.

Anyone over over 16 has to be registered.

If you are staying in a multi-unit building and the police visit to check for who lives there, you know either the management or a neighbour has complained.