30 day visa time frame.

colinoscapee wrote:

What do you think the outcome will be if they introduce this 30-day maximum limit for visas.

I can see a big exodus of expats who are living here on tourist visas.

I'm sure an internal visa process will be offered at a ridiculous price.

Thing is, its just not so easy for some expats just to up sticks & move, if you have financial & other commitments here.
What with all the restrictions now on term deposits, cant have a drink & drive (said tongue in cheek) & now this, its just continual problems to overcome seems like these days!
I dream back to the days when I got 15% interest at the bank, few motorbikes & virtually no cars on the road, getting pissed on Beer Saigon at 6k vnd a bottle & arriving at Tan Son Nhat with like 2 people at the visa on arrival desk, visa done & through immigration in 10 minutes flat.....ahhhhhh them were the days! now long gone & never to return I think.

unionjack wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

What do you think the outcome will be if they introduce this 30-day maximum limit for visas.

I can see a big exodus of expats who are living here on tourist visas.

I'm sure an internal visa process will be offered at a ridiculous price.

Thing is, its just not so easy for some expats just to up sticks & move, if you have financial & other commitments here.
What with all the restrictions now on term deposits, cant have a drink & drive (said tongue in cheek) & now this, its just continual problems to overcome seems like these days!
I dream back to the days when I got 15% interest at the bank, few motorbikes & virtually no cars on the road, getting pissed on Beer Saigon at 6k vnd a bottle & arriving at Tan Son Nhat with like 2 people at the visa on arrival desk, visa done & through immigration in 10 minutes flat.....ahhhhhh them were the days! now long gone & never to return I think.

I'm guessing that the lawyers who help set up a business here will see increased business.

People who can afford to do so will choose to qualify for a VEC or TRC.

In effect it will be similar to the situation in Thailand, where those who can afford to deposit the required amount of money are allowed to stay there.

In fact, we do know that the Vietnamese government DOES want us to keep more of our money in Savings accounts here, based on their recent adjustment to the banking laws allowing term deposits for as little as six months.

I *predict* that Vietnam will copy a lot of what Thailand has been doing, maybe even making expat health insurance mandatory.

Those living on the edge here ($500 - $800 monthly pension range) will eventually totally wear out their welcome.

For those eligible, a 90-day business visa may be the best alternative, since the 30 day stay restriction only seems to apply to tourist visas.

In fact, we do know that the Vietnamese government DOES want us to keep more of our money in Savings accounts here, based on their recent adjustment to the banking laws allowing term deposits for as little as six months.

I disagree with that statement.
My Vietnamese bank has always done deposits for as little as 1 months term up to 3 years. Difference since the new law now is that the term cannot exceed the end date on my visa. As UK citizen 3 months tourist visa at best I can get 2 months term & now I cant do auto roll over, I have to go to the bank & present my passport with visa.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

In fact, we do know that the Vietnamese government DOES want us to keep more of our money in Savings accounts here, based on their recent adjustment to the banking laws allowing term deposits for as little as six months.

unionjack wrote:

I disagree with that statement.
My Vietnamese bank has always done deposits for as little as 1 months term up to 3 years. Difference since the new law now is that the term cannot exceed the end date on my visa. As UK citizen 3 months tourist visa at best I can get 2 months term & now I cant do auto roll over, I have to go to the bank & present my passport with visa.

I'm sure that you and many others have been able to do wonderful and incredible things with the banking system in Vietnam in years gone by.

I don't dispute that at all.

However, the banking regulations were updated last year, with one change being that foreigners could no longer have term savings accounts:

SEE THIS THREAD

Shortly after that, the government backtracked and said that foreigners could indeed open term savings accounts if they were here for 6 months or longer:

vietnamnews.vn/economy/522683/foreigners-still-permitted-to-make-term-deposits-at-vietnamese-banks

It's unclear whether the banks will still open accounts shorter than 6 months maturity

However, there is now a definite minimum 6 months residency requirement.

And remember, NOW, under the new regulations, in order to open a term savings account, a person must first have a regular deposit account, sometimes referred to as a payment account ( a checking account without checks but with a debit card)

In order to open a regular deposit account under the new regulations, a person must have a total of one year approved residency.

That's the current reality.

As was pointed out in the Vietnam News article, the government really does want us to deposit more of our money in term savings accounts.

colinoscapee wrote:

What do you think the outcome will be if they introduce this 30-day maximum limit for visas.

I can see a big exodus of expats who are living here on tourist visas.

I'm sure an internal visa process will be offered at a ridiculous price.

Good morning colinoscapee, I am new here, I posted my intro post a few days ago on "New members" section, I can see you are an Aussie too, do you mind if I send you PM?
Thanks

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

unionjack wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

What do you think the outcome will be if they introduce this 30-day maximum limit for visas.

I can see a big exodus of expats who are living here on tourist visas.

I'm sure an internal visa process will be offered at a ridiculous price.

Thing is, its just not so easy for some expats just to up sticks & move, if you have financial & other commitments here.
What with all the restrictions now on term deposits, cant have a drink & drive (said tongue in cheek) & now this, its just continual problems to overcome seems like these days!
I dream back to the days when I got 15% interest at the bank, few motorbikes & virtually no cars on the road, getting pissed on Beer Saigon at 6k vnd a bottle & arriving at Tan Son Nhat with like 2 people at the visa on arrival desk, visa done & through immigration in 10 minutes flat.....ahhhhhh them were the days! now long gone & never to return I think.

I'm guessing that the lawyers who help set up a business here will see increased business.

People who can afford to do so will choose to qualify for a VEC or TRC.

In effect it will be similar to the situation in Thailand, where those who can afford to deposit the required amount of money are allowed to stay there.

In fact, we do know that the Vietnamese government DOES want us to keep more of our money in Savings accounts here, based on their recent adjustment to the banking laws allowing term deposits for as little as six months.

I *predict* that Vietnam will copy a lot of what Thailand has been doing, maybe even making expat health insurance mandatory.

Those living on the edge here ($500 - $800 monthly pension range) will eventually totally wear out their welcome.

For those eligible, a 90-day business visa may be the best alternative, since the 30 day stay restriction only seems to apply to tourist visas.

Good morning OceanBeach92107, its nice to read your posts, yes it would be nice if they followed Thai way handling LT visas, however no need to lock your big amount for 3 months, can do easier way where everyone is very happy, from top to the bottom, they even pick you up with new black Merc and deliver 1 year visa next day, all you have to do is come to the office and stamp your visa every 3 months, on the way to shopping, takes 10 min. Costs not much and its almost official. I would be very happy if they did that....

AUStan wrote:

Good morning colinoscapee, I am new here, I posted my intro post a few days ago on "New members" section, I can see you are an Aussie too, do you mind if I send you PM?
Thanks

Sure, no problem.

colinoscapee wrote:

AUStan wrote:

Good morning colinoscapee, I am new here, I posted my intro post a few days ago on "New members" section, I can see you are an Aussie too, do you mind if I send you PM?
Thanks

Sure, no problem.

Thanks, PM sent

In some respects I'm glad I left VN a few months ago to return to Australia after 10 years (the term "Asia fatigue" springs to mind), though I do miss my lifestyle there, and the great people. I'm still coming to terms with Melbourne's man buns and hipster beards, especially among the baristas with their $5-7 coffees.

But banking??? I had a great HSBC account in Kuala Lumpur and could bank at the counter and online like in the West, but VN was different. Change cash dollars to dong at the counter? "Do you have an account here?" "Yes." "But where did the money come from? Do you have a read invoice?" Aarghh!

I gather there have been some changes in VN banking laws recently, but by the sounds of the entries here, the coffee-money hurdles persist.

robvan wrote:

In some respects I'm glad I left VN a few months ago to return to Australia after 10 years (the term "Asia fatigue" springs to mind), though I do miss my lifestyle there, and the great people. I'm still coming to terms with Melbourne's man buns and hipster beards, especially among the baristas with their $5-7 coffees.

But banking??? I had a great HSBC account in Kuala Lumpur and could bank at the counter and online like in the West, but VN was different. Change cash dollars to dong at the counter? "Do you have an account here?" "Yes." "But where did the money come from? Do you have a read invoice?" Aarghh!

I gather there have been some changes in VN banking laws recently, but by the sounds of the entries here, the coffee-money hurdles persist.

You are right, the bank laws for expats are a joke. 70-odd million VN adults and they are worried about a piddly 100 thousand expats. The locals are the ones they should be cracking down on for money laundering.

colinoscapee wrote:

robvan wrote:

In some respects I'm glad I left VN a few months ago to return to Australia after 10 years (the term "Asia fatigue" springs to mind), though I do miss my lifestyle there, and the great people. I'm still coming to terms with Melbourne's man buns and hipster beards, especially among the baristas with their $5-7 coffees.

But banking??? I had a great HSBC account in Kuala Lumpur and could bank at the counter and online like in the West, but VN was different. Change cash dollars to dong at the counter? "Do you have an account here?" "Yes." "But where did the money come from? Do you have a read invoice?" Aarghh!

I gather there have been some changes in VN banking laws recently, but by the sounds of the entries here, the coffee-money hurdles persist.

You are right, the bank laws for expats are a joke. 70-odd million VN adults and they are worried about a piddly 100 thousand expats. The locals are the ones they should be cracking down on for money laundering.

I think you've 'struck gold' with that reply... 😉

What gets me is that Vietnam is a member of ASEAN, which was modelled to some extent on the EU, or the E(E)C before that, with aligned banking rules and other requirements. But the E(E)C never included communist, one-party states. As a historian by training with a major in Modern Asian History, I'm fascinated by how this is going to pan out when the high growth rates in the region slow down and what this might mean for the status quo.

Do you really have to do business to qualify for a 3/6/12 month business visa?

thecyclist wrote:

Do you really have to do business to qualify for a 3/6/12 month business visa?

I covered that in another thread:

expat. com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=879403&p=3#4787095

I have been advised by a reliable visa agent that, yes, we will be able to have the monthly stamps done in-country, but....the cost per 3 months (initial 3-month visa plus 2 monthly stamps is likely to be around $us250

Loftii wrote:

I have been advised by a reliable visa agent that, yes, we will be able to have the monthly stamps done in-country, but....the cost per 3 months (initial 3-month visa plus 2 monthly stamps is likely to be around $us250

Sorry to be so blunt, but it's highly likely you have been told of an illegal enterprise.

If you are really following this topic, you'd know it's being done so that "tourists" will need to go through a regular entry interview with immigration, to see if your continued presence here is legitimate, and that you aren't working illegally.

So if your "reliable visa agent" is telling you that you won't have to do a border run, they almost certainly are going to provide an illegal visa EXIT and ENTRY stamp in your passport.

There are already visa agents doing this now and they are ALL illegal, even if they are 'reliable' in their ability to help you break the law.

Those words..” your continued presence here is legitimate “ will be the elephant in the room with a lot of Expats.

I've had my own issues with Immigration as detailed in other threads , and also with other legalities here over nearly 9 years.   I've also dated 3 Visa agents & lived with 2 of them.   They do have a convenient habit of telling you what you like to hear.    They actually believe it's NOT a lie if both parties to the conversation are happy with the answer. 😆

As for my own enquires with Immigration .......it all comes back to MONEY .   Gee,  who'd have thought that possible 🤓

Tax evasion & people “gaming” the system for long term stays as illegal workers & hotels going broke from privateers renting all these apartments to tourists is starting to annoy them.

Teachers being paid under the table by “schools” that are not licensed correctly , that deduct Tax from unqualified teachers & simply pocket it themselves, are in the cross hairs.   A lot of those teachers are also on tourist visas, I know several,  and also on TRCs that were not set up correctly.     

Also....Hotels.   They're screaming as well.   The apartment boom has created a market for privateers to rent these places to short & long term tourists .   A lot don't register guests with the Police & EVADE TAX. They also don't have a permit to rent the place out on a commercial basis either.

Unless the Housing Law has changed,,,a tourist on less than a 90 day continuous visa cannot rent a private dwelling.     They should stay in a Hotel or Serviced apartment at greater cost.   

This is where the 30 day exits come in.    Can anyone hear the Hotel operators cheering.😆.  Most licensed hotels should be paying Tax also.

Obviously unscrupulous operators “cook their books” pay coffee money to the police on their inspections to limit the tax they pay .....this is a highly corrupt country after all.  But they are trying to crack down on corruption here. 

But getting back to the “legitimate purpose of stay”.    The DNs...I asked about the obvious .  People would just get the 3mth renewable DNs . 
 
I was told that after a period of time ( not disclosed) if you haven't set up a legitimate Business , seen to be operating with all the relevant permits, financial reporting, staff, registered business address etc etc , you will be deemed to be “gaming” the system just like the tourist visa system is being used for long term stays.   When the renewal comes, unless you can put something worthwhile on the table ,,,,,it's back to the 30 day game. 

How many renewals are you allowed......no answer. Shrug of the shoulders .   

They want to see actual skin in the game....$$$$.    They don't want people just thinking about it, sniffing around  or just sticking a beach umbrella in the sand with a For Hire sticker on it.  That simply won't cut it.  The locals are the Kings of deception & shady fake operations & they'll fully expect to see that coming.

A consultant here I know with a multi national also told me they want younger high net worth entrepreneurs with money to invest.   They know most retirees that end up in places like Vietnam & Cambodia aren't the pick of the crop financially.   

That probably explains the lack of focus on Retirement Visas.

This Virus outbreak will probably change their thinking of Tourist Visa .  So maybe expect to see further amendments to their policy.

***

That's the way Joe,,,,, nothing like a sugar coated review of the situation😆

Malaysia has the MM2H 10 year “social visit” permit to stay programme.
I spend time on Langkawi now ( nice place)  & also Bali's east coast. 

The Bali retirement visa is Ok .  There's a few catches , but it's pretty good.    The condition of employing a house keeper or gardener is a pain in the ass.     Your better to pay them to NOT show up.

You run the risk of them falling over & claiming damages against you.   You can avoid all that by rotating between the destinations on Tourist Visa.      They're all so close. 

I have friends here which brings me back , but if it's 30 days, so be it.

There are nice alternatives is SE Asia, it's good after many years in VN to have windows without Bars & having a nice bungalow with a garden & clean air.  Nothing like the feeling of grass under your feet & the smell of a freshly mown lawn.   

Not much of that here.

In relation to Mr Happy Joe, Im sure there will be a way around it and it will be an in-country extension at an inflated price.

Thank you for the information. Yeah I tell it without filter, too many PC liberal sensibilities in the world and in these threads. I despise the “why can't we all just get along and pretend” liberal ideology.

Anyways, can you tell me more of the 10 year Maly visa? Thank you.

(BTW, agree with the grass thing....)

Not sure when the 30 day tourist visa kicks in, i arrived 20th jan and got 3 month tourist visa with multiple entry ay HCM airport. Since then have submitted spouse visa exemption...

I don't live in Vietnam. However how I see transitioning to a 'foreign' place is to acclimate to the environment - or continue to struggle against a no win situation. Everyone no matter what their socio-economic status has the right to live where ever they want. If they choose to fly 10 thousands miles to live off pho - then so be it.

My father was a blue collar, aka manual laborer, he had a family to support, house and car payments and he did it the best way he knew how - he did not have the option of ringing that closing Bell on Wall Street.

Joeaports59 wrote:

Thank you for the information. Yeah I tell it without filter, too many PC liberal sensibilities in the world and in these threads. I despise the “why can't we all just get along and pretend” liberal ideology.

Anyways, can you tell me more of the 10 year Maly visa? Thank you.

(BTW, agree with the grass thing....)

you better watch out the PC liberal types on here will get you thrown out or your posts deleted or under review!!!
Funny thing is many of them dont even live in Vietnam, but have a plethora of knowledge about real life here!!

Joeaports59 wrote:

Thank you for the information. Yeah I tell it without filter, too many PC liberal sensibilities in the world and in these threads. I despise the “why can't we all just get along and pretend” liberal ideology.

Anyways, can you tell me more of the 10 year Maly visa? Thank you.

(BTW, agree with the grass thing....)

google MM2H.

MM2H requires if your over 50 $37,000 bank bond and you've got to show $85,000 in liquid funds within reach.   You can't work either.
Also have $2500 monthly income.     There's also the set up costs .. and annual fee . Which is costly depending on the agent.

Bali is dirt cheap to set up the retirement Visa.    Depending on the agent , $1200 should do it, then $700 PA .   

But for me....I move around more now, plus twice a year back to Australia , so I can easily rotate on tourist  visa.    MM2H,,,,if I'm locking in about $40k on a visa Bond & getting shit interest , I'm losing about $4k in investment earnings , which more than cover airfares & a lot of accommodation.

And , I'm not dealing with Asian beaurocrats .

Prefer to be a moving target.

Loftii wrote:

I have been advised by a reliable visa agent that, yes, we will be able to have the monthly stamps done in-country, but....the cost per 3 months (initial 3-month visa plus 2 monthly stamps is likely to be around $us250

Wouldn't worry too much at this stage .   A lot can change before July.
This place is famous for moving the goal posts and coming up with ways of getting things done.

This Virus thing has knocked the arse out of tourism .    It's highly likely there will be another change coming & likely to be more flexible with regard to length of stays .   

I'd say they will be only to eager to apply extension fees.

Ontheroad57 wrote:

Loftii wrote:

I have been advised by a reliable visa agent that, yes, we will be able to have the monthly stamps done in-country, but....the cost per 3 months (initial 3-month visa plus 2 monthly stamps is likely to be around $us250

Wouldn't worry too much at this stage .   A lot can change before July.
This place is famous for moving the goal posts and coming up with ways of getting things done.

This Virus thing has knocked the arse out of tourism .    It's highly likely there will be another change coming & likely to be more flexible with regard to length of stays .   

I'd say they will be only to eager to apply extension fees.

Yeah, the big guys/gals in immigration who are building their new,million dollar holiday home won't want their income stream to dry up.

You're a good example of not being able to think it through. My pops 35 years on the Chrysler assembly line. Raised six kids and we wanted for nothing.....however....he made damn sure I served my country (militarily) and graduated college so I DIDNT have to struggle like he did.
You getting it now? Not talking about the previous generation. but the current corps of dead beat Euro and American retirees who again only come over because in Europe or America they'd be living in squalor or on the streets on their garbage low wage social security and/or retirement.

SEA does not need to be dirtied up by these low rent bums who come over and like roaches crawl by on $500-$800 a month.

Thank you OnTheRoad. That's my plan B, 10 acre 3 season cottage back in the states and snowbirding over to SEA for the winters.

I've discovered any SEA country and SEA as a whole is quite wonderful for about 5 months at a spell, then the underbelly (infrastructure, abominable Pizza, language, looks directed towards the foreigner, culture, chaos, horns and barking dogs...etc etc starts to get to you).

One Problem is I've met a peach here and can't quite figure out a way to reconcile it. I won't marry again (I'm 60, shes 33) and she can't come to the states for 7 months every year as a girlfriend.

I Maybe need to find a thread on that kind of quandary.....

Joeaports59 wrote:

You're a good example of not being able to think it through. My pops 35 years on the Chrysler assembly line. Raised six kids and we wanted for nothing.....however....he made damn sure I served my country (militarily) and graduated college so I DIDNT have to struggle like he did.
You getting it now? Not talking about the previous generation. but the current corps of dead beat Euro and American retirees who again only come over because in Europe or America they'd be living in squalor or on the streets on their garbage low wage social security and/or retirement.

SEA does not need to be dirtied up by these low rent bums who come over and like roaches crawl by on $500-$800 a month.

Without using the quote button this answer could be to anyone.

Gotta love the VIetnamese.   Hardy, improvising , can adapt etc etc

Already a friend here dealing with this 30 day Visa deal has been offered a  “VEC” 🤓🤓.   

I never would have thought I'd see the day “sham” marriages would be offerred to foreigners to keep them here.     Isn't it supposed to be the other way around.

In other FB sites they're talking about Investor  DT visas.   Just try and shirt tail your way onto a company as a minority share holder & there's your vIsa . 

It will be the dodgy TRCs  & business Visas all over again.  No guessing who is putting these schemes out there.      Will It ever change.....grease the right palms , game the system & alls good until some guy at immigration finds out he missed his cut of the action ,,and spills the beans. 

Visa extensions were $30 when I got here.  They've increased up to $350 even though the actual fee is $10.     I was told the 3mth DNs can be renewed for $150 .       

Expect that to rise .