Vietnam Policy update March 11th, 2020.

Johnny Le Manh Hung wrote:

Business visa can only be approved under some conditions:
1.    Have sponsor company ( NO AGENCY)
2.    Stamp visa at Viet Nam embassies/ consulates before entry Viet Nam ( No visa on arrival at Viet Nam airport and ground border)
Airport letters are only issued if the country you're flying from doesn't have any embassy/consulate.
For those who already have visa letter, visa stickers, 5 years exemption or TRC you might not be able to entry IF:
1.    Travel history includes European countries + other serious affected areas.
2.    Did not pass the medical check at your entry port ( you'll either put under quarantine or sent back to where you came from)
For visa extension inside Viet Nam without leaving.
1.    Price will be most likely be higher that usual
2.    You will have to fill in the medical declaration. (tokhaiyte vn)

Good link.

I again encourage U.S. citizens to apply for their visa online through the San Francisco Consulate:

vietnamconsulate-sf.org/en/2017/05/11/visa/

The form linked in the OP is the form I had to fill out on my border run Sunday.  Strictly
a self-assessment.  They didn't even shoot me with the typically unreliable IR thermometer.  Gave it to a table before the passport check station, they tore off the bottom section and gave it back to me.  Showed it to passport agent and was stamped through.  Showed it again to the exit agent.  That was it.

Now, are they less stringent when they look at my passport and see I just did an in-and-out border run?  Maybe.

Johnny Le Manh Hung wrote:

Business visa can only be approved under some conditions:
1.    Have sponsor company ( NO AGENCY)
2.    Stamp visa at Viet Nam embassies/ consulates before entry Viet Nam ( No visa on arrival at Viet Nam airport and ground border)
Airport letters are only issued if the country you're flying from doesn't have any embassy/consulate.
For those who already have visa letter, visa stickers, 5 years exemption or TRC you might not be able to entry IF:
1.    Travel history includes European countries + other serious affected areas.
2.    Did not pass the medical check at your entry port ( you'll either put under quarantine or sent back to where you came from)
For visa extension inside Viet Nam without leaving.
1.    Price will be most likely be higher that usual
2.    You will have to fill in the medical declaration. ( https://tokhaiyte.vn/ )

Thanks for updates on the forum, Johnny. 

I see on the HCMC expats FB page there have been posts claiming agents are charging  TRIPLE  the going rate for renewals.

This could come back to bite them.

On another note...check your health insurance.   Might be a few surprises there.   If your elderly & concerned about this Virus , maybe getting out of here would be a good move health wise & economically. Pandemics ......doubtful if covered,read the fine print.

Bad luck for the old Italians tho.....there's reports they are not admitting over 70s to hospitals due to bed shortages.  😆😆😆.   They assume they've already lived 90% of their lives , so leave em to rot on the streets.     

It'll Be like a reality Walking Dead show.

We'll all be “rooned”......and don't call me Hanrahan.

Got this yesterday from Vietnam-evisa.org :
Vietnam Government will deny to issue visa for ALL NATIONALITIES from Mar/15 to Apr/15/2020 (even if they already had the Approval Approved).

Anyone know if this is correct or does it mean that application through a agent is a no go.

Yes, in case your aren't from Europe, you will need to either have a valid visa in your passport or make one in an embassy or a consulate prior to your trip.