My roller coaster ride on obtaining Work Permit in Vietnam
At origin ( Singapore ) checklist ( preparing since Feb 2022 ):
1) Specialist Letter ( prepare by my company in Vietnam - no fixed template but emphasising my core competency for the job ).
2) Degree Certificate or better.
3) COC - Certificate of Clearance ( must not exceed 6 months ) issuance by Singapore Police Force.
4) Photograph - 2 type ( 4cm x 6cm and 2cm x 3cm ) - must be white background.
5) Passport
With the above, the first step to take is to notarise the documents for Item 1 and 2. For "kiasurism" like me, proceed to notarise item 3 as well ( since cost a leg and arm, may as well throw in the body... the more the merrier ). Submit mine to our company panel lawyer but they will correspond with SAL where SAL is the sole authorise body to notarise documents in Singapore. Remember that all documents is to be notarise individually and do not consolidate. Thereafter will need to head down to Vietnam embassy ( 10 Leedon Park ) to legalise the notarised documents. ( ah... remember to bring a pen and umbrella as the queue will be long till outside of the main road ). During my application, the embassy only operate on every Mon, Wed and Friday. Not sure now but better to check not thru the website but physically at embassy where they will paste a "notice" at the front gate.
Duration:
- 2 days for panel lawyer to notarise the documents.
- 1/2 day for Vietnam embassy to legalise the documents plus some sun tan and plenty of eyes washing moments.
- 2 days for trust worthy super express courier service to courier the notarised and legalised documents to VN ( without passport ).
Still in Singapore, after more than 3 weeks with my HR assisting the application in VN, business visa has been granted for 3 months as this is the only option available. With the letter ( the letter head will state: cục quản lý xuất nhập cảnh ), ensure to check every words on the approved letter as well as the numbers. Not sure a deliberation or pure coincide where my passport no was typed wrongly. For rectification, it can only be done in Vietnam and for my instance, getting my HR into assisting accordingly. Return back second time and now with wrong spelling on my name. Get it rework again and still wrongly done. No choice and with my HR assurance, rectification can only be done upon my physical appearance in the airport. Accepting the fact, proceed to purchase my air ticket.
Point to note: the letter did not specify any permissible point of entry whereby it has granted a multiple entry into Vietnam within the stated duration ( mine was 3 months period ). Date count is based on the letter and not on your first arrival date. As I need to report to HCMC, therefore to fly to Tan Son Nhat firstly on earliest possible flight.
Good morning Saigon and here I am. Coming from a visa free country, kindly do not proceed to the immigration stamping area first. Proceed to Visa Issuance counter office to process the business visa. Else your 90 days visa will become 30 days instead. Where I've my details to rectify, the personal manning the counter is expecting my arrival and could even greet me by my name. Here, prepare USD50 or VND1.3 mil for a piece of Visa sticker ( DN 1 Visa ) to be paste onto the passport.
Point to note:
1) Without a pen is okay if you could endure the horrendous face of the officer into asking for 1.
2) Tight column to scribble in your details into 4 immaculate papers asking for details.
3) Preferably to prepare USD else conversion of rates is based on the officer book rates. ( I paid in VND )
4) Remember to check your details before leaving the counter. ( for me, the wrong is still wrong and in wrongly wrong ).
5) Bring along your inoculated certificate as backup ( did not request but during entry in Apr, officer merely asking for COVID Test Report - RT-PCR which they stamp on it before entering the immigration counter ).
6) Downloaded PC COVID apps but end up redundant.
7) This is important.... remember to smile, smile and smile.
Since I'm based in Hai Phong, all the notarised and legalised documents follow me to Cat Bi again. First thing to do is to perform medical checkup at authorised hospital determine by the ministry. Kindly check thoroughly as not all hospital is authorise to carry out such checkup. Cost is about VND2.3 mil which is much cheaper back home but the essence is to have my fitness readily translated in VN languages to avoid dispute. Thereafter proceed to Ministry of Labour office. Trust me... it's is not a straight forward process. 2 runs to Hanoi ( consultation and clarification ) and 2 runs at Hai Phong office ( application and validation ) still could not get the Work Permit issued since Apr '22 despite completing the application forms ( hồ sơ đề nghị cấp giấy phép lao động, tên doanh nghiệp / tổ chức and mẫu số 11/PL 1) . Assumption is that some pious deliberately waiting for my DN 1 visa to expire and thereafter will play Beauty and the Beast. Come Jul '22 and hey hey... the pious called and the movie started.
Senses the scurrilous demand, my HR instructed my application to be file in Saigon instead. Again, all my notorised and legalised documentation together with my original passport and medical checkup report is to be courier down south to HCMC again. Firstly action taken was to extend my business visa for another month ( Jul to Aug ) and again ( Aug to Sep ) with USD10 each application. Concurrently to work on my Work Permit. Finally WP approved ( after 3 weeks with initial application starting end Jun '22 ) and with a validity duration of 2 years. Unfortunate is that my passport validity is merely 1 year, thus will need to postpone on applying for TRC. Regrettably could not share the application details as I was not there during the application. But 1 thing for sure is that we just represent Bac Ho smile and without the need to hand over that piece of paper for my application. Unicorn really exist isn't it?
Point to note:
1) Passport with a validity of more or equal to 2 years ( TRC only issue for passport validity of more than 1 year and 1 month onward )
2) Southern area is much tolerance / feasible or would say abide to stipulated condition for WP application.
3) Photocopy and safe keep a copy of your passport and visa sticker while your original documents is away.
4) Medical checkup - prepare for 6 tubes of bloods taken and even to the extend of checking your tooth - presumably checking for tooth decay which may impact my work productivity?
5) Bring along a colleague else you will be playing treasure hunt at the hospital.
Hope this more or less provide some feel to who may concern or may bump me up should more clarification is needed. Will try my level best to assist.
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