If you are Viet Kieu (Abroad Vietnamese) and interested in getting a 5 year visa exemption, Tung (Saigon in a Cup) gives a very detailed descriptions on how you can obtain this. This 5 year visa exemption also applies to those who are married to Vietnamese nationals.
Visit How to get a 5 year visa exemption for more information.
Having this type of visa means you will have to leave Vietnam every three months (border run to Moc Bai) but I heard some Viet Kieu are able to renew it in Saigon for a “fee”.
For the rest of us, once you have renewed your 3 month visas three times (for 9 months), you will have to leave Vietnam to renew your visa. The easiest is getting a “letter of invitation” from you company or school, especially for Americans. The other option is to go through the tedious work permit process which, once approved, allows you to obtain a 2-3 year temporary resident card.
The choice is yours…
Please don’t think I’m always jumping in just to make corrections… 🙂
Just today, in fact, we went through the “three month” process relating to the visa extension. We went to our nearest police stations with some forms that were picked up from Immigration. These forms were signed by the senior police official at the station, and stamped. They need to be dropped off at immigration (which we’ll do tomorrow). The only fee we paid was 3000VND for 3 copies of the necessary form. I suppose you *could* leave a little “coffee money” for the head of the police station, but that’s up to you…
I only needed 1 form. And you don’t pay anything until you pick up your stamped passport from Immigration. The stamp (I have a pic on my website)clearly shows that the fee is $10 USD (shown on the stamp)….confirmed by another expat. Get back to us after you pick up your stamped passport.
Hey Kev….I’m pretty sure that anyone with the 5 Year Visa Exemption (not just Viet Kieu) can file for the extension. It’s just $10 and takes a week for them to approve it….no border runs necessary.
Anyone that isn’t eligible for the Visa Exemption or is having a hard time getting a work permit….Anders from expat.vn might have a possible solution for you….detailed in the comments section of my original post.
I have been living here now since November 2008. But like most people I have to renew my B3 visa every month, unless I leave the country. I am not married To a Vietnamese girl and do not have any family here in HCMC.
Is there any long term visa that I can get?