ExPenhMan wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:01 am My head was spinning after watching this video by a Vietnamese immigration consultant, a lawyer, by the way. A second viewing was necessary and it seemed clearer. While he gives e-visa application a thumbs down, he does go on to explain the form questions and reasoning behind them.

Tip: You do have to arrive with health insurance << this is the term used by the agent, but I am going to assume travel insurance is fine. The former insurance requirement used to be discretionary on the part of an immigration officer, he says. I was never asked earlier this year nor last on 30-day trips.

Nowhere in his presentation does he reveal his firm's service fees. He does answer commenters queries, most of which are negative about the form's complexity.

Anyway, it is worth watching.

This just in: Thailand may extend its 30-day tourist visa to 90 days.

Look out Vietnam! It is not hard to imagine this move might suddenly swing a sizeable volume of SEA visitors to Thailand's shores this winter.

The new government will consider extending tourist visa validities from 30 days to 90 days and the easing of immigration procedures, to make them more convenient for foreign tourists, said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, responding to call from tourism business operators for the government to boost the tourism industry.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pm-to-look ... o-90-days/

stevenjb wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:28 am

Kahuna wrote:Just went to see my local visa agent who has been processing my previous 1 month single entry visas. The cost for the monthly visa was 2.8 million Dong ($183 AUD or $118 USD)which included both Cambodian and Vietnam visas and transport (4 hours up to the Bavet and Moc Bai border stations from Vung Tau and another 4 hours return and up to an hour for processing).
The new cost for the 3 month multi entry visa was 3.4 million Dong ($222 AUD or $143 USD) but a bit cheaper for single entry. I opted for multi entry so I can get over to Bangkok in a few weeks and not worry about paying for new visas.

So the agent fee for a 3-month multi is $93 USD.

For 3-month Vietnam Visa about $47/month -- agent and Visa costs

Did you ask the agent if this is a rinse-and-repeat, or does one have to remain out of Vietnam for some time, like the EU Schengen Area Visa rule 90-days in every 180-days.

This "new" visa just means you have to do the trip to the border every 3 months or towards the end of the validity fly out and back in so rinse and repeat.
There are still some visa agents apparently offering Temporary Residence Certificates (TRC) with fake or dodgy employment details valid for a year (not sure of cost but it was $3,600 AUD for a 2 year TRC two years ago) but the government has been cracking down hard on corruption at all levels and both govt officials and some agents have been jailed or are awaiting trial. Foreigners who have been caught out are barred from re-entering the company and go on the Black List.

Fresh from the Vietnam Dept. of Blah blah blah . . .

First, the Tourism ministry is maybe, possibly, potentially getting real -- well, okay, most ASEAN nations are eyeing the so-called wealthy tourists. However, the magical word "retired" is referenced for the first time that I recall:

From the Saigon News on Wednesday, which is the only news outlet to feature the long-term visas proposal:

HEADLINE: Proposal of granting three to five-year visas aims to lure high-end tourists

Amid the issues, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed some missions and solutions comprising the continuation of strengthening the inter-sector collaboration, studying and proposing mechanisms and policies to facilitate the recovery and development of the tourism sector.

In particular, it is essential to implement short-term visa exemption for some big potential markets such as China, India and so on to stimulate tourism demand, especially during the low season, expand the simple visa exemption for citizens of Australia, Canada, the United States and the rest countries in the European Union and so on.

Besides, it is important to perform the pilot program of granting visas at the border gates for international tourists, granting long-term visas from three to five years to attract advanced travelers and retired visitors.

In addition, it is essential to simplify the procedures of granting e-visa, ensuring the website display which would be simple and easy to show the visa results.

Lots of drivel at:

https://en.sggp.org.vn/proposal-of-gran ... 06320.html

Related story from VN Express Tuesday night:

HEADLINE: Tourism minister wants visas waived for Chinese, Indian visitors

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung has called for short-term visa waivers for major markets like China and India to drive tourism recovery.

At a conference chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Wednesday, he also suggested waivers for visitors from wealthy countries such as Australia, Canada, the U.S., and the remaining 20 members of the 27-member E.U.

Now only nationals of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland can enter Vietnam without a visa.

Hung has proposed expanding the visa exemption regime to boost tourism on several occasions even as Southeast Asian countries are racing to attract foreign visitors with friendly visa policies.

More mildly related drivel at:

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/tou ... 77174.html

Why the sudden interest in expanding VN visa options? Westerners are not knocking down the gates into Vietnam. Could be the high airfares and lower incomes. Also I will wager the 90-day visa scheme has not had a big impact. Why? There has not been a single story since the Sept. 15 introduction hailing the visa expansion that I'm aware of.

Thailand and Cambodia are eating Vietnam's lunch. Both are setting healthy inbound visitor numbers -- notice, I did not say tourists. Wink wink. Hint hint: Malaysians frequently lead the Thailand ranks due to the Thai border visits and then there's the Chinese looking to hide their money in Bangkok businesses, and last, many Koreans and Indians are visiting. Cambodia does get, along with a rise in Koreans too, expat refugees from Thailand (extension clamp-downs and tax scare) and Vietnam (lack of long-term visas).

Anyway, hopefully all the Viet political hot air will turn into some action resembling a real will to create decent long-term visa offerings. Meanwhile, don't put off current plans as any news might be a ways off.