New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

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truffledog
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by truffledog »

Alex wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2023 3:43 pm
sigmoid wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:15 pm
ExPenhMan wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:32 pm
Let's hope they make this effective for say June 1 and the e-visa portal will be robust because there is going to be an explosive rush.
Explosive rush? What am I missing here? Many expats have already relocated elsewhere. Vietnam has never been very popular with tourists. The nightlife is boring/annoying.

Just curious... Who really has a desire to spend 3 months in Vietnam? Maybe some old folks?
I had the 3-month multi-entry tourist visa twice in 2019, when it was still available before Covid. And I'll get the eVisa reincarnation thereof again once that becomes available. I think Vietnam is a great country to explore, and I'm not done yet.
same here

Cant wait to go back again for a deeper exploration.
work is for people who cant find truffles
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sigmoid
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by sigmoid »

But no one seems to able to explain why it's such a great country that so many are waiting to return to and explore.

Only generalities are offered. It's that bridge made to look like giant hands, right?

Image
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I may be going to hell in a bucket,
but at least I'm enjoying the ride.
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by Ryan754326 »

sigmoid wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2023 4:59 pm But no one seems to able to explain why it's such a great country that so many are waiting to return to and explore.

Only generalities are offered. It's that bridge made to look like giant hands, right?

Image
To me, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos, are all pretty similar. They feel like the same sort of place, at different stages of development. Vietnam is unique in SEA.
It’s a relatively small country with a very large, young population, so there’s a lot of buzz, and even small towns feel busy. Some people will hate this, but to me, the country feels very alive.
The food is tasty, cheap, and generally more palatable to people who can’t handle as much spice as a lot of Thai food has. I love spice, but my friends who don’t, seem to prefer Vietnamese food over Thai or Cambodian. Beer is dirt cheap too.
My favorite thing about Vietnam is how diverse the landscapes are. There are jungles, deserts, pine forests, mountains, limestone karsts, lakes and rivers, areas that are surprisingly cold. When I show people pictures, they are often surprised by what it looks like. A lot of people assume the whole country looks like the Mekong delta. It’s a very motorcycle-centric country, and the variety of landscapes makes it a great place to ride.

Vietnam seems to be a “love it or hate it” kind of place. In my experience, people who are looking for adventure seem to love it. People who want peace and quiet, and people who want to sit in girly bars catering to westerners, seem to hate it.
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by ExPenhMan »

Good news and so so news, plus some surprising news -- potentially, long-term visas! Also very welcome is what appears to be a new attitude that changes must come soon due to heavy competition from neighbouring nations.

The original proposed visa changes have been presented to the Vietnam National Assembly lawmakers today who will discuss the proposals on Friday, June 2.
Legislators will vote next month on the bill that seeks to extend the validity of e-visas from 30 days to a maximum of three months and allow multiple entry.

The Ministry of Public Security submitted the relevant amendments to the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam to the National Assembly on Saturday.

Members will discuss these changes on June 2 and vote on it on the last day of the ongoing session on June 24.
^^^ The so so news . . . another month to wait. But I thought the NA session ends mid-June. Anyway, it's happening.

More details at link:

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/law ... 10312.html


Now, the surprising news. Hard to tell if the Tourism Advisory Board's fresh proposals, including what looks like a digital nomad category, will be added to the amendments, but here it is:
The Tourism Advisory Board has proposed that the government consider offering 30-day unilateral visa exemptions for golf tourists and those traveling by private jet.

In comments on a draft amendment to the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam, the board (TAB) encouraged the government to waive visas for up to a month for those entering Vietnam to attend sports tournaments, conferences and tourism fairs, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

TAB also backed a clause in the draft amendment extending the validity of e-visas from 30 days to a maximum of three months. The stipulation would also allow for multiple-entry e-visas, in order to attract international tourists.

The board has also stated that it wants to triple to 45 days the duration of visa-free stays for tourists from certain countries who now enjoy a 15-day waiver.

"Applying for a visa at international border gates prompts additional visa fees and causes trouble for international tourists, especially solo travelers," said a TAB statement.

TAB also suggested the government grant five-year visas to foreign individuals who buy residential real estate in Vietnam, and two-year visas for foreigners working remotely in Vietnam.
More details:

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/vie ... 10300.html

Sadly, no one is proposing a retirement visa, but we don't know all the details yet. I have a feeling this one has little traction among the Viet lawmakers.
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by ExPenhMan »

It seems what has been proposed on visa changes can be modified and even improved. As reported by Voice of Vietnam yesterday, apparently some lawmakers on the sponsoring National Defense and Security Committee asked why not offer a 6-month visa. Nothing more was said about this amendment. We still have another month to go before the visa proposal package comes to a vote.
Some members of the committee asked the bill drafting agency to clarify why the EV validity should not exceed three months, while some others even proposed to extend the validity to no more than six months.
https://english.vov.vn/en/travel/vietna ... 022817.vov


It also seems there is a greater appetite for broad visa changes, i.e., making it much easier to enter for business purposes and market research, etc. From Viet Nam News agency:
According to the previous regulations, Vietnamese representative agencies abroad were only allowed to grant visas in special cases under the authorisation of the Immigration Department, but the scope was very limited and the procedures required the endorsement of the foreign affairs ministry of the host country, (Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh) Sơn noted.

The Minister suggested that the amendment to the law this time needed to be more flexible and open as Việt Nam is expanding its international relations.

Minister Sơn also urged to waive the requirement for an invitation, reception, or a guarantor for foreign visitors entering Việt Nam for tourism or market research purposes.

"The issuance of electronic visas does not require a guarantor, but the requirement for a guarantor by Vietnamese representative agencies for visa issuance creates difficulties and may cause confusion for tourists," Sơn stated.
https://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/15 ... ament.html
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by Stravaiger »

I wouldn't expect much more than a 3 month visa or a 45 day waiver for your average expat refugee.

Vietnam advised to waive visa for wealthy travelers
By Hoang Phong May 26, 2023 | 04:09 pm PT
The Tourism Advisory Board has proposed that the government consider offering 30-day unilateral visa exemptions for golf tourists and those traveling by private jet.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/vie ... 10300.html

Even if something like a retirement visa that wasn't bound to property purchase were introduced, I would be reluctant to take advantage of it given Vietnam's record of frequently changing the visa rules.
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by newkidontheblock »

I would hazard to guess that those coming to Vietnam on private jet for a golf vacation don’t really care about the visa debate because they already (unofficially) get exemptions to everything anyways.

They value their time above all things. They don’t stand in line for anything. They don’t bother with visa runs or cheap beers at cheap girly bars. They don’t waste their time waiting. Everything is pre-curated in advance for them for maximum value. Wherever they go they will be chaperoned by locals with influence and power to make sure they get exactly what they want.

All the best Vietnam has to offer.
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by Pizzalover »

Thanks for all the effort you put in and keeping us informed.
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by Stravaiger »

Ideal except it isn't possible.
Vietnam ideal for foreigners' retirement
By Xanh Le June 12, 2023 | 06:00 am GMT+7
Rob Joseph decided he’d retire to Vietnam the moment local passers-by helped him out of a sticky situation he’d gotten into with a taxi driver here years ago.

Joseph, an Australian in his 70s, said that when he questioned the calculations of his taxi’s dubious meter, the driver got angry and locked the doors, preventing the traveler from exiting the vehicle. The driver then started shouting to people in the street, calling his passenger a liar.

"He [the taxi driver] thought people would help him. But they gathered to help me, which surprised me," Joseph said.

"And that is the moment when I decided to relocate to Vietnam after retiring."
Quite the half-full type of guy.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/trend/viet ... 15687.html

See the full article for comments about healthcare etc.
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Re: New Vietnam draft law to offer 3-month e-visa

Post by Stravaiger »

Meanwhile in Cambodia...
Cambodia, a pensioner’s paradise

As many have heralded in 2022 Cambodia took third place in International Living’s world’s best retirement destinations index.

Vietnam was ranked as the number one place for retirees to emigrate in that year followed by Bali (Indonesia).

A smaller population than Vietnam, but a similar climate and proximity to other key air and sea ports, Cambodia may be on the way to the number one retiree destination in the world very soon.

Retirement Visa applicants also offer an ongoing capital injection into the local economies in which they choose to live, funded by their pension.

Due to the rising costs of living, property and ongoing currency devaluation currently affecting many developed nations, along with disproportionately large elderly demographics squeezing state resources (Japan 30 percent of population over 65 years, Italy around 25, for example), pensioners are increasingly looking abroad for countries they can comfortably live, and maybe even enjoy, their remaining years.

The minimum total pension payment for one month in Australia is approximately $2,842. Rentals in Sydney are at least $1,496 per month and other essential living costs are on average $1,068.

In 2022, the average UK pensioner pocketed a packet of $3,329 per month period. Total costs of living in UK cities were around $2,296 per month, including rent ($1,442). London costs can be up to three times this.

Pensions are being squeezed, and seniors lacking assets or family support are falling short......
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501307564/ ... -paradise/
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