Visa Situation in Vietnam worsens
The visa situation in Vietnam worsens day-to-day according to the many expats stuck in the country since the start of the pandemic. This is very much in contrast to Cambodia, where visa issues have been rather tame in comparison. The country since also been named the fourth most friendly to foreigners since the start of the pandemic.
David Hodgson, a British expat in Central Vietnam tells Khmer Nights his story.
Visa Situation in Vietnam worsens for expats
The visa situation in Vietnam has become incredibly frustrating for travelers and those impacted by Covid-19 in recent months.
The central government has technically offered free visa extensions for those who arrived for tourism since March 2020 on a rolling basis. The policy is generous and welcome given global uncertainty around the pandemic and risks involved in travelling. Sadly, the messaging surrounding these measures has been somehow missing.
What is the official policy on visas in Vietnam?
The monthly free visa extensions are not announced until after the current visa period has already expired. This puts travelers in a precarious position legally, at constant risk of overstay.
Other visas holders are on even shakier ground. Those who were unfortunate enough to arrive on tourist visas before March are at the mercy of agents as their guides to navigate the bureaucratic minefield.
The department of immigration does not communicate directly on rules for visa processing but instead through a network of shadowy agents who reel off ever-changing and complex rules and pricing.
How much is it to renew your Vietnamese visa during Covid?
In March 2020 visas were easy to come by and cost around 50USD for three months. Since then the maximum period for renewal has decreased to one month, and the price varies from 50 to 150USD each time. The actual price varies depending on which agent you choose. The reason for the price difference is never clear, and I suspect it varies depending on the mood the agent is in when they wake up that morning.
To read about which countries are open to travel click here
Mixed visa messages
In recent months there has been consistent messaging that visa renewals were ending and that tourists needed to leave the country. The policy was again passed down through agents and never confirmed officially in any announcement by the immigration department. In reaction to this fear-mongering, many tourists have chosen to leave early, and for the last two months, renewals in Hanoi were only possible with a valid flight ticket. Ho Chi Minh immigration, however, continued to process renewals without restriction, creating a north-south divide in visa issuing.
While this was unfolding, Vietnam plunged into the most severe chapter of the Covid pandemic. Domestic flights are cancelled. Inter-city travel is almost impossible, and in Da Nang, we are not even permitted to leave the house for grocery shopping. The immigration department is not even open for business.
Visa situation in Vietnam – an uncertain future
Despite this, there has been no consistent messaging from the central government on what foreign residents should do about their visas in Vietnam. Many foreigners, scared to overstay, look for more extreme solutions to avoid breaking the immigration law.
Currently, the only way to leave Vietnam from Da Nang is with special permission from the chief of police. To receive such permission foreigners must provide a letter from their embassy explaining the urgent need to travel, and relevant Covid testing results. If all is approved, they can then pay for an ambulance to take them to the border of the city, and board a private car to Hanoi (a 15-hour trip), for the sum of 600 pounds. Car sharing is officially banned.
Due to the seemingly insurmountable hurdles, many foreigners in the city have decided overstay is preferable to the high cost and stress of trying to arrange a trip cross-country during the strictest health quarantine in living memory.
The motivations behind this policy, only the central government truly know, however, given their competent control of other sectors during this pandemic, one can only imagine such a chaotic situation must be by design rather than by chance.
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Author: Leon Havana
A trained chef and sports aficionado with extensive experience across South America and Asia. Leon’s culinary creations celebrate local flavors, while his love for sports like football and boxing connects him with local communities.
