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Why the Retired Expat Exodus to Vietnam seems very real


rooster59

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6 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

Leaving is not really an option fo me. I have a good wife of over 10 years, an adopted son who is closer to me than most biological sons, and a niece who is more like a daughter, who tells everyone I’m her dad.

 

I have no family or friends left back in the States, so there is nothing back there for me. Leaving Thailand, even for Vietnam, is not really an option for me. I’m over 70, and have had a minor stroke, which makes getting around difficult at best most of the time. You could say I’m “stuck” here, and in some ways you would be correct. But with an income more than double needed for retirement here, it is a comfortable “stuck”.

If they up the anti again, I’ll just switch from Retirement extension to Marriage, A bit more of a hassle, but not unbearable,

I agree, when faced with a possible loss of Extension of Stay due to one month's income being below 65K I asked the agency what my options were. First thing they said was they would send me to another immigration office away fro C. Mai and renew. There were also other options as well but I was rather put out that Thailand was ready to purposely send me away after living here in retirement for 8 years. Well, ... up to them.

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What do you believe those requirements to be?
How would I know? I was talking about a hypothetical. My point being that in my opinion if Vietnam offers a formal retirement visa program that it won't be a cheap one. But I don't think they will ever offer that at all. Most nations don't.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

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3 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

Why did she buy a pickup truck she could not afford the repayments on? Did you support her decision. Frankly I would send her nothing and if the car is repossessed, well so be it. 

"My step daughter got finance for a pickup for me in 2017 …"

 

You don't read it ….? he write FOR ME ...

So yes... the wisest decision is to sell it pay the remaining sum  and if not sufficient the pay back for loan.., it  would be at least lower remaining debt

Edited by david555
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Retirement in Vietnam? Hold your horses. Things are changing there too.
 
A friend has been there for several years, just renewing his visa annually. This week he was informed by his visa agent that VN immigration are developing a list of people that renew the yearly visa, but dont have a business in Vietnam - and are showing them the door.
 
Totally predictable. Again Vietnam is not really open to long term retired expats and in my opinion it never will be.
Better to focus on the nations that are openly offering programs for retired expats.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

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15 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

Shows that some gf are different.

From 30K freehand  to 5K and now need working for 15 K.... must be really an Angel . Not many would do I think 

Edited by david555
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2 hours ago, oznomad said:

Retirement in Vietnam? Hold your horses. Things are changing there too.

 

A friend has been there for several years, just renewing his visa annually. This week he was informed by his visa agent that VN immigration are developing a list of people that renew the yearly visa, but dont have a business in Vietnam - and are showing them the door.

 

The time has come for scamming old farts to head back to their home countries . SEA 

is changing fast for the poor pensioners with their poor currency. 

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6 hours ago, rocksniffer said:

So far nobody has mentioned Bali. Financial requirements are about the same, but a lot less hassle with immigration. These are 1 year retirement visas. I live elsewhere in Indonesia. I am married to an Indonesian. First one year visa my wife sponsors me. She has to have money in the bank, not me. Second one year visa was just an extension. Again my wife is my sponsor. Third visa is for five years. Fourth visa is also five years. But once you are past the 10 year mark you no longer need sponsorship from your wife. Somewhat expensive but you can then get a lifetime visa. You get a multi exit reentry visa. There is no 90 day reporting. There is no TM30. And you get your own special line at airports for immigration. I go through immigration much faster than my wife as generally there is no queue for me. Some of you will be thinking Muslim country etc. Certainly Indonesia is not perfect. However, I lived in Thailand 32 years. I thought that I would miss living there. I do not. There is a much more wholesome feeling living in Indonesia. You do not feel like you are just a cash cow. Take holiday to Indonesia and check it out. 

What parts to check out? I’ve worked in a few places there over the years and never had any inclination to move there to live. All my visas where taken care of by the company but even they said it was a run around. Work visa. 

KITAS, IMTA requirements change regularly and corruption or as they call them. facilitation fees are required. 

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9 hours ago, keith101 said:

With the exchange rate with the aussie dollar I am now having to survive on under 36,000 baht from my age pension which s going to send me back in January when my next extension is due .

 

My step daughter got finance for a pickup for me in 2017 on 0% deposit (in her name) and the payments are 15,600 baht a month which she is go to be responsible for once I go back and I feel really bad for her , I will have to send her some money every month to try and help but considering the prices of things back home it wont be very much maybe only 5,000 baht per fortnightly payment .

I am looking to buy a good used truck if you want to pm me. Good luck to you and your family. 

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20 minutes ago, Tounge Thaied said:

I just got my Marriage Visa in January. There was a few more bits of paperwork, like photos of me and my wife at the house, a hand drawn map, so they could physically come and check that I was living there... but it was not difficult. Took two trips to the immigration office here in Buriram, and a planned visit by the boys in uniform at the house and it was done. It is well worth the extra effort, lower banking requirements and no current threats of a health insurance requirement either. 

So we have to marry a local instead Of relocating to Vietnam?

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1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

I don't think I'm that unusual, but when I had had enough of Thailand I just went home.

And, I think the older you get the idea of setting up shop in yet another SEA country, learning yet another new language, is just exhausting.

No place like home.

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41 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

Good point.  We do go back to the States often.  So when BoT finally kills off the USD (with ChiCom hot money inflows)—wife & I will reverse our travels—Retire in USA and visit Thailand.

Which is exactly what we did. Now we do a few months over the winter in Khon Kaen.

 

The other thing that I think should exercise folks minds, is what does your wife do?

 

My wife who was educated in the US was able to restart her career in the US, that would have been impossible had we moved to Vietnam or the like.

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8 hours ago, AllThaiedUp said:

Until there's a soi 6 or nana plaza or cowboy or something similar.. ain't gonna happen

Pretty sad when people base their life on hookers, but then again if it wasn't for the hookers, 90 percent of men would not be here.

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13 minutes ago, khaowong1 said:

Talk about it any way you like, Vietnam is still a communist country.  Things could go wrong there in a heart beat. 

I wouldn't get hung up on that label these days. More relevant is that it's an authoritarian country. Most authoritarian countries are not labelled communist and yet some of them are quite popular and quite good for expats. It's not like we're trying to be citizens there!

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20 minutes ago, khaowong1 said:

Talk about it any way you like, Vietnam is still a communist country.  Things could go wrong there in a heart beat. 

Unlike in a military dictatorship, you mean? I've seen things go wrong in Thailand - several times.

 

As for the blog piece that's being discussed here: Never mind that Vietnam doesn't even offer a retirement visa. That ridiculous article doesn't even mention that, but certainly that's one of the most important aspects.

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4 hours ago, oznomad said:

Retirement in Vietnam? Hold your horses. Things are changing there too.

 

A friend has been there for several years, just renewing his visa annually. This week he was informed by his visa agent that VN immigration are developing a list of people that renew the yearly visa, but dont have a business in Vietnam - and are showing them the door.

 

These people are using dodgy agents and setting up fake businesses to get their visas.

NOT a problem when going about it the CORRECT way. 

I can post links to people that have used the 3 month multi entry for 10 years without a problem, yes 10 years.

my friend has just returned from his yearly visa run, goes about it the CORRECT way, and has never had a problem. Those that tried to scam their way thru Thai immigration are not finding it any easier to SCAM their way they viet immigration.

i can provide a reputable agent to help anyone to go about the CORRECT and LEGAL way to get a yearly visa.

send me a PM. 

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