Foreigners allowed to change visa status while in Vietnam: NA

[webfact]

Foreigners allowed to change visa status while in Việt Nam: NA

 

National Assembly deputies vote on amendments to the immigration law on Monday. VNA/VNS Photo

 

HÀ NỘI — The National Assembly (NA) on Monday voted for amendments to the immigration law, for the first time allowing visitors to change their visa status and prolong their stays in Việt Nam without having to fly out of the country.

 

The amendment was approved by an overwhelming 83.6 per cent for the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners.

 

The law will come into effect on July 1 next year, allowing visitors to apply to change their visas under a number of circumstances.

 

Visitors who can prove they are investors or representatives of foreign organisations that make legal investments in Việt Nam will be allowed to have their purpose of visit switched during their stay in the country.

 

Family members of invitees will also enjoy the same advantage.

Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/548937/foreigners-allowed-to-change-visa-status-while-in-viet-nam-na.html#DKPlxYZbVWKcAC9W.99 

 

-- Viet Nam News 2019-11-26

[NCC1701A]

wake up sleepy paranoid Thailand and smell the Vietnamese coffee and rice.

Edited November 26, 2019 by NCC1701A

[Mango Bob]

I wish Thailand to walk up and follow what Vietnam has done.

[kotsak]

That's how you rub it in.. ????

 

[nev]

Most ASEAN countries are trying to make things easier for people who want to stay or visit their countries except one, Any guesses who that country is?.

[Chelseafan]

11 minutes ago, nev said:

Most ASEAN countries are trying to make things easier for people who want to stay or visit their countries except one, Any guesses who that country is?.

I know, I know!! Is it Thailand sir ?

 

 

[yellowboat]

How do you say pariah or persona non grata in Thai?  It is the new second home for oil workers and those who want opportunity.   Military controlled, basket case, played out Thailand will continue to practice the PT Barnum school of business:  A sucker is born every minute.  

[atyclb]

1 hour ago, nev said:

Most ASEAN countries are trying to make things easier for people who want to stay or visit their countries except one, Any guesses who that country is?.

 

 

it aint burma LOL

[Destiny1990]

Sounds welcoming !

[ICELANDMAN]

1 hour ago, Chelseafan said:

I know, I know!! Is it Thailand sir ?

 

 

I'm surprised how you guessed so quickly ????

[nev]

3 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

I know, I know!! Is it Thailand sir ?

 

 

Bang on the money for that you get a blue peter badge. 

[nev]

1 hour ago, ICELANDMAN said:

I'm surprised how you guessed so quickly ????

I was expecting to wait a long time for the correct answer. 

[nev]

2 hours ago, atyclb said:

 

 

it aint burma LOL

Close mate you can have another guess  if you want. 

Off topic I have never been to Burma but it is on my bucket list. 

[Scot123]

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Rub what in? How does

 

 

equate with the newly disenfranchised and impoverished old farang who, having failed at the Thai Immigration hurdles, is now availing himself of Vietnam's current 15-day visa exempt entry and finds himself able to get drunk quicker and cheaper between plates of fried rice or bowls of noodles? I think the younger, more capable and entrepreneurial foreigner has already sussed out Vietnam and moved on already. Just the old Thailand rejects clutching at straws see any sort of som nam nah here.

 

Why all the hatred towards Westerns/ non Thais? What a nasty twisted person you are. Here is a news flash for you: Westerners like me are leaving thailand not because we are skint but because of people like you. Some Westminster have principles and think enough is enough and leave and why should I give Thailand £22,000 to stay there and beg for a extension every year. When we leave it is the Thai community we live in and Thailand that sufferes; how you may ask for me it was builder who never got to build the 75sm extention, Ford who never got the sale of a 3.2lt pickup, Honda for not getting the sale of a Africa Twin adventure and the bank lost the foreign currency I brought in over 17 years which has now stopped. Not even going to your racist use of the word "Farang". I have never ever looked down on anyone who has less money than me Thai or Western. 

[BritManToo]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Rub what in? How does

equate with the newly disenfranchised and impoverished old farang who, having failed at the Thai Immigration hurdles, is now availing himself of Vietnam's current 15-day visa exempt entry and finds himself able to get drunk quicker and cheaper between plates of fried rice or bowls of noodles? I think the younger, more capable and entrepreneurial foreigner has already sussed out Vietnam and moved on already. Just the old Thailand rejects clutching at straws see any sort of som nam nah here.

 

Never failed at Thai immigration (so far), but use my 15 day trips to Vietnam to pig out in Indian curries and a bit of sight-seeing.

Photo from last months trip (mainly cycling and hiking), next month Saigon (again, more sight-seeing), and maybe Phnom Penh (that'll be beer and hookers if it happens).

 

Edited November 26, 2019 by BritManToo

[Caldera]

That just reinforces my view that Thailand and Vietnam are on very different trajectories. While Vietnam still has a long way to go in many areas (e.g. health care, shopping), things seem to be moving nicely - in the right direction.

[Jingthing]

So how much exactly do you need to "invest" in Vietnam to enjoy that status? 

[NanLaew]

OK for those that appear confused try this.

 

The news article says that "investors or representatives of foreign organizations that make legal investments in Vietnam will be allowed to have their purpose of visit switched during their stay in the country." and "Family members of invitees will also enjoy the same advantage."

Foreigners have the ability to change their visa status in Thailand already. Visa-exempt, ED, SETV and METV can be changed to a Non-O for long-stay. They can also switch to Elite with at least one property developer also offering this type of visa with the purchase of a condo here. There's also some BOI privileges that extend to immigration status.

 

I ask again, rub what in?

Edited November 26, 2019 by NanLaew

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

OK for those that a pear confused try this.

 

The news article says that "investors or representatives of foreign organizations that make legal investments in Vietnam will be allowed to have their purpose of visit switched during their stay in the country." and "Family members of invitees will also enjoy the same advantage."

Foreigners have the ability to change their visa status in Thailand already. Visa-exempt, ED, SETV and METV can be changed to a Non-O for long-stay. They can also switch to Elite with at least one property developer also offering this type of visa with the purchase of a condo here. There's also some BOI privileges that extend to immigration status.

 

I ask again, rub what in?

Yeah it didn't seem that great news to me either. Send me a memo when Vietnam has an easy retirement visa that doesn't require having a passport thick as an old phone book to deal with all the visa runs. 

[mike787]

Now there you go!  That's what RIGHT looks like!  So dam simple but NOOOOOOOO!  not in thailand.  No way! Not ever.  

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Scot123 said:

Why all the hatred towards Westerns/ non Thais? What a nasty twisted person you are. Here is a news flash for you: Westerners like me are leaving thailand not because we are skint but because of people like you.

Oh my, you ARE upset. I was sensing that some other members comments were suggesting that Vietnam's latest visa edict was going to make it easier for retirees to stay there when in reality, it appears to apply to bona fide investors, foreign company representatives and possibly their family members. AFAIK, the 'flood' of elderly foreigners suddenly exploring Vietnam as an alternative to Thailand don't fit those categories.

 

And I assure you, I don't work for Thai immigration.

 

1 hour ago, Scot123 said:

Some Westminster have principles and think enough is enough and leave and why should I give Thailand £22,000 to stay there and beg for a extension every year.

Because you can live cheaper somewhere else? What is your point? Who is begging?.. or maybe it should be why are you begging?

 

1 hour ago, Scot123 said:

When we leave it is the Thai community we live in and Thailand that sufferes; how you may ask for me it was builder who never got to build the 75sm extention, Ford who never got the sale of a 3.2lt pickup, Honda for not getting the sale of a Africa Twin adventure and the bank lost the foreign currency I brought in over 17 years which has now stopped.

The foreign retirees total contribution to the Thai GDP is negligible and in your particular case, all 17 years of it. But thanks for playing. For every foreigner who's not building a home extension, buying a pickup or a motorbike, there will be a hundred Thais who will.

 

Spare us the old 'farang is racist' trope and mind that door on the way out.

[NanLaew]

35 minutes ago, Caldera said:

That just reinforces my view that Thailand and Vietnam are on very different trajectories. While Vietnam still has a long way to go in many areas (e.g. health care, shopping), things seem to be moving nicely - in the right direction.

Here's the rub. Vietnam is catching up.

 

I know. I've visited and worked there regularly, maybe 3 or 4 long trips a year since around 2005. It's great but it aint all that quite yet.

Edited November 26, 2019 by NanLaew

[Isaanbiker]

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

wake up sleepy paranoid Thailand and smell the Vietnamese coffee and rice.

Even if they woke up tomorrow, it would be too late.

 

   

[Isaanbiker]

24 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yeah it didn't seem that great news to me either. Send me a memo when Vietnam has an easy retirement visa that doesn't require having a passport thick as an old phone book to deal with all the visa runs. 

 Leaving Thailand because of immigration just to find out what stress really is? 

[Ron jeremy]

57 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yeah it didn't seem that great news to me either. Send me a memo when Vietnam has an easy retirement visa that doesn't require having a passport thick as an old phone book to deal with all the visa runs. 

Vietnam is slowly relaxing visa issues.

slowly is the word. People that can contribute : businessman , investors etc are being more welcomed. 

They have seen the <deleted>show Thailand has endured in regards to the sextourists, derelicts, criminals, low life's, poor people just existing in Thailand. 

They are in no hurry to copy the mistakes Thailand has made.

great on Vietnam to take things slowly, they most certainly don't want the exodus of low life's from Thailand coming to drag down their country. Glad to see the skints of pattaya  are not welcomed in Vietnam either.

thumbs up to Vietnam.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

Vietnam is slowly relaxing visa issues.

slowly is the word. People that can contribute : businessman , investors etc are being more welcomed. 

They have seen the <deleted>show Thailand has endured in regards to the sextourists, derelicts, criminals, low life's, poor people just existing in Thailand. 

They are in no hurry to copy the mistakes Thailand has made.

great on Vietnam to take things slowly, they most certainly don't want the exodus of low life's from Thailand coming to drag down their country. Glad to see the skints of pattaya  are not welcomed in Vietnam either.

thumbs up to Vietnam.

A lot of very ignorant and bigoted generalizations about expats in Thailand. So -- GOODBYE. 

[DaRoadrunner]

7 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

Vietnam is slowly relaxing visa issues.

slowly is the word. People that can contribute : businessman , investors etc are being more welcomed. 

They have seen the <deleted>show Thailand has endured in regards to the sextourists, derelicts, criminals, low life's, poor people just existing in Thailand. 

sextourists, derelicts, criminals, low life's, poor people..... that accounts for all of us on this forum then?

 

Signs of progress but not quite there yet.... I wait to hear if Vietnam is going to do a retirement visa or some path to residency etc. Who knows, a bit of competition may wake the Thais up?

[ThomasThBKK]

6 hours ago, yellowboat said:

How do you say pariah or persona non grata in Thai?  It is the new second home for oil workers and those who want opportunity.   Military controlled, basket case, played out Thailand will continue to practice the PT Barnum school of business:  A sucker is born every minute.  

 

Vietnam has worldwide taxation on all income. No oil worker with a brain wants to be a tax resident there.

If you think Vietnams communist dictatorship is in anyway better or nicer than the military here oh damn are you wrong. 

Edited November 26, 2019 by ThomasThBKK

[Chelseafan]

2 hours ago, nev said:

Close mate you can have another guess  if you want. 

Off topic I have never been to Burma but it is on my bucket list. 

Don't bother with Yangon. It's worse than Bangkok 4 fold

[Sir Swagman]

12 hours ago, nev said:

Bang on the money for that you get a blue peter badge. 

And here’s one I prepared earlier.......