"US citizens will be able to travel to Vietnam on one-year, multiple-entry visas, the National Assembly has decided.

A parliament resolution to ratify the Diplomatic Note on Visa Granting between Vietnam and the United States, which is expected to boost tourist and business ties between the two countries, won 92.9 percent of votes at a NA session this morning.

US citizens have so far been granted three-month visas, which caused many difficulties to US visitors, according to the newly-elected President Tran Dai Quang, who proposed the change to the NA on Apr. 4."

http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/vietnam-parliament-gives-green-light-to-oneyear-visas-for-us-citizens-61048.html

Wow....Are you watching Thailand ?

Wow....Are you watching Thailand ?

Best joke of the morning mate, thank you for the hearty laugh.

According to the U.S. State Department, this agreement became effective at the end of May. They say, "Any Americans who do not receive a 12-month visa to Vietnam after 30 May 2016 should contact the Hanoi American Citizens Services."

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/hochiminh/1234016/ACS-Newsletters/ACS-Newsletter-June-2016.pdf

Has anyone actually received the one-year visa yet? If so, has the cost increased?

Interesting ! How about the Philippines, whats the longest visa there for Americans, anyone have first hand info?

Edited July 4, 201610 yr by grumpyoldman

Best to start a separate thread to discuss another country!

But while you're doing that, look here:

http://www.pra.gov.ph/

What is so special about the USA. Why for example can't EU citizens get a similar visa ??

What's so special about some EU countries, whose citizens can now visit Vietnam without visas?

In any event, arrangements like the one the US and Vietnam have made are negotiated bilaterally, usually on a reciprocal basis.

Edited July 4, 201610 yr by taxout

Wait until we see the details of this visa.

As it is said "the devil is always in the details".

For example......how easy is it to get a U.S. Social Security pension to Vietnam.

Perhaps the rules have been changed now, I don't know, but some years ago I was told that Social Security system woild not allow me to send money directly to a Bank in Vietnam.

Things have changed since that time, but the Social Security system may still not allow a retirement pension to be sent from the U.S. directly to a Vietnam bank.

Until you know for sure, don't assume such details.

But anyhow, it does sound interesting, at least so far.

Or another way to say it is "don't count your Chickens until they are hatched".

This may be one of the consequences of Vietnam signing infamous trade agreements with the USA.

May happens here too.

That visa agreement is good news but I am still waiting for the visa-free entry for USA citizens like the one currently available for many EU citizens. I am ready for another visit to VN soon as the simple entry becomes available. Long haul from Phuket to BKK to get VN visa and simply too much hassle with the visa letter, agents, etc. Make it easy and I + wifey are on the way.

http://www.vietnamembassy-thailand.org/en/

I can't find it on their website here in BKK. My buddy who is over there says you can get it upon arrival.

Best to start a separate thread to discuss another country!

But while you're doing that, look here:

http://www.pra.gov.ph/

Thanks for the tutorial was hoping for a quick answer to what is a similar topic from someone that might already have the info.

As this topic is not retiree centric, and as I am not a retiree, link not so helpful, but maybe others can use it.

Nice if true...but Vietnam has been notorious for decades for running this scam (disclosure: not "word of mouth from a friend of a friend;" I was caught in this myself in 1999, and I've heard of it from plenty other travelers): you buy a double-entry visa to Vietnam. You enter; you make your first exit. Whoops!! The immigration official seems to have stamped your visa "expired" at that first exit! Too bad for you. To get back into the country (which you might have to do if, like me, your departure point back to your home country was Vietnam!!), you must buy a new, single-entry Vietnam visa in the neighboring country you exited to visit.

So...I'll wait to hear the on-the-ground reports before I believe it's actually for real.