Goodbye Hua Hin

[Super Joe]

Looks to me like Vietnams visa laws are equally as restrictive as Thailands visa laws are.

From what I've read there's a gulf of difference, some examples based on UK:

- Vietnam has no 'visa exempt' like Thailand.
- Vietnam you can’t get a visa on arrival, you have to process it before you arrive.
- Vietnam has no retirement visa like Thailand.
- Vietnam has no education visa like Thailand.
- Vietnam has no media visa like Thailand.
- Vietnam has no Non-Imm. ‘O’ 12 month visa (with 3 month visa runs) like Thailand.
- Vietnam has no visa for the purpose of just turning up and looking for work like Thailand.
- Vietnam you need a diploma/degree/doctorate etc for a WP so you can renew the Business visa, Thailand not reqd..
- Vietnam has no family support visa, ie: for child, like Thailand (not 100% on this one)

Some of these might be wrong, it's not easy to find detailed info on Vietnam.

SJ

[malcolminthemiddle]

I lived and worked in Vietnam for 2 years from 2000-2002 thereabouts. Enjoyed the experience but couldn't wait to get back to Thailand.

[johnnyk]

For all the comments about money-grubbing and falang ATMs, from what I've heard VN is much worse.

[tarakandi]

Guys I have said it before, but getting PR is not as difficult as you think and as quite a lot of you have been here for more than 5 years I can’t understand why more of you don’t go for it

[Takiap]

Wish you the best of luck with your move to VN. I have been there for a few weeks before but never been back since. Maybe just me but I never liked the place at all. In fact, I found Cambodia to be more welcoming as far as the people are concerned.

VN..........just not the same as Thailand. I suppose I've been here so long now that I've become used to the Thai way of life.

I also found the people in VN are not nearly as quick to smile as they are here in LOS. Yes, I know a smile can mean many things here, but it's still nice to see so many smiling faces. If the time comes that I do decide to leave Thailand, I'll more than likely end up somewhere in South America.

[TypicallyTropical]

...I'll more than likely end up somewhere in South America...

I hope you are not an American, they hate the Yanks down there!

[crazy88]

Tarakandi

I have been here for 14 years. I am not married to anybody. How could I apply for PR? Driving to the Andaman club every 90 days is hardly a chore as I treat it as a long weekend and do a bit of fishing and catch up with friends. What are the benefits of PR? My annual multi entry is around 5k as I recall and no further fees when I go in and out as required or when I feel like it. Of course it is 850 baht at the Andaman but I make more than that in duty free savings on 2 bottles of vodka and a couple of cartons of cigarettes. If PR means I do not have to make a journey anywhere every 90 days I will certainly look further into it.

Crazy 88

[brianks]

I ignorantly ask: What or where is "PR"?

[hhfarang]

Permanent Residency; kind of like a U.S. green card, allows you to stay without a visa...

[Name Taken]

For all the comments about money-grubbing and falang ATMs, from what I've heard VN is much worse.

I certainly won't be making any plans to relocate to Vietnam.

[Super Joe]

I have been here for 14 years. I am not married to anybody. How could I apply for PR?

You can't at the mate, until you start accumulating un-broken annual extensions, need three years.

My annual multi entry is around 5k as I recall. If PR means I do not have to make a journey anywhere every 90 days I will certainly look further into it.

PR would mean you would never again have to do anything every 90 days (you could utilise this time for regular haircuts ), you'd never have to extend or apply for a Thai visa again and never have to put 800k in a bank for your inevitable future retirement visa (because let's be honest, 'B' is never gonna marry you now is she!!).
It would also save you having to get this new annual multi-entry together with 'the trip' that goes with it

SJ

[hhfarang]

... but for PR don't you have to show a massive amount of money here on deposit and speak fluent Thai?

I have 5 unbroken years (haven't left the country), but I think these two requirements would keep me from getting it.

[jimk]

You guys should have lived here when Immigration REALLY made life difficult for us foreigners. When I came here in the 1960s you had to buy a tourist visa before you arrived. That gave you 15 days in Thailand, which you could extend by another 15 days by sitting all day in the Immigration building on Sathorn Road until someone deigned to pick up your passport (I couldn't afford to slip a 100 baht note into it to expedite matters). The Cambodian border was closed 90% of the time because of the temple dispute and the VN war, so every 30 days I had to take the train to Nong Khai, cross the Mekhong by longtail boat and apply for another tourist visa in Vientiane. After a year or two of this I landed a job at the Bangkok Post, which enabled me to get a non-immigrant visa and leave only every three months. One time, I recall, I was so busy at work that the Post flew me to Singapore and back on the same day. Finally, the Post's Thai "fixer" paid the right person the right bribe and I got a residence permit and a police book, so all I had to do was to report to my local police station once a year. Residence wasn't permanent, however. If you left the country you had to return within 12 months or you lost the privilege. I tried to keep it going after I left to work in Hong Kong, but they wouldn't let me leave the country unless I produced a Thai tax clearance certificate, and this proved to be a hoop too many to jump through so I let it lapse.
The rules have been relaxed considerably since those days, I'm happy to report, so let's not be too critical.

[Super Joe]

... but for PR don't you have to show a massive amount of money here on deposit and speak fluent Thai?
I have 5 unbroken years (haven't left the country), but I think these two requirements would keep me from getting it.

You certainly would need an adequate level of Thai, not fluent, but they expect you to engage in a consersation or the like. There are different catagories you apply under and big money does not apply to yours. Whereas those applying based on 'Employment', do have to show a high income.

I think your catagory would be 'Family Support' as married to a Thai, the income requirement for this is only 30k/month (in total, not each) for the preceeding two years. This can be combined income or from just one spouse, ie: Thai wife can be the supporter. If the farang is the supporter and is over 50 years old the income is 65k/month over past two years, but unlike farang income in the employment catagory no Thai tax receipts are required, so reads like can be overseas income (current 'retirement extension' income?)

To balance things out, many posters believe we'd have little chance as it's the high earners they want to get signed up. Most of the farangs you read on the forums with PR do seem to be business people in Bangkok, maybe working for multi-nationals, paying more taxes etc. I certainly agree their odds are a lot better than ours. Link to a big thread (bun fight) about it:
http://www.huahinafterdark.com/forum/vi ... =9&t=12553

But, There's been posters on here and other boards with PR who are average folk. Maybe people who are 'now' lower earners/retirees don't bother applying as they think they have little chance, maybe it's policy for larger firms to get their best staff PR, as beneficial to their business long term. It costs 7,600 Baht to apply (non-refundable).

SJ

[tarakandi]

hhfarang

As for the need to speak fluent Thai, that varies I can remember when I did mine there was a Chinese guy nearby getting processed and he could not speak a word, but they did not seem to hold that against him.

My Thai was no more average conversational then and I found that part the most nerve racking, but in reality it was quite easy.

I don’t really think you need to have huge amounts of money, but bear in mind that PR does not automatically qualify you for a work permit.

As I said previously a friend of mine did it through a law firm in 2006, cost him 350,000, but that was on a no win, no fee basis.