How easy is it to stay long term in Vietnam or Laos?

You can get a 6 month visa to Vietnam pretty easily and they love tourists
there. There is a big push to get as many in as possible. It's not as cheap
as Cambodia, but cheaper than Thailand.
"dplast" wrote in message
m...

I am comparing to Thailand and Cambodia.

In Thailand, because they want tourists (even if a very small minority
are actually working as ESL teachers)visas are a snap. For example if
one gets a tourist visa at a consulate before arriving it's good for
two months. That can be extended with minimal hassle and cost at
Immigration offices in, for example Bangkok, Pattaya or Chiang Mai.
Effectively one can live in Thailand for four months - then you leave
(by land to neighbouring countries is the cheapest method) and return,
sometimes the same day.

I have lived in Thailand for long period of time. Many people do the
same. It is also possible to extend the landing visa of 30 days which
is granted at the airport. But that is only for 10 days, then 7 days -
some such thing. It ends up that one can therefore stay in Thailand
for 47 days with minimal effort and cost (extensions might even be
free. I forget)

In Cambodia, one gets a one month visa, and unless things have changed
from last year that is also extendable - although for a higher fee.
Everything is available in Cambodia for a price, and that includes one
year and six month visas (the bulk of the cost is palm-greasing not
official fees). And for a change or if one is required to leave the
country I just went to Trat in Thailand by road. Staying long term in
Cambodia has never appealed to me! Except when I had a one year work
visa courtesy of my employer I leave after a month or two for the
comforts of Bangkok or Singapore. As I recall paying $5 more when one
lands at the airport can get one a business visa which is easier to
extend.

But I have no idea about Vietnam. Since it doesn't have the weldcome
mat out for tourists the way Thailand does, and is not the 'wild east'
of Cambodia, I presume the Vietnamese style bureaucracy makes it both
difficult and expensive. Anyone know of persons staying long term in
Vietnam who don't have degrees or other official status to allow them
to get offcial extensions.

In other words, how does one arrange to stay in Vietnam or Laos long
term as one can do in Thailand and Cambodia? Is it even possible
withouta university degree or sponsorship in order to get a work
permit? Every country I stay in I prefer to be part of the
grey/unregulated and untaxed economy.

Hi,

Not sure about Lao but I know it's a real pain trying to stay long term
in Vietnam. Vietnam's only officially offering is a 30-day tourist visa
($50 -$75 US) but a 6-month business visa can be obtained if you have an
agent. You have to obtain a visa before your allowed entry into the
country and its date specific. So the entry date you aply for is the
date your visa starts A one-year work visa is also available but I
haven't tried that. However, either the 6 or 12 month is easy and not
expensive ($ 75.00 - 150.00 US) if you have an employer. The problem
lays is that to be employed you need professional status of some sort
and that rules out guys like me.
To complicate things more their is a law that you have to have a
certificate to rent an apt or a house stating your employed and also you
need to have a visa valid for 6 month or more. All though I think you
can get around this by renting a serviced apt going for $1,500.00 -
$3000,00 (US) a month. Personally, if I could pay that a month I
probably wouldn't be in Asia looking around.
Vietnam wants the money that tourism brings but they don't want them to
stay.
It's sad because Vietnam has the best people in Asia. I have built
www.vietnam-now.com as a way to tell about the Vietnam I know.

--
dplast travels
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

You can get a 6 month visa to Vietnam pretty easily and they love tourists
there. There is a big push to get as many in as possible. It's not as cheap
as Cambodia, but cheaper than Thailand.
"dplast" wrote in message
m...

I am comparing to Thailand and Cambodia.

In Thailand, because they want tourists (even if a very small minority
are actually working as ESL teachers)visas are a snap. For example if
one gets a tourist visa at a consulate before arriving it's good for
two months. That can be extended with minimal hassle and cost at
Immigration offices in, for example Bangkok, Pattaya or Chiang Mai.
Effectively one can live in Thailand for four months - then you leave
(by land to neighbouring countries is the cheapest method) and return,
sometimes the same day.

I have lived in Thailand for long period of time. Many people do the
same. It is also possible to extend the landing visa of 30 days which
is granted at the airport. But that is only for 10 days, then 7 days -
some such thing. It ends up that one can therefore stay in Thailand
for 47 days with minimal effort and cost (extensions might even be
free. I forget)

In Cambodia, one gets a one month visa, and unless things have changed
from last year that is also extendable - although for a higher fee.
Everything is available in Cambodia for a price, and that includes one
year and six month visas (the bulk of the cost is palm-greasing not
official fees). And for a change or if one is required to leave the
country I just went to Trat in Thailand by road. Staying long term in
Cambodia has never appealed to me! Except when I had a one year work
visa courtesy of my employer I leave after a month or two for the
comforts of Bangkok or Singapore. As I recall paying $5 more when one
lands at the airport can get one a business visa which is easier to
extend.

But I have no idea about Vietnam. Since it doesn't have the weldcome
mat out for tourists the way Thailand does, and is not the 'wild east'
of Cambodia, I presume the Vietnamese style bureaucracy makes it both
difficult and expensive. Anyone know of persons staying long term in
Vietnam who don't have degrees or other official status to allow them
to get offcial extensions.

In other words, how does one arrange to stay in Vietnam or Laos long
term as one can do in Thailand and Cambodia? Is it even possible
withouta university degree or sponsorship in order to get a work
permit? Every country I stay in I prefer to be part of the
grey/unregulated and untaxed economy.

Hi,

Not sure about Lao but I know it's a real pain trying to stay long term
in Vietnam. Vietnam's only officially offering is a 30-day tourist visa
($50 -$75 US) but a 6-month business visa can be obtained if you have an
agent. You have to obtain a visa before your allowed entry into the
country and its date specific. So the entry date you aply for is the
date your visa starts A one-year work visa is also available but I
haven't tried that. However, either the 6 or 12 month is easy and not
expensive ($ 75.00 - 150.00 US) if you have an employer. The problem
lays is that to be employed you need professional status of some sort
and that rules out guys like me.
To complicate things more their is a law that you have to have a
certificate to rent an apt or a house stating your employed and also you
need to have a visa valid for 6 month or more. All though I think you
can get around this by renting a serviced apt going for $1,500.00 -
$3000,00 (US) a month. Personally, if I could pay that a month I
probably wouldn't be in Asia looking around.
Vietnam wants the money that tourism brings but they don't want them to
stay.
It's sad because Vietnam has the best people in Asia. I have built
www.vietnam-now.com as a way to tell about the Vietnam I know.

--
dplast travels
Posted via http://britishexpats.com