Vietnam Visa Struggles
When I first got hired at my English teaching centre in Saigon, they were actually super helpful with what I needed before I came out. So pre departure, I had to get:
My TEFL certificate, notarised and legalised
My degree, notarised and legalised
A police check (which you can totally do in Vietnam, but it’s long, and delays everything, keep reading to find out, not that I’m trying to force you to or anything)
This was the easy part because they gave me an agent who did the whole thing for me. I sent her my documents, she did all the stamps and signatures, and mailed them straight to me once I was in Vietnam. Stress avoided.
The school also sorted my initial visa. All I had to do was:
Print the visa approval letter
Bring a passport photo
Have $25 in cash ready
Hand it all over at immigration at Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Easy… or so I thought.
Manchester Airport: Round One
I turned up at Manchester airport at 5am, scared, excited, not sure what to expect but ready for the challenge. What I didn’t realise was that the challenge would start before I even checked in my bag.
At the automated desk, the woman asked for my return ticket. I explained I didn’t have one, because, you know, I was moving to Vietnam. She then asked to see my visa. So I confidently pulled out my letter and explained I’d be getting the actual visa on arrival.
Eventually, after three staff members had passed my papers around, an older man stepped in and confidently told me my letter was fake. He insisted I should not show it at immigration, because they wouldn’t accept it. He even asked if I had enough money to buy a flight out of Vietnam in case I was refused entry.
So I boarded the plane with 17 hours ahead of me, spiralling. In my head, my year-long adventure was already over before it even started, my dramatic goodbyes back home were for nothing, and I was going to be deported within 10 minutes of landing.
Immigration: Round Two
When I finally landed in Saigon, I did what Manchester airport told me, I didn’t show the letter. Immigration just stamped my passport and gave me a one month exemption.
At the time I thought: “Perfect, problem solved! By the time this runs out, I’ll have my work permit sorted anyway.”…Oh, how naïve I was back in the day. And by back in the day, I mean literally a month ago.
Induction Week = Anaïs Overwhelmed
My first company induction meeting was a lot... It felt like there was so much to do for the work permit and I was left feeling like I was not gonna get it all done in time (6 weeks in and it’s still not done…). I spent my first week running around like a madwoman.
Here’s the process (at least right now, Vietnam loves changing expat laws). Side note: this is just my experience as a Brit, I’ve got no clue what the process looks like for other countries:
Police stamp: Once you’ve found your new home, you need your rental agreement stamped by the local police. Sounds simple. It wasn’t. I went to five police stations before one finally sent me to the right place: 25 Nguyen Trung Ngan, Ben Nghe Police Ward. They keep your papers for 24 hours, and no one speaks English, so prepare to just stand there looking confused.
Police department: Once that’s stamped, you take it, plus a photocopy of your passport, visa, and 200k dong, to the main police department. Emphasis on photocopy. I, of course, didn’t have mine (because apparently instructions are just light suggestions to me), so they sent me away to get it done. I then spent another half hour queuing all over again, questioning every decision that led me there. Also, get there early (at least half an hour before opening) and dress smart, I didn’t, got told off by a security guard, went home to change, and nearly cried in the process. If you actually want a smooth day, just do the opposite of whatever I did.
Forms: After that, you’ll get emailed forms to fill out online. These will all be sent you by your company’s HR. That part’s manageable.
Health check: Takes about two hours. Not going to say too much except… during the gynaecology part, there’s a camera and a live TV screen right in front of your face. An experience.
It doesn’t sound like a lot written down, but in the moment it feels overwhelming. My advice? Get it all done as soon as you can so you can stop panicking, and actually follow your company’s instructions. It’ll save you from running back and forth fixing avoidable mistakes (something I, unfortunately, learned the hard way).
The Money Problem
Here’s where it stings. I did all the police paperwork as soon as I arrived, right after my induction. They gave me a date to come back and collect my police check papers, and I knew it would take about four weeks. So, four weeks later, I showed up all proud of myself for being organised (and dressed appropriately this time), only to be told they still didn’t have my papers and to “come back next week.”
As I’m writing this, I’m heading back this afternoon, full of false hope because if I don’t get this document, I can’t get my work permit. And no work permit = no pay and no temporary residence card.
I’ve got a Vietcombank account (the only one I’d actually trust here), but I can’t access any money until that permit comes through. It’s now been six weeks with no salary… thank God for my part-time job during my Master’s, or I’d be completely stuck.
The Visa Mess, Part Two
Remember that one-month exemption I got at the airport? Yeah, turns out a temporary residence card takes way longer than a month. Which meant I had to leave the country and come back in on the original visa letter I should have shown in the first place.
Lesson learned: do not listen to Manchester airport staff. They don’t know what they’re talking about. Unless you’re being scammed with a fake job, those visa letters are legit.
So, off I went to Bangkok for 24 hours to sort it all out. The process was surprisingly smooth, I re-entered HCMC, went straight to the visa office (it’s just around the corner at immigration), handed over the same letter, my passport photo, and the correct amount in US dollars. Make sure you have the exact cash and the correct currency (they only accept dollars), a few people in the queue didn’t and were turned away.
Bangkok was the perfect little reset. I ate Khao Soi and Panang Curry, with a Chang of course, and got all nostalgic about my trip there last year. Everything’s finally sorted now, visa approved and stress-free for another 5 weeks.
(Me having a really hard time in Bangkok)
And, of course, after all that “stress,” I had to get a facial to recover when I returned to Saigon. Two and a half hours of pure bliss for £20, facial, head massage, the lot. I fear Vietnam has ruined me. How am I ever supposed to go back to the UK after this?
Worth Every Headache
Moving to a new country is honestly the most fun I’ve ever had, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this happy or alive. But I won’t sugarcoat it, it’s not all sunshine and Bánh mì. Be prepared for long queues, wasted hours sitting in waiting rooms, and spending ridiculous amounts of money on things you didn’t even know existed (notarising my documents alone cost around £300).
These are the hidden costs no one mentions when you first sign that offer letter. That’s why I wanted to start this blog, to show what it’s really like to move abroad. You’ll need patience and resilience on a level you didn’t know you had. You’ll learn how to navigate a new system, a new culture, and your own emotions, all without the comfort of knowing what anyone around you is saying.
But honestly? It’s all so worth it. Every confusing form, every delayed visa, every sweaty queue, it’s part of the adventure. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
With love from Saigon,
Anaïs