½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

@HM1990 hi , are you banned from any other country ?

@fuselimo1 No, not to the best of my knowledge. Although I didn't utilize my 2 months Japan business visa, and back in 2015 I was refused a US student visa but after that I acquired all other visas (Germany-Schengen, Japan, Bangladesh, Chile, Columbia, UAE, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Saudi Arabia) easily.

Hi All,
Interestingly, I have never been to Vietnam, and never applied for a visa before, but after I recently applied for a tourist visa, I have just been informed by my travel agent that I am blacklisted in Vietnam and hence cannot get a tourist visa.

Is it possible for one to be blacklisted without ever been to Vietnam?

How to resolve the issue?

Many thanks!
-@HM1990

Your profile says you are from Pakistan & therefor from what I understand you are not eligible to enter Vietnam on a tourist e visa

Maybe the agent meant your country is on the backlist not you.

Yep , replies above make sense.

I have just been informed by my travel agent that I am blacklisted in Vietnam and hence cannot get a tourist visa.
-@HM1990

Is your "travel agent" a visa agent here in Vietnam?

I ask because Pakistan is not currently one of the 80 countries approved for a 30-day tourist e-visa, either online via the official government website OR even with the assistance of a Vietnam visa agent.

Pakistani passport holders must apply for a tourist Visa On Arrival (when granted, it's usually for less than 30 days) through an authorized Vietnam visa agent, and decisions regarding those applications are handled/decided individually by immigration on a case-by-case basis.

So if it was a Vietnam visa agent, it's likely that nothing can be done unless you pay additional money for investigating the issue, with no guarantee of a solution.

If you didn't use a Vietnam visa agent, my longtime visa agent in Hanoi virtually specializes in visas for Pakistani citizens (she's made at least two trips to Pakistan to establish herself as a point of contact for Pakistanis interested in coming to Vietnam).

Of course, it's a possibility that you have the same name as someone who is on the blacklist.

If you would like my agent's contact information, please send me a private message by clicking on my avatar and selecting the message button.

Good luck!

@cougarcar20 I know a lot of people from my country who frequently travel to Vietnam.

I have just been informed by my travel agent that I am blacklisted in Vietnam and hence cannot get a tourist visa.
-@HM1990

Is your "travel agent" a visa agent here in Vietnam?

I ask because Pakistan is not currently one of the 80 countries approved for a 30-day tourist e-visa, either online via the official government website OR even with the assistance of a Vietnam visa agent.

Pakistani passport holders must apply for a tourist Visa On Arrival (when granted, it's usually for less than 30 days) through an authorized Vietnam visa agent, and decisions regarding those applications are handled/decided individually by immigration on a case-by-case basis.

So if it was a Vietnam visa agent, it's likely that nothing can be done unless you pay additional money for investigating the issue, with no guarantee of a solution.

If you didn't use a Vietnam visa agent, my longtime visa agent in Hanoi virtually specializes in visas for Pakistani citizens (she's made at least two trips to Pakistan to establish herself as a point of contact for Pakistanis interested in coming to Vietnam).

Of course, it's a possibility that you have the same name as someone who is on the blacklist.

If you would like my agent's contact information, please send me a private message by clicking on my avatar and selecting the message button.

Good luck!
-@OceanBeach92107

Thank  you for the detailed reply, and thank you for offering services from your visa agent. I applied through an agent in Vietnam as I understand that e-visa is not applicable for Pakistan.

Good luck!
-@OceanBeach92107

Thank you for the detailed reply, and thank you for offering services from your visa agent. I applied through an agent in Vietnam as I understand that e-visa is not applicable for Pakistan.
-@HM1990

Unfortunately then, the only option left to you is historically very expensive.

An agent contacts immigration on your behalf, usually after you have paid another application fee.

They then specifically inquire as to the nature of your blacklist offense and any possibility of removing your name from the blacklist.

Based on previous reports here in the forum, IF the problem can be fixed, the agent or an attorney for the agent asks for $2,000 USD or much more.

Unless you have an urgent need to enter the country for some reason, that's not recommended.

Good luck!
-@OceanBeach92107

Thank you for the detailed reply, and thank you for offering services from your visa agent. I applied through an agent in Vietnam as I understand that e-visa is not applicable for Pakistan.
-@HM1990

Unfortunately then, the only option left to you is historically very expensive.

An agent contacts immigration on your behalf, usually after you have paid another application fee.

They then specifically inquire as to the nature of your blacklist offense and any possibility of removing your name from the blacklist.

Based on previous reports here in the forum, IF the problem can be fixed, the agent or an attorney for the agent asks for $2,000 USD or much more.

Unless you have an urgent need to enter the country for some reason, that's not recommended.
-@OceanBeach92107

Thank you for your honest guidance. Although it is not urgent, but I have to be able to travel to Vietnam for business purpose too.

What I have got to know so far is that to obtain business visa I have to have somebody (a person or a company) in Vietnam arrange the visa approval letter from the immigration department for me. Is this the only way to obtain business visa?

Really appreciate your help!

Hi All,
Interestingly, I have never been to Vietnam, and never applied for a visa before, but after I recently applied for a tourist visa, I have just been informed by my travel agent that I am blacklisted in Vietnam and hence cannot get a tourist visa.

Is it possible for one to be blacklisted without ever been to Vietnam?

How to resolve the issue?

Many thanks!
-@HM1990

Hello HM1990, and welcome to expat.com.

Sorry to hear of your difficulty with the tourist visa.

Have you enquired at the nearest Vietnam embassy or consulate about your (supposed) blacklisting? As an eVisa is not available to Pakistani citizens, this would be my first move.

Had your friends used this Vietnam travel agent in the past? How did you find the agent (recommendtion, web search etc)?

Time permitting, please let us know how things progress for you. It would be greatly appreciated.

Have you enquired at the nearest Vietnam embassy or consulate about your (supposed) blacklisting? As an eVisa is not available to Pakistani citizens, this would be my first move.Had your friends used this Vietnam travel agent in the past? How did you find the agent (recommendtion, web search etc)?Time permitting, please let us know how things progress for you. It would be greatly appreciated.-@Aidan in HCMCHello Aidan,As per the below procedure, I found on the website of the immigration department of Vietnam, I have to have someone from Vietnam arrange the letter of approval for me, I assume both for a tourist and business visa, instead of conventionally submitting an application to the embassy or consulate.None of my acquaintance has used this Vietnam travel agent in past. The company I work for has a local travel agency who used its counterpart/ partnering travel agent in Vietnam to arrange the approval letter.

Have you enquired at the nearest Vietnam embassy or consulate about your (supposed) blacklisting? As an eVisa is not available to Pakistani citizens, this would be my first move.

Had your friends used this Vietnam travel agent in the past? How did you find the agent (recommendtion, web search etc)?

Time permitting, please let us know how things progress for you. [link under review]
-@Aidan in HCMC

Hello Aidan,

As per the below procedure, I found on the website of the immigration department of Vietnam, I have to have someone from Vietnam arrange the letter of approval for me, I assume both for a tourist and business visa, instead of conventionally submitting an application to the embassy or consulate.

None of my acquaintance has used this Vietnam travel agent in past. The company I work for has a local travel agency who used its counterpart/ partnering travel agent in Vietnam to arrange the approval letter.


-@HM1990

Understood.

I would suggest contacting the nearest VN embassy/consulate office to you to determine the accuracy and the possible reason for this "blacklisting".

Also, the embassy/consulate can give you specific instructions on the current application process for a tourist visa for citizens of Pakistan. I suggest you try this as it (hopefully) may allow you to avoid spending additional money and time. If it were me, that would be my first step.

For that matter if it is possible, and if the cost is not too dear, I might even apply for the tourist visa directly through the offices of the embassy itself, skipping the use of an agent. If you go this route I would not mention the report from the VN travel agent of your "blacklist" status.

edit: Can you give us the url of the "website of the immigration department of Vietnam" you referenced?

See this thread from 2017, and read down to post #18

The forum is full of years of reports from people dealing with the blacklist issue.

Embassies & Consulates of Vietnam will do nothing in these matters.

If there is to be an inquiry it needs to go through a visa agent in Vietnam (requiring their application fee) who will then inform the foreigner how much it will cost to hire a lawyer to fix the problem.

As for the question about business visas, yes, exactly: there MUST be a letter of invitation from an established business in Vietnam (not an "XYZ" company) in order for a business visa to be authorized.

That, or about $25,000 USD investment capital plus fees.

The forum is full of years of reports from people dealing with the blacklist issue.
Embassies & Consulates of Vietnam will do nothing in these matters.

If there is to be an inquiry it needs to go through a visa agent in Vietnam (requiring their application fee) who will then inform the foreigner how much it will cost to hire a lawyer to fix the problem.
@OceanBeach92107

Good information. I'll amend my recommendation.

̶I̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶s̶u̶g̶g̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶a̶c̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶a̶r̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶V̶N̶ ̶e̶m̶b̶a̶s̶s̶y̶/̶c̶o̶n̶s̶u̶l̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶f̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶e̶t̶e̶r̶m̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶u̶r̶a̶c̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶o̶s̶s̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶"̶b̶l̶a̶c̶k̶l̶i̶s̶t̶i̶n̶g̶"̶.̶

Still, I believe this advice to be prudent. Just might save member HM1990 2 or $3,000 US.

Also, the embassy/consulate can give you specific instructions on the current application process for a tourist visa for citizens of Pakistan. I suggest you try this as it (hopefully) may allow you to avoid spending additional money and time. If it were me, that would be my first step.

For that matter if it is possible, and if the cost is not too dear, I might even apply for the tourist visa directly through the offices of the embassy itself, skipping the use of an agent. If you go this route I would not mention the report from the VN travel agent of your "blacklist" status.

edit: Can you give us the url of the "website of the immigration department of Vietnam" you referenced? See this thread from 2017, and read down to post #18