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TRC: 2 or 3 year SPOUSAL Temporary Resident Card?

OceanBeach92107

SPOUSAL TRC: FYI


I recently attempted to renew my 3 year spousal TRC in New Đà Nẵng City, but the immigration officer told us that only 2 year cards were being approved for spouses of Vietnamese citizens.


So I contacted my long-time visa agent friend in Hanoi (where my previous 3 year TRC was approved) and she was able to get my new TRC issued, good until September, 2028.


It was cheaper for me to have her do it than it would have been to travel there and back with my wife (technically it is the Vietnamese citizen who must apply to sponsor the foreign spouse).


Not sure if 3 year TRCs are routinely issued in HCMC

See also

Visas for VietnamTourist visa in VietnamTemporarily resident cardEvisa to VietnamLatest news on visas
Safepeter

Hey mate,


Things are changing fast here. I really think that at the moment it's who you know that sorts things out. Given time things will settle down to a norm.

Or am I being optimistic? 🤣

Hoping get up your way in the not too distant future.


Cheers


Peter

ajairon

@OceanBeach92107

Hello, you asked for it in Đà Nẵng but finally you got it with your friend in Hanoi, isn't it? So, now it can be issued in any city?

OceanBeach92107

@OceanBeach92107
Hello, you asked for it in Đà Nẵng but finally you got it with your friend in Hanoi, isn't it? So, now it can be issued in any city? - @ajairon


Remember, Đà Nẵng is not a simple "city"; nor is Hà Nội.


Đà Nẵng is a "first class city" (thành phố loại I) functioning as a "centrally governed city" or "municipality with provincial status" (best translations) so applying to the central authority in this city is the same as applying to a provincial authority elsewhere.


Huế, Hải Phòng and Cần Thơ are also "first class cities".


Hà Nội and HCMC have a higher tier rating of "special class cities" (thành phố đặc biệt) and--as was discovered when attempting to apply for a TRC during and in the aftermath of COVID--they each have a type of ownership over a certain amount of the provinces.


So previously (9/2022) we couldn't apply for my TRC in Quảng Ngãi but had to do so in Hà Nội because "Hà Nội has 'ownership' of Quảng Ngãi"; the exact words spoken by immigration to me on the telephone.


Now that the restrictions have been lifted, it's possible to apply for a TRC in any PROVINCE (not any city) but it's not certain how many years you will get on the TRC in the different provinces when applying there directly.


I'm waiting to hear back from an expat friend in Quy Nhơn whose wife used the online application system and then took her documents into Binh Dinh province for authentication.


His TRC has been approved and he should have his TRC in the mail by Monday, and we will be able to see if they gave him a 2-year or a 3 year TRC.


If he was able to get a 3-year TRC then I would recommend that everyone use the online system instead and avoid the trip to one of the "special class cities".


I will update in this thread next week.

OceanBeach92107

@OceanBeach92107
Hello, you asked for it in Đà Nẵng but finally you got it with your friend in Hanoi, isn't it? So, now it can be issued in any city? - @ajairon
Remember, Đà Nẵng is not a simple "city"; nor is Hà Nội.

Đà Nẵng is a "first class city" (thành phố loại I) functioning as a "centrally governed city" or "municipality with provincial status" (best translations) so applying to the central authority in this city is the same as applying to a provincial authority elsewhere.

Huế, Hải Phòng and Cần Thơ are also "first class cities".

Hà Nội and HCMC have a higher tier rating of "special class cities" (thành phố đặc biệt) and--as was discovered when attempting to apply for a TRC during and in the aftermath of COVID--they each have a type of ownership over a certain amount of the provinces.

So previously (9/2022) we couldn't apply for my TRC in Quảng Ngãi but had to do so in Hà Nội because "Hà Nội has 'ownership' of Quảng Ngãi"; the exact words spoken by immigration to me on the telephone.

Now that the restrictions have been lifted, it's possible to apply for a TRC in any PROVINCE (not any city) but it's not certain how many years you will get on the TRC in the different provinces when applying there directly.

I'm waiting to hear back from an expat friend in Quy Nhơn whose wife used the online application system and then took her documents into Binh Dinh province for authentication.

His TRC has been approved and he should have his TRC in the mail by Monday, and we will be able to see if they gave him a 2-year or a 3 year TRC.

If he was able to get a 3-year TRC then I would recommend that everyone use the online system instead and avoid the trip to one of the "special class cities".

I will update in this thread next week. - @OceanBeach92107

It turns out that my friend in Gia Lai Province (living in Quy Nhơn - Formerly Binh Dinh Province) received a 3 year spousal TRC after his wife applied for it online, instead of walking into Provincial Immigration and starting the process that way.


At one point in the online process she was directed to bring the supportive documents for authentication to the immigration office in Quy Nhơn.


After that, she finished the process online by submitting her payment there.


She said there was a choice online to submit directly to Hanoi or to submit to Gia Lai Province, so she chose Gia Lai.


So I'm beginning to think that the two years quoted by the immigration officer here in Đà Nẵng only applies if you attempt to apply over the counter at their office.


I don't know that for sure and I will continue looking specifically for someone here in Đà Nẵng who has gotten a 3-year renewal since July 1st.


Meanwhile, our local policeman says the new Thanh Khê police department (new for him and us since the government realignment) says they will only give me a new 6-month residential registration, even though we have two years left on our house lease and I now have a new 3-year TRC.


So I have my wife jumping through the hoops of establishing an online account for Đà Nẵng so that she can do the registration online and hopefully get a full 2 years for me.


More news as it happens...


O.B.

KKK36

@OceanBeach92107

I have a 3 year TRC issued in HCMC but also via an agent.

Earlyant

@OceanBeach92107


I got a 3 year TRC spouse visa at the district 3 office in HCMC. Asked about getting a 5 year visa, as I’d heard they could be obtained, but was told they only give 3 years.


The process, as you said, most of it online apart from submitting the documents at the office, is quite smooth overall.


Can get busy there due to the number of agents applying for work visas.