Thursday, 21 June 2012

Some information about Visas

Hey there, I thought that seeing as I'm writing this to help other people out, I might explain what I know of the Visa process for entering Vietnam (to work, at least). I'm getting a Landing Visa, which means I don't have to go to the Vietnamese consulate in London. I receive an Invitation Letter from the Vietnamese school I'll be teaching at, organised through TTV (Teach & Travel Vietnam - who run the internship). Once I land in Vietnam, I go to the Landing Visa desk before immigration, and produce my Invitation Letter, passport, and 2 passport pictures, as well as the fee (for me it's US$25 at the desk, and then US$175 dollars paid to TTV, as they will have paid that amount towards it beforehand). This will get me a 3-month Visa, that will be extended once I'm in the country. You can only get this type of Landing Visa if you are flying into the country. If you are planning on getting there through Cambodia or Laos, on foot or by bus/train, you will have to obtain a Visa from the consulate in your home country. And here, for your perusal, is a list of the Top 5 Vegetarian Vietnamese Dishes, courtesy of TTV =) Veggie Food Millie

2 comments:

  1. Hey! I'm planning on teaching english abroad as well and I want to leave for Jan 2013. What program did you go through to get your tesol/ tefl? How long was the process of getting everything together (visa, vaccinations, teacher training course, as well as interview and getting a job?)

    Not quite sure where to start! Any advice or information would be amazing... thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Angela!
      It's great that you want to teach abroad as well =) Any idea where?

      I did my TEFL course through a company called i-to-i. I did a 140-hour combined classroom and online course, which took me 3 months to complete.
      I got my job here in Vietnam through a company called TTV, who offer paid internships here, for 5 months. They organised my placement at a school for me, so I didn't have to worry about looking for a job independently.
      The great thing with i-to-i is that they have a whole online community, with different forums and a jobs board, when you can talk to fellow TEFLers and get some great advice, as well as look for jobs abroad.
      Vaccinations depend on where you're going, and once you've settled on a country, you can easily find out what vaccinations you need on the web. You may need a course over a few months before you leave for some vaccinations, so keep that in mind.
      Again, visas depend on where you're going. Once you know what country you want to teach in, you can find out more from their consulate's website.
      If you decide on Vietnam, I'm sure I can be much more help to you =)

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