Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Wrong Visa.....

Dear U.S. Embassy or Consulate, I wasn't able to extend my visa in Vietnam. I'm American, born in the year 1985 in Oregon.
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I moved to Vietnam in the year 2012, November 29th on a 3-months multiple entry tourist visa which I extended 2 times. I came to Vietnam to teach at a school but the school changed it's mind & hired a female teacher from the Philippines on my 5th day in Vietnam. I felt betrayed but I decided to stay in VN as a freelance teacher and volunteer. I love helping people & have wanted to travel & contribute to the world since I was 8 years old.
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I visited Cambodia twice to make new visas which I extended, first in 2013, & again in March 2015 where I asked for a DL tourist visa but they gave me a DN business visa.
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Sinh Travel gave me a 3 month DN visa which I extended twice with Tuan Travel while living at my last address from 10-2014 - 10-2015:
219/9 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 HCM.
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At the end of October 2015, I had to find a new room because the house was being leased or rented to a new family. I was living there for 13 months & had to go. The Vietnamese family moved out & I went to live at a hostel.
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I went to extend my visa again at Tuan a week before my visa expired but they said I was on a blacklist. I went to Chi Cafe & she said the same thing. After that, went to Mr.Thuy. They all talked about it. They asked if I fought with police or immigration. There might be a police report on me.
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In October 2014, Circle K staff called the police on me. They got mad at me. I use to go there sometimes. I would buy food & the staff would practice English with me a little. They wanted to. That one day, they were too busy to say hello to me. That's ok but I thought they were rude. I tried to ask them about it but that led to the manager calling the police.
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Immigration asked for my passport & I said no. But didn't think they were from immigration at that time. I tried to leave but they tackled me, tied me up for a few hours, searched my backpack without my consent, & then began treating me nicer when they saw I was American (they found my U.S. passport). They banned me from that store (Circle K headquarters) & wasn't allowed to rent rooms in that ward in District 4. At least, this is what I was told.
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I might be on a blacklist because of the reports the police & store staff filed that day in 2014. If that is the case, I would like to pay what I owe. I want to plead innocent, as in not guilty, but I understand that they may find me guilty despite the security camera & footage at that store which would say otherwise to prove my innocence.
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I also tried a 4th travel agency which said I wasn't on a blacklist & only needed residence when applying for a visa extension.
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The landlord or people at my last room probably didn't register me with the ward committee police and instead just paid bribe money, or coffee money. But my visa was extended 3 times while at that address. Websites & agencies don't say that residence is required for extensions to be made. They said I should rent a room & extend my visa with the aid of a residence paper.
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3 travel agencies said I'm on a blacklist & the fourth said I just need residence. I might be on a list because of the reports they filed at the store in 2014 or because I didn't pay taxes. Foreigners with DN visas may be expected or required to pay taxes. Their companies take care of that. Mine isn't since I don't have a company. I'm a tourist or freelancer. I understand that teaching or working is illegal without a work permit. However, I believe that I'm not officially working & my income is less than $20,000 USD a year, or actually less than maybe $500. My income goes up & down as a freelancer. I'm not the only freelance American English teacher in VN, but I understand that I could maybe get in trouble for it while the rest gets away with it.
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I want to know what I can do now. My visa expired on the 9th of December 2015. I wasn't able to extend my visa. I want to make a new visa for Vietnam. I want to live in Vietnam & help the next generation here excel as Vietnam develops more & more. I love Vietnam & I hope people can have patience as Vietnam makes transitions from the older generations to the newer generations with the aid of globalization, capitalism, while balancing & grounding itself upon fundamental culture which must be preserved & in which makes Vietnam truly unique in a world of copies & sequels & reboots. I love the coffee here.
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2016-01-20 Wed 1 AM AC 47THD Q1 HCM.
Joey Arnold 0168-478-5542

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