禁漫天堂

according to the law, each person can carry 5,000 USD max in cash when they depart Vietnam. If the person is caught at the airport, it's gonna be quite a hassle.

I carried few times more than that amount for my friends. 20,000 USD max though. They said I had the gut to pass security system with that much amount of money. haha. But the point is I looked absolutely poor and not suspicious

If she doesn't have the gut, I suggest she can travel 2 times to Singapore or Hongkong to split the amount. About withdrawing money, maybe she can try to withdraw in 2 or 3 times, 3,000 USD each time for example.

Problems can easily be fixed when you have that much money on you. Although it would be sad for your friend to give her hard earned cash away.

Good advice to 'look poor', it would also help to spread the money out and not have it all in the same place if you do decide to carry it on you.

If your friend looks like a western backpacker it's highly unlikely that anyone will give them more than a cursory glance. Good luck.

Perhaps a Bank Cheque to a Bank in the country where she is going to might be an idea, she will then have to open account at that Bank. Is this possible now?. (聽 I tried it a couple of years ago, maybe the VN Bank has heard of a Bank cheque by now? ).

EricSchmeric wrote:

Problems can easily be fixed when you have that much money on you. Although it would be sad for your friend to give her hard earned cash away.

Good advice to 'look poor', it would also help to spread the money out and not have it all in the same place if you do decide to carry it on you.

If your friend looks like a western backpacker it's highly unlikely that anyone will give them more than a cursory glance. Good luck.

There's a big difference between looking ' poor ', and looking beautiful, ( no need to thank me for the compliment Ngan ).

Open bankaccount -deposit money, and transfer,or u can get atm card and withdraw outside of the country too,no problem

bluenz wrote:

EricSchmeric wrote:

Problems can easily be fixed when you have that much money on you. Although it would be sad for your friend to give her hard earned cash away.

Good advice to 'look poor', it would also help to spread the money out and not have it all in the same place if you do decide to carry it on you.

If your friend looks like a western backpacker it's highly unlikely that anyone will give them more than a cursory glance. Good luck.

There's a big difference between looking ' poor ', and looking beautiful, ( no need to thank me for the compliment Ngan ).

Ahhahaha. You knew I would thank you for your compliment!聽

Hi-

I know this would be a great option but the most complicating thing is she is moving directly to a new job in Burma / Myanmar, where banking, ATMs, and international relations are all still new babies and are not very reliable.聽 My friend, wisely I think, would rather take the chance carrying the cash than counting on the safe and secure cooperation of Vietnamese and Burmese banks!

toiyeuthitmeo wrote:

Hi-

I know this would be a great option but the most complicating thing is she is moving directly to a new job in Burma / Myanmar, where banking, ATMs, and international relations are all still new babies and are not very reliable.聽 My friend, wisely I think, would rather take the chance carrying the cash than counting on the safe and secure cooperation of Vietnamese and Burmese banks!

Maybe she needs to talk to someone in VN Customs, She is only $6,000 over, it's not as though she will be carrying 10's of $1000's, and she has proof it was honestly earned, but get something in writing if possible.
聽 聽 聽 BIDV was supposed to have opened a Branch in Burma, 2010, but it wasn't listed when I looked on Wikipedia. Perhaps a call to BIDV could clarify this? They are one of the more reliable Banks in VN.

110 @ $100usd bills inside an envelope inside your purse or backpack (especially if it is carried with other important look documents) will not be noticed. They are more concerned with local currency leaving the country. I work in Congo and they actually look inside our wallets and will take any amount of CFA (local money) they find.

Thanks for responses everyone

Brings up a good question. If a person brings $50,000 in for use but doesnt use it, how do you get it out again?

cvco wrote:

Brings up a good question. If a person brings $50,000 in for use but doesnt use it, how do you get it out again?

You give it to someone of really good character to save it for you. Like me - Someone who wont spend it on booze and fast cars, no siree Bob!

DECLARE. Commonly amounts up to USD 7000 not need to be declared, amounts above yes. You declare that it yours. you might have to prove the source. E.g. bank saving ..... and maybe, how it came to there (taxed income )

l3ully wrote:

DECLARE. Commonly amounts up to USD 7000 not need to be declared, amounts above yes. You declare that it yours. you might have to prove the source. E.g. bank saving ..... and maybe, how it came to there (taxed income )

Thats exactly why I asked, that i might have to prove the trail all the way back to the original earnings from years ago, then to a savings account, then to my hands, then to the airplane, etc etc. Oh my what a mess of documents.

You can legally remove / import currency + gold not worth over USD$7000 +/- WITHOUT declaration.

All other amounts have to be declared - either way. Incoming is done at Customs. Declaration forms from airline

Providing you can prove the source of USD$ within VN (including the fact you declared it incoming) you can remove it LEGALLY. If you earned money through a Work Permit you can remove it LEGALLY.

A month or two before leaving VietNam contact the main branch of VietComBank which is on VO VAN KIET between TON THAT DAM and PHO DUC CHINH. You will need your Work Permit, a letter from your employer stating all taxes have been paid, etc.

The counter that handles these transactions is IN THE DOOR and SECOND ON THE RIGHT OF THE AISLE. Most of the employees speak good to fluent English.

IF the money is NOT legal you can buy USD$ on LE THANH TON (looking at Ben Thanh Market, the JEWELLERY STORES are on the opposite side of the road and slightly to the right).

They sell USD$100 bills. Again, the maximum amount is USD$7,000. Surplus can be hidden in or on your body - practice looking innocent and carefree in front of a mirror!

NITE: VietNam policies change CONSTANTLY and are varied by giving bribes, too, so CHECK CAREFULLY and WELL BEFORE TRAVEL.

VIETCOMBANK STAFF KNOW THE LATEST RULES (guess who their owner is).

Sources:
State Bank of VietNam [ ]

Thanks for the specific info. I know that people hate newbies but believe me its appreciated. I have much to learn and not much time.

cvco wrote:

Thanks for the specific info. I know that people hate newbies but believe me its appreciated. I have much to learn and not much time.

Troi Oi! Hate newbies? Not this hoary oldtimer!

Travelling with cash is CRAZY!

Better that your friend get legal permission to transfer the money out of VietNam and then keep it in a financially stable country. (VietNam exchange rates are artificial - not set by the free market).

Then draw the money through ATMs. (They have more and more in Myanmar).

Travelling with money makes the carrier a target of attack or even murder. I am not being dramatic - money is what people will kill for.

I do most of my banking on-line. This presupposes reliable InterNet.

I use two linked accounts in each bank: Savings and Current.

SAVINGS holds my money and is where Deposits go. CURRENT is the account which can be accessed by ATM/CREDIT CARD.

Whenever I need cash, or just to buy something, I transfer the appropriate amount from CURRENT to SAVINGS. My maximum exposure to fraud through credit card is limited to the amount in the Current account.

Nothing other than an authorised person with access information can move money and then ONLY to the Current account.

Of course, HSBC manages even to screw this up, but for most all other banks the money is safe, secure and accessible.

BUT NEVER CARRY THOUSANDS!!!! 锛堬渐鈭�锝�)銇も懇聽 锛堛��锞� 袛锞燂級

Jaitch wrote:

Whenever I need cash, or just to buy something, I transfer the appropriate amount from SAVINGS to CURRENT.

Fixed it for you, bro.

DanFromSF wrote:

Jaitch wrote:

Whenever I need cash, or just to buy something, I transfer the appropriate amount from SAVINGS to CURRENT.

Fixed it for you, bro.

锛堬浚銉硷浚锛�

(Shouldn't take calls when dictating response!)

Carrying cash is awful, I agree. I cant speak (yet) for Vietnam but one example of why I or someone else would carry cash in Malaysia is because here the flow of money goes in one direction--IN. I can bring or transfer any amount IN, but when I want to transfer OUT, I get a hard time and even denials. Im asked why I want to take money out. for what purpose, to send where, why, who, what. And they can deny the transfer simply because they want to keep the money in the country's hands. This led to a black market for transfers through crooked money changers and because thats breaking the law, if the money changers steal your money you couldnt possibly complain to anyone lest you admit your side of the guilt in the crime.

In about 10 years ago I transferred money in to capitalize a new startup company. Things didnt work out and I wanted to send the money back to the original bank and the bank said NO. I appealed to the government central bank and they also said NO. I devised a series of lies and eventually got the money back out. This whole process scared me to death. Whose money is it anyway? If I bring $1 in, is it still mine or is it forfeited in Vietnam? Malaysia took the position that if I brought it in, as far as they are concerned its country money. I can use it in Malaysia but I cant leave with it because of currency restriction laws. Scary. So im trying to understand how Vietnam compares so i dont get into trouble.

But thats why people carry cash, awful as it is.

Oh, I should add that, sure, people also carry cash because they conduct illegal activities but thats not what we are talking about in this vein.

Im coming to VN in October for vacation and I bring $XXXX to spend for hotels and food. At the end of the trip, I have $XXX left in my pocket. Am i LEGALLY allowed to take it with me or, tecnically speaking, is it no longer my money, but Vietnam government money over which they control its final disposition? In other words is it their choice to let me leave with it or not? Even if I declare I brought $1500 and have $500 remaining in my pocket when im leaving, do they have the power to say the money stays in Vietnam?

If she has the documentation you say, then she can take any amount of money out of the country. She just needs to show proof she was working legally and where the money can from.

cvco wrote:

Oh, I should add that, sure, people also carry cash because they conduct illegal activities but thats not what we are talking about in this vein.

Im coming to VN in October for vacation and I bring $XXXX to spend for hotels and food. At the end of the trip, I have $XXX left in my pocket. Am i LEGALLY allowed to take it with me or, tecnically speaking, is it no longer my money, but Vietnam government money over which they control its final disposition? In other words is it their choice to let me leave with it or not? Even if I declare I brought $1500 and have $500 remaining in my pocket when im leaving, do they have the power to say the money stays in Vietnam?

You're not required to spend all the money you declare, if that's what you're asking.

I did see a older Viet man stopped once because he was carrying over the limit. I seriously doubt he had any idea he was doing something wrong, though, I may be wrong. Anyway, they gave him the option of boarding the plane with the customs limit and leaving the rest or not getting on the plane and staying in Viet Nam. When the plane took off, he wasn't on it.

Adhome, understood and agreed. He broke a known limit law and so yes, understood.

Let me ask a different way. I come with $1 and start a business selling fruit at the side of the road. After 40 years and success, i decide to retire and take my savings, US$100 million, and buy a beach to retire on in Argentina.

Can I take that money out?

cvco wrote:

Adhome, understood and agreed. He broke a known limit law and so yes, understood.

Let me ask a different way. I come with $1 and start a business selling fruit at the side of the road. After 40 years and success, i decide to retire and take my savings, US$100 million, and buy a beach to retire on in Argentina.

Can I take that money out?

Not if you didn't form a corporation and file all the proper paperwork, along with paying taxes, fees and whatnot. If done illegally, and being successful, I doubt you'd fly under the radar too long. If you really want to start a business it's best to get a good lawyer and do it right.

You know there are always ways of getting money out of any country undetected (walking it through the airport isn't one of them). It's mostly done by people with money helping those with money. Like this, lets say we are both Americans. You want to get a large some of money back to The States. You give me the money here, then, I transfer money from my account in The States to you account there, less a small fee. I use to money to buy a house in my wife's name that we can sell later if we want. That's the thing about Viet Nam, you can buy something and the government won't come knocking wanting to know how you got the money. In The States anything over $10k gets reported to the IRS, here it's not a problem.

adhome, ok you put it well, understood. Oh, and I did always mean doing things the right way, like forming a proper company. I was only referring to the disposition of money that is rightfully yours.

I dont mind saying im from California and will tell you I have never broken any laws on this topic. Even in US there may be scrutiny if you attempt board a plane after having declared you have more then $10K on you. Ive never tested it. I predict a time when the export of capital wont be allowed at all. I believe its coming.

(Not to digress but there is another question about money nobody is asking but should. Is gold the same as money? Thats where things become more complicated. You can declare you are carrying gold coins worth, say, $30,000 and possibly draw someone to take you to a room for a little chat. If you dont declare, its called contraband and youre in trouble. But the point is, one could carry a few 1 oz. coins far more safely than bundles of cash and then the question is, "i have 9 coins and they are my property." Any trouble from Viets? Any law that says you cant travel in and out of Vietnam with precious metal? Is its value in currency considered the same as currency and therefore falling under currency laws?)

My entire purpose in questions here isnt to circumvent laws but to be able to hold on to whats rightfully mine. But yes, as you say there are ways to skin cats and they may well have to be used.

Oh, and I should also say this conversation comes around again to my first post about banking. If I have a bank account I know that I could go online and transfer small amounts and all is ok. The entire matter of this conversation is about NOT having a bank account and what happens then (?) That was the point. Sure I dont want to travel with cash.

Here is the scenario I would prefer because im working towards it. Im in Malaysia where I have an account. Ive decided to split my time between there and Saigon. Before making a trip to Saigon i could transfer $1500 to my account there and then withdraw at an ATM as needed during a trip.

Im never talking about smuggling unless first trying to do things the right way fails. I detest Plan Bs but see the importance at times.

cvco wrote:

adhome, ok you put it well, understood. Oh, and I did always mean doing things the right way, like forming a proper company. I was only referring to the disposition of money that is rightfully yours.

I dont mind saying im from California and will tell you I have never broken any laws on this topic. Even in US there may be scrutiny if you attempt board a plane after having declared you have more then $10K on you. Ive never tested it. I predict a time when the export of capital wont be allowed at all. I believe its coming.

(Not to digress but there is another question about money nobody is asking but should. Is gold the same as money? Thats where things become more complicated. You can declare you are carrying gold coins worth, say, $30,000 and possibly draw someone to take you to a room for a little chat. If you dont declare, its called contraband and youre in trouble. But the point is, one could carry a few 1 oz. coins far more safely than bundles of cash and then the question is, "i have 9 coins and they are my property." Any trouble from Viets? Any law that says you cant travel in and out of Vietnam with precious metal? Is its value in currency considered the same as currency and therefore falling under currency laws?)

My entire purpose in questions here isnt to circumvent laws but to be able to hold on to whats rightfully mine. But yes, as you say there are ways to skin cats and they may well have to be used.

The best way to bring gold in is to use jewelry. You don't have to declare the jewelry you are wearing.聽 Just buy a couple gold chains or a gold it's self and attached it to a necklace. For your coins you could put them all into a coin holder with a loop and attach that to a necklace. You could keep it on you when traveling and just put it on when going through customs. More the people I know that want to bring currency into the country buy 24k gold in the form of a necklace and wear it in. The gold shops will give you the current gold price using the weight of the necklace, it makes no difference to them if the gold is a ring, necklace, or tael.

adhome, yes.Regarding gold there are other ways too. One can say he is a coin dealer and going to a trade show in Singapore, thats why one is carrying 30 coins. Thailand is another place that uses jewelry practically as cash. They buy/sell gold at spot prices and commissions, if any, are very small. Three little ounces in your pocket is already US4000 and its a good method. Does Saigon have coin shops?

cvco wrote:

adhome, yes.Regarding gold there are other ways too. One can say he is a coin dealer and going to a trade show in Singapore, thats why one is carrying 30 coins. Thailand is another place that uses jewelry practically as cash. They buy/sell gold at spot prices and commissions, if any, are very small. Three little ounces in your pocket is already US4000 and its a good method. Does Saigon have coin shops?

There probably are coin shops but I doubt you'd get much more than the value of the gold. You'd be better off selling them before you come and buying gold to bring.

I guess, the best way is to declare it. My friend recently encountered bringing out more than $5k. It was detected and she was told to cancel her flight, etc. In the end, she just gave a tip to the people she talked with. It's a mess when your caught.

Buying jewelries and wearing it is not a bad idea as well.

Another thing, don't put the money all together (even if it's within allowable limit). Try to separate it as much as you could.

Adhome01 wrote:

In The States anything over $10k gets reported to the IRS, here it's not a problem.

USD$10,000+ gets reported, USD$9,999 doesn't UNLESS THE BANK THINKS SOMETHING IS FISHY.

Splitting large ($10,000+) into smaller amounts is called structured. Structured payments are illegal in the US - and VietNam BUT I know EVN uses structured payments to avoid the rule that requires payments over USD$3,500 equivalent to be paid by money transfer.

Jaitch wrote:

Travelling with cash is CRAZY!

Better that your friend get legal permission to transfer the money out of VietNam and then keep it in a financially stable country. (VietNam exchange rates are artificial - not set by the free market).

Then draw the money through ATMs. (They have more and more in Myanmar).

Travelling with money makes the carrier a target of attack or even murder. I am not being dramatic - money is what people will kill for.

I do most of my banking on-line. This presupposes reliable InterNet.

I use two linked accounts in each bank: Savings and Current.

SAVINGS holds my money and is where Deposits go. CURRENT is the account which can be accessed by ATM/CREDIT CARD.

Whenever I need cash, or just to buy something, I transfer the appropriate amount from CURRENT to SAVINGS. My maximum exposure to fraud through credit card is limited to the amount in the Current account.

Nothing other than an authorised person with access information can move money and then ONLY to the Current account.

Of course, HSBC manages even to screw this up, but for most all other banks the money is safe, secure and accessible.

BUT NEVER CARRY THOUSANDS!!!! 锛堬渐鈭�锝�)銇も懇聽 锛堛��锞� 袛锞燂級

I never have any problem with my HSBC account, Card ??? Not in Vietnam and not abroad (China, Thailand, Hongkong, Malysia, Austria, Switzerland......) also the fee is not higher the local VN Banks? Have VND, EURO, USD??? Also onlinetransfer in EURO to Europe no problem?

AustriaKarl wrote:

I never have any problem with my HSBC account, Card ??? Not in Vietnam and not abroad (China, Thailand, Hongkong, Malysia, Austria, Switzerland......) also the fee is not higher the local VN Banks? Have VND, EURO, USD??? Also on-line transfer in EURO to Europe no problem?

The HSBC should give you a bonus. They need publicity such as yours.

Where is your home account located (country). Are you a Premier Account holder?

I make a point of circumventing HSBC Java-killing messaging system and I religiously record everything they message me with. I issued an instruction as to how I wanted some accounts configured; they acknowledged this a couple of days later and AFTER OVER ONE YEAR they still have not made the changes.

The imbeciles they employ in the UK managed to deny access to my money for months on end; the same crowd also sent me several Code Keys which the staff of the Main Branch in HCM serially 'destroyed' (before that device was issued here).

Google is replete with many links over HSBC and it's poor service. Even though the account data is held in the USA, as is their e-mail server (warrant free access by the US government through the PATRIOT ACT).

Still, the Mexican drug industry were well pleased by HSBC service, but the US government was not as the fined them billions of dollars. There were other penalties, too.

Problems with transfer out of VN are due to State Bank of VN regulations - nothing to do with HSBC incompetence.

Ask I asked: Where is your home account located (country) AND are you a Premier Account holder?

Jaitch wrote:

AustriaKarl wrote:

I never have any problem with my HSBC account, Card ??? Not in Vietnam and not abroad (China, Thailand, Hongkong, Malysia, Austria, Switzerland......) also the fee is not higher the local VN Banks? Have VND, EURO, USD??? Also on-line transfer in EURO to Europe no problem?

The HSBC should give you a bonus. They need publicity such as yours.

Where is your home account located (country). Are you a Premier Account holder?

I make a point of circumventing HSBC Java-killing messaging system and I religiously record everything they message me with. I issued an instruction as to how I wanted some accounts configured; they acknowledged this a couple of days later and AFTER OVER ONE YEAR they still have not made the changes.

The imbeciles they employ in the UK managed to deny access to my money for months on end; the same crowd also sent me several Code Keys which the staff of the Main Branch in HCM serially 'destroyed' (before that device was issued here).

Google is replete with many links over HSBC and it's poor service. Even though the account data is held in the USA, as is their e-mail server (warrant free access by the US government through the PATRIOT ACT).

Still, the Mexican drug industry were well pleased by HSBC service, but the US government was not as the fined them billions of dollars. There were other penalties, too.

Problems with transfer out of VN are due to State Bank of VN regulations - nothing to do with HSBC incompetence.

Ask I asked: Where is your home account located (country) AND are you a Premier Account holder?

NOT a PREMIUM Account and is located in HCMC and I have nothing to do with US? And I think all E-Mailsever worldwide accessable by the US and there agancys - with or without Patriot Act ;-) More concerns about FACTA!

Whether or not you have anything to do with the US doesn't stop them (CIA / NSA) from snooping on you anywhere in the world. The HSBC's problem is their arrogance and lack of聽 customer care. If they mess up your payments, accounts and so on, you are met with a blank wall of indifference and computer generated apologies and excuses. Invariably, if you complain, the person you talk to - some of whom cant speak English (my account is in the UK) - has to refer the matter to some nebulous person further聽 up the food chain leading to further delays and more aggravation.

I've heard of private banking systems in Vietnam for transferring money to other countries. The person called it the bamboo banking network.
From what I was told you pay someone in Vietnam and your friends or whatever can visit a Vietnamese merchant in the other country and get the money.
Is this a real thing and if so what sort of fees do they charge?

eodmatt wrote:

Whether or not you have anything to do with the US doesn't stop them (CIA / NSA) from snooping on you anywhere in the world. The HSBC's problem is their arrogance and lack of聽 customer care. If they mess up your payments, accounts and so on, you are met with a blank wall of indifference and computer generated apologies and excuses. Invariably, if you complain, the person you talk to - some of whom cant speak English (my account is in the UK) - has to refer the matter to some nebulous person further聽 up the food chain leading to further delays and more aggravation.

You think other banks in Vietnam are different, its the Workforce who is incapable and this go through the whole country? I have in 10 years dealing with HSBC one bad experience - the messed up the currencie calculation multiply / divide (1400 USD less) but after complaint everything fixed in 4 houre - qualification!!! Arrogance is personal behavior?