‘I’m deserted in Vietnam’
A New Zealand teacher stuck in Vietnam who has been attempting to get home since July was given less than two weeks’ notice that her visa would expire.
Other Kiwis on expired visas were given a five-day email warning on Monday to change their visa or leave Vietnam if they can’t access New Zealand’s managed isolation system.
The email from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (MFAT) Safe Travel service told Kiwis in the southeast Asian country the visa extension that had allowed them to stay through the pandemic was no longer available.
That meant they had to change their visa to a business one, requiring a local sponsor or country, or leave Vietnam by Saturday.
Vietnam had automatically renewed expired visas for foreign nationals who entered the country after March 2020 on visa exemptions, e-visas or tourist visas. That was now ending.
Tamara Smith moved to Da Nang on a two-year English teaching contract in May 2019.
Along with other Kiwis, she was granted an extension because of the pandemic but was told by her immigration adviser on January 3 it would expire this week.
Since July last year, Smith said she had attempted to get a room in MIQ and taken part in eight room releases with no luck, an experience she said had made her feel ‘‘deserted’’ by New Zealand.
‘‘I never in my life believed that New Zealanders would be barred from entering their own country. I am gobsmacked to see how long the Government has and is planning to keep MIQ in place. It feels like a de facto ban on entry for all but the lucky few.’’ Smith plans to travel to Thailand.
MFAT spokeswoman Susan Pepperell said there were 118 New Zealanders registered with Safe Travel as being in Vietnam.
New Zealand officials could not intervene with Vietnamese visa decisions but New Zealand consular officials were providing letters of support to Kiwis wanting to make visa applications.