Bribes.

[ridejewel 0]

Anyone else have to bribe the customs officer in Vietnam in order to keep something? For me, it was 10 dollars for our cd's. Pissed me off.

[chuckandkim 0]

ridejewel... no disrespect, and it goes the same for everyone who bribes the vietnamese custom officer in VN: you've got taken, big time! I don't pay to enter VN, I don't pay to leave it, just the Airport tax which everyone pays! Because of people like you, feeding the crookes, the crookes never go away. I've seen people on my same flight traveling from KE to VN, stucking cash inside their passport, just to hope they would get a quicker clearance through VN Immigration desk, then more money to get through the Custom scanner. Those days were long gone folks! If you haven't notice, VN Custom declaration form no longer askes for how many cameras, camcorders, laptops or cellphones you bring in VN so you have to pay tax on those or bribe them. The amount of cash allowance has been increase to $7000USD as oppose to $3000. This is for entering VN.

Leaving VN: Why would you pay someone to allow you to take your CD's? What was the reason that the C.O. gave you why these CD's aren't allowed to be transported? I don't get it, every dollar you gave those C.O. will cause them to want it more and make it harder for the next guy from VJ going through VN. No, it's not a customary to bribe those guys. Man, if they ask for money, need to call out loud to everyone around you: THIS GUY WANTS MONEY TO LET MY CD's THROUGH, I NEED SOMEONE TO REPORT HIM. Those guys paid a lot of money (somewhere in the $10,000USD range) to get that job, to sit at that desk, if you make a scene and may cost him his job, I don't think he would fight you for some CD's and $10.

Again, anyone who pays those C.O. will make it harder for the next guy who has to go through Custom in VN. Do not bribe! I didn't and I was fine!

[andrew va thuy 0]

In principle I agree completely. But please note this story - 1 year ago a VN I spoke to at work said that when he was returning the customs officer called him back from the staging area and went through his baggage again. With only 10 minutes before the door closed to his flight the cutoms officer - while asking him all kinds of off the wall questions - was indicating to this guy with an open palm - that he wanted a bribe. He finally got the idea & gave him a 10 $ or 20 $ - I dont recall. I have no idea if the situation would have worked differently had he yelled out or not - or if where the extra baggage inspection took place was well monitored. As much as they bribed their way to get the job, I imagine they all look out for themselves. ( And that's how they pay back the bribes )

I also notice how skillfully and discretely the slide the money out of the passport for VN on their return to VN.

Because I am not goc VN, I dont get bothered, but then I paid my bribe up front with the 50 $ or whatever they charge me extra for a visa because I was not born in VN or China.

[ridejewel 0]

Well, Chuck, yeah, you're right, I couldnt agree with you more. The only reason I paid was for my fiancee. It was her first time leaving Viet Nam and most of the cd's were her vietnamese music, cd's that meant a lot to her and that she probably wouldnt be able to get so easily in the states. I, personally, as an American, traveling alone, would have done exactly what you said, caused a scene asked for his boss, and if, still, he didnt let me take them, I would have went to EVA and had them mail them for me. Dont feed the flame, you're right. Next time...Never! On our way up the stairs, after paying the man, I was swearing like crazy, calling the Vietnamese all sorts of names; another man, a Vietnamese overseas turned to me and said, 'Man, this is Viet Nam, I just had to pay as well.' So it does happen to other people. I think they only asked us for money because I was traveling with a Vietnamese. I've flown in and out of Saigon many times alone and never gotten any beef from anybody.

[chuckandkim 0]

Andrew: the VN you know at work violated the #1 rule of traveling post-911 - Arrival Early! But I do know how scary it is to be stopped by these C.O. Totally

Ridejewel: I would have packed those CD's in check-in luggages, but that just me brother. However, if they wanted your money/bribes, doesn't matter what you carry-on, they will "stop" you for it. I did think of what you said about "her first time leaving VN", you want everything to go smoothly and $10 to have that false sense of security is a bargain. I thought of paying when I went back to the US with Kim the first time, and this past trip (Jan 2007), then another thought came to me: what if the C.O. asked for money, I gave him the bribe, he and I both got caught by his supervisor. Now it turns out to be a FEDERAL case. There is law in the US where you as an american will be criminalized for corrupting a foreign official. How bad would that be? My chance of getting harrashed by some CO because I didn't bribe him is high vs. a chance of both me and the CO getting caught bribing and receiving the bribe is low. However, the fear of being accused by the VN police for bribing a "People Police Custom Protection Officer" is greater than all. That's why I never bribed them. It is so embarrassing for me as a vietnamese born to see that kind of corruption is still existing nowadays. Hoping by joining WTO, it will soon help VN to reduce the corruption, at least at the Airport... I only hope and pray for my VN, one day... yeah, one day it will change for the better.

[David-Hien 11]

With my experience, I didn't have to bribe the custom officers although I brought out of VN about 4 CD's. I put it in the CD box (made by plastic) and pack it in the luggages. No one asked me about these CDs as I didn't bring along with me in my handbag. I think that you should ask your fiance did as I did, she should put it in the hard plastic box and pack the CDs in the luggages.

Our problem was the custom officer who had a terrible english level, she guided David the wrong way for the visa declared. She spoke English but according to Vietnamese style, half English and half Vietnamese. I explained to David but David believed in her than me, David thought that it was my first experience going out of VN, so I could be wrong. It took us 30minutes for this wrong visa declared as we had to do it again but could not complete. I complained by Vietnamese with the final custom officer about what they said to my fiance at the previous custom officer. I showed him my visa and the name of David on my visa, finally he let us go through although David wrote wrongly on his visa declared with my name according to what that female custom officer said.

I feel ashame for what the custom officers did, they didn't bribe but had low English communication level, which made the bad impression to the people from other countries coming to VN.

Hien

[andrew va thuy 0]

Andrew: the VN you know at work violated the #1 rule of traveling post-911 - Arrival Early! But I do know how scary it is to be stopped by these C.O. Totally

Chuck, as I understood it, he did arrive early. They pulled him out as the passenger started to board the plane - ... his luggage apparently was held aside ( planned ) for what amounts to extortion ....

[ridejewel 0]

They went in our checked luggage, took out a bag of cd's and waited for us to arrive at the x-ray machines. Then, once we got there, we put out carry on luggage through the machines and they opened both them up after they came out, took out the other cd's and asked for 30 dollars, I through 5 at him, he through it back and started walking away with our cd's, Ngan walked up to him and asked him to please take 10, he agreed. I think our problem was that we literally were the first people to walk through there, or check or bags. Since I fly so much, I get to check in at the first class counter, we got to the counter at exactly the time they opened: 130pm. But, yeah, I saw them opening out bags that we just checked and take out the things. Hien, with Ngan, she never recieved a arrival/departure card, so when we went to the place to surrender your visa, they gave her a real hard time. They told her that she was lucky that I was there with her or they never would have let her go through...they also wanted money. Luckily, after 10 minutes, they got the form for her and all went well.

[chuckandkim 0]

Ridejewel,

This is not right brother!!!! These guys are major @$$, of course she didn't have her arrive/departure card because she's never left!!!!!! Telling you "you're lucky" is just another evidence of their errogant toward their own people (vietnamese) and that's how it is with vietnamese in general... They would rather give their own kind a hard time or wouldn't dare to speak to a foreigner, especially a westerner looking one. You're a better man than me Ridejewel, and I admire your patient... I wouldn't care if it's a CD from a famous singer or what not, if the CO wants me to pay him for those, I would have told him to keep it! See what he'd say! Those CD's wouldn't worth more than $5 left alone $30. Plus, If I'm not mistaken, any CD that you see in VN, you'll can buy them here at the asian shopping center in most major cities in the US. You can also order them online through VN website also. Bottom line is, I thought this type of harrassment was long gone.... I'm mad Ridejewel.

Andrew, that's horrible what they did with your friend.... Called him out at the last mins? What a classic!!!

[David-Hien 11]

They went in our checked luggage, took out a bag of cd's and waited for us to arrive at the x-ray machines. Then, once we got there, we put out carry on luggage through the machines and they opened both them up after they came out, took out the other cd's and asked for 30 dollars, I through 5 at him, he through it back and started walking away with our cd's, Ngan walked up to him and asked him to please take 10, he agreed. I think our problem was that we literally were the first people to walk through there, or check or bags. Since I fly so much, I get to check in at the first class counter, we got to the counter at exactly the time they opened: 130pm. But, yeah, I saw them opening out bags that we just checked and take out the things. Hien, with Ngan, she never recieved a arrival/departure card, so when we went to the place to surrender your visa, they gave her a real hard time. They told her that she was lucky that I was there with her or they never would have let her go through...they also wanted money. Luckily, after 10 minutes, they got the form for her and all went well.

Ridejewel, I understand what you had to deal with. Our problem is both of us, David and me, we are at two extreme sides of both governments: Vietnamese and American. My mother used to work in the high range of Ministry of Interior of Vietnam goverment, my family passed through the Vietnam War in very terrible situation. While, David is working for the American government now. The day we left Vietnam, it was a sad day, no one in my family members came to the Airport to say goodbye to me. I was very sad, but I knew what will happen and I accepted it, I cannot change the history of both countries.

I only could ask for help from one friend who is working in the Vietnam government to come to the Airport with us to see if any problem before we left Vietnam. This friend said that it was my luckiness that my mother still considered I was her daughter. My grandmother in the countryside was very sad when I phoned her to say goodbye, she cried when she knew that I would go without any one in family coming to see me the last time in my country.

The Vietnamese authorities couldnot cause any problem to me as I grew up in Vietnam and I understood what could happen to us from the Vietnamese government, so I prevented it before it could happen. However, I cannot make my mother and my family members being more happier with our successful visa process.

Hien

Hien

[ridejewel 0]

Hien, did your family have trouble accepting the two of you because of fear for their own beings, or because they still have feelings against the Americans? That is a pretty sad situation. Chuck, I told the guy, 'she doesnt have the card because she's never left this country, ever!' He just waved me away from her, to step aside, he wouldnt even hear my words. You're right, something needs to change. I'de like to write a complaint to someone, maybe the department of tourism in Viet Nam. I'm sure it wouldnt do anything, but it sure couldnt hurt. I tried to find the guy's name but he seemed to not have an ID on, I couldnt find it. You're telling me though, I wanted to take the man's watch and say if he wanted it back to pay me some money. Eh, what can you do? Fuckin' corruption!

[David-Hien 11]

Hien, did your family have trouble accepting the two of you because of fear for their own beings, or because they still have feelings against the Americans? That is a pretty sad situation. Chuck, I told the guy, 'she doesnt have the card because she's never left this country, ever!' He just waved me away from her, to step aside, he wouldnt even hear my words. You're right, something needs to change. I'de like to write a complaint to someone, maybe the department of tourism in Viet Nam. I'm sure it wouldnt do anything, but it sure couldnt hurt. I tried to find the guy's name but he seemed to not have an ID on, I couldnt find it. You're telling me though, I wanted to take the man's watch and say if he wanted it back to pay me some money. Eh, what can you do? Fuckin' corruption!

I think that you can ask Ngan to help you to send the complaint to the newspaper such as : Tuoitre Newspaper(http://www.tuoitre.com.vn), Thanh Nien Newspaper (http://www.thanhnien.com.vn) or CongAn Newspaper (Police Office newspaper : http://www.congan.com.vn), and more others, Ngan can search on google website. Ngan can translate your words into Vietnamese, then you send both English and Vietnamese copies to the Newspapers to see what they re-act. Make email flooding to the newspaper's email box to see what can happen. I used to do it and it can be changed inside gradually.

Hien

[sealedkiss 1]

Okay, Chuck. Going back a few months aren't you the one who suggested I may spend "coffee" money to get Ho Khau changed more quickly by the police?

ridejewel... no disrespect, and it goes the same for everyone who bribes the vietnamese custom officer in VN: you've got taken, big time! I don't pay to enter VN, I don't pay to leave it, just the Airport tax which everyone pays! Because of people like you, feeding the crookes, the crookes never go away.

[chuckandkim 0]

I did suggest to spend "coffee money" for the "HO KHAU". That is 100% different from this sealedkiss. If you didn't get the HO KHAU straighten out, you wouldn't get to be anywhere near the door of the Consulate, left alone getting near the airport gate Those are ways of doing business and you have to pay the Local cops who have much more power over you, your family and your American fiancé. My complain here is directed toward the VN Custom/Immigrant ion Officer at CHECK-OUT gate inside Ton Son Nhat airport.

The CO, these guys are purely harassing the people who are good enough, legal enough to be issued a Visa to come to America and was approved by the local and interior police to leave the country (hint: otherwise, they wouldn't issue Ridejewel's wife a VN Passport). Now, just a few mins before they leave their whole life in VN to start a new one in America, these CO's know, that why they are you giving everyone a hard time and rob them in broad daylight.

So, I stand correct: pay the coffee money to the local police, but it's just not right when you are forced to pay the CO. You were good enough for the Passport, and safe enough to get the Visa to come to America, there shouldn't be any legality issue that they can stop you from leaving.

What trouble me is some of you guys bring back things that replaceable here in America as Cd's, DVDs etc. Where almost 90% neglect to bring family's memories, if you did, it wasn't enough. My suggestion, you wouldn't have any trouble with the CO if you bring family's photos, pictures, things that are unique to you, things to remember your wife's family by... To think about those Cd's and DVDs, they aren't worth the hassle and you can buy new one here with better quality for sure. Paris By Night, Thuy Nga, Van Son, Saigon Gala etc. you can buy them here too you know. But that just me!

[Cha Gio 0]

I have always heard of stories like this, and I have friends and family members who travel back to Vietnam and always put 10 dollars in their passports at the Immigration Port and 10 dollars at the Custom. Personally, I have never done it. Of the 6 times I traveled back in Vietnam, they always told me "Please wait. Your name is very common, and it takes a while for the computer to search." I do not know if the computers were really that slow when it came to my name, or they just wanted me to give some money. Regardless, I wouldn't give them a cent because my passport is valid, my visa is valid, and I don't carry illegal stuffs in my backpack or luggages. So I'm not afraid of them. Many of my friends would tell me that by giving them $10, I would avoid having any delay or frustration. However, I have never had any "harrassment" from the people at the airport from all my visit.