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I don't think one can just "go to Hanoi" on a whim, there are visa issues that have to be dealt with, passport issues that have to be dealt with, you really should find out if you will be able to work there, can you rent a place in your name, etc. etc.
Personally I would tell the girlfriend to go to Hanoi, keep in touch and when she is done doing whatever it is she is there for you both can decide if you want to plan a future together.
Is there any site filled with expats discussing their lives in Vietnam? Moving to a completely different country could be extremely challenging. It seems too big a risk to take imo.
My girlfriend (who is neither American nor Vietnamese) wants me to move to Hanoi with her from the US for her job in a year. Obviously, this is a make-or-break the relationship kind of event, and it has me stressed. For the first time in my life, I like my job and and can see it going somewhere. I like the city that I live in (or at least, I'm pretty comfortable here and could settle down here). The idea of moving to Vietnam is thus a little scary (I've never even been to Asia) but at the same time very alluring; maybe I'm too complacent where I'm at, and Hanoi could be an adventure. I always wanted to live in or visit SE Asia, but that was when I was younger. I'm 30 now (which feels pretty old!).
So I guess what I'm asking is,
Have you, or anyone you know, ever been in a similar situation? What did you do?
How easy is it for Americans to find good work in Vietnam? I currently work in real estate finance for a bank, I'd like to find something in real estate/banking/finance. Is Vietnam one of those countries where they love Westerners, and you can earn a good living?
Anything else you can think of.
I realize this is a pretty vague thread, but this news just got dropped on me and I don't even know how to begin assessing how to decide. Visiting Vietnam is out of the question for awhile, too, due to vacation time and other constraints.
Cheers
As a person who moved to Asia with NO hesitation whatsoever, I'd be very much in your girlfriend's camp. Meaning, as a person who identifies with her choices, I'd basically say that either a person is LIKE THAT or THEY ARENT LIKE THAT.
For you, you like your current home, and on and on. You should STAY. You feel old at 30 (which is quite young), and you like where you are at, on and on. You need to stay there.
Don't follow someone who is inherently extremely different from you in this regard. I am like her. I moved around constantly, and Hanoi wouldn't be the last stop by any means, she will keep going with that. If you are a person who is like that, it's great. If you aren't, than you'll have a hard time.
Find someone like yourself, and let her find someone like herself.
There's no job market in Vietnam for skilled or qualified people. Vietnam also does not give residence permits to a spouse. I know you're not married, just saying.
What kind of job could she possibly have that she would move to Vietnam because of the job? Can't be the money or career opportunities. Either she has to leave the U.S. or she's homesick.
Yes, white people are at an advantage. Often times even more so than locals. But that won't get you a well paying job. Most College grads here can't even find a decent job. They just end up selling something. Even jobs like petroleum engineers are hard to come by. You will need to bribe someone to get a job. I do know some people who were transferred to Vietnam. That's okay then.
I've been to Vietnam many times, and am currently in Vietnam again. You haven't even visited Vietnam. Just forget it. Bad idea.
First and most importantly, do you love her. If yes, your question is answered. But, why dont you take a vacation and spend a week or two there with her after she moves. It will be a lot of $, but your future life is at stake. At the end of your vacation you either put in your 2 weeks at work or end the relationship. The time frames are all dependent on your passport and visa requirements, but gives you a rough idea.
Why Vietnam if she's not Vietnamese? If she's just forced to leave the US due to visa problems and you really do love her, maybe it's less risky to propose to her and ask her to stay with you in the US. After all, you're 30, you like your job and city you are in.
It's very risky for you to go to Vietnam if you haven't even visited there. Are you prepared to earn just a fraction of what you make in the US? Cost of living is certainly also low there, but if you just go there by yourself without any job offer lined up, be prepared to live "poorer" than what you are used to currently. Also, what type of visa are you going to enter Vietnam with? Since you are not married to your GF, you have to be in Vietnam by your own merit. You probably would still enter Vietnam on a visitor or tourist visa initially, which means you have to be prepared to leave Vietnam if you don't find a job within the allowable time period. I am not sure how complicated it will be to change from a visitor visa to a working visa. Since your GF is not Vietnamese and you are not married, be prepared to have absolutely zero support from the Vietnamese government or her employer when it comes to your visa applications, your housing requirements, etc.
Does your GF speak Vietnamese? What safety net do you have in Hanoi? In any case, it's prudent to have enough funds or have a return plane ticket in advance to go back to the US in the event that things do not work out. In most cases, you also need to have a return plane ticket to show immigration officials anyway, if you do not have a visa that allows you to stay long-term.
As I have already said, visas for spouses do not exist in Vietnam. They will only give you a visa waiver to visit Vietnam. It used to be 3 months. Now they supposedly change it to 6. It's the same visa waiver they give to overseas Vietnamese. People would have to leave Vietnam and come back to reset the clock. They apparently let you do this. But your status is still that of a tourist. You just have a lot more time.
Another note: as of January 2015 you can no longer get on a different Visa while in Vietnam. You will have to do that outside of Vietnam.
And, of course, nobody will ask to see a return plane ticket.
The OP will likely have problems finding jobs in real estate/banking/finance in most of Asia. It isn't an English speaking country, fluency in the local language is a basic requirement unless he is going to teach English. Most Vietnamese don't hate westerners but most expats don't earn a lot in Vietnam. There are other countries where expats usually earn more than in Vietnam.
I did it in the late ‘nineties except it was Taiwan instead of Viet Nam and it was the best move I ever made, though it seemed risky as hell at the time. I worked for two years in a Taiwan tech company before starting my own business so got a work visa first and a business visa long term. Starting your own business is the only way to make bank in Asia but Asia is the land of opportunity if you’re resourceful.
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