How Long Are Immigration Restrictions Applied?

Suspension of exit means a decision of competent authority  in Vietnam to suspend a Vietnamese or a foreigner residing in Vietnam from leaving Vietnam for a certain period of time.  In most cases, the person whom is subject to suspension of exit should be informed in advanced by the competent authority.  Immigration lawyers in Vietnam could also assist the person subject to suspension of exit to work with authorities for clarification and understanding for better preparation or resolving the situation on immigration restriction based on specific case below explained.

For foreigner, according to Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam, a foreigner may be suspended from exit if he/she is currently the suspect, the accused, or the person with relevant obligations in a criminal case; a defendant or a person with relevant obligations in a civil case pertaining to business, employment, administration, marriage and familial affairs or has to implement a judgment or decision of the Court or a Competition Settlement Council. Foreigners may also be temporarily suspended from exit if his/her tax obligation is not fulfilled or he/she is obliged to implement a decision on penalties for administrative violations; or be temporarily suspended from exit for reasons of national defense and security.

The persons belonging to above cases may still be allowed to exit if the person serving a prison sentence is escorted abroad to provide evidence in accordance with the Law on Judicial assistance. The time limit for temporary suspension of exit for a foreigner residing in Vietnam is not more than 03 years and can be extended.

For Vietnamese citizens, cases of suspension of exit include:

• Suspects and defendants; persons who are accused or filed for charge, later proved that they may have committed crimes thus must be prevented from escaping or destroying evidence as specified in Code of Criminal Procedure.
• Persons subject to delayed imprisonment, persons suspended from imprisonment, persons on parole during probation period, persons subject to suspended sentence during probation period, persons executing community services during sentence enforcement period according to Law on Execution of Criminal Judgment.
• Persons having obligations according to regulations and law on civil procedure if their obligations to government, agencies, organizations and individuals are proved to be involved in proceeding and their exit are proved to influence the proceeding, interests of government, legal rights and interests of agencies, organizations and individuals; persons subject to judgment execution.
• Civil judgement debtors and legal representatives of agencies and organizations obliged to execute judgment and decisions according to regulations and law on enforvement of civil judgment in Vietnam if their exit is proved to influence interests of government, legal rights and interests of agencies, organizations and individuals; persons subject to judgment execution.
• Tax payers, legal representatives of enterprises subject to enforcement of implementation of administrative decision on tax administration, Vietnamese making exit to reside overseas and Vietnamese residing overseas that have not satisfied tax liabilities according to regulations and law on tax administration before making exit.
• Persons subject to enforcement and representatives of organizations subject to enforcement of implementation of decision on administrative sanctions and to be prevented from escaping.
• Persons subject to inspection and verification, proved to have committed particularly serious violations and to be prevented from escaping.
• Persons contracted from dangerous and infectious diseases and to be prevented from spreading the diseases throughout community unless allowed by foreign parties for entry.
• Persons whose exit is identified by competent authorities to infringe national defense and security.

How immigration lawyers in Vietnam could help?

The duration of suspension of exit for Vietnamese citizens depends on each specific case, according to the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, the decision of the Minister of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security. When the suspension period expires and is not extended further, Vietnamese citizens and foreigners can continue to leave the country when they wish. Or when the matters get complicated, the subject person could seek help from lawyers in Vietnam for advisory or represetation at Immigration Department Authority in Vietnam.