Vietnam deports 6 South Koreans, 4 Chinese nationals for residence, visa violations

An officer of the Go Vap Ward police division in the southern metropolis said on Thursday that the six South Koreans were deported on Wednesday following coordination among the ward police, the city’s immigration management agency, border gate police at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, and relevant agencies.

The case came to light during a review of foreign nationals residing and operating in the area.

Police in the ward inspected an apartment rented by the group at the Cityland apartment complex after detecting signs that they might be involved in high-tech criminal activities.

During the inspection, officers found a large number of electronic devices in the apartment, including computers, mobile phones, tablets, and laptops.

Working with the immigration management agency, police determined that none of the South Korean nationals had registered their temporary residence in Vietnam.

Officers coordinated with professional units of the municipal Department of Public Security to verify the group's activities and investigate suspected violations of immigration and residence regulations.

The probe found that most of the individuals had entered Vietnam on e-visas, ostensibly to seek employment or business opportunities.

They had deliberately overstayed their permitted period of residence and failed to declare their temporary residence as required.

When the violations were discovered, the foreigners also failed to show their passports, making it more difficult for officers to verify the case and complete the necessary procedures.

Under Vietnamese law, the municipal department imposed administrative penalties on the individuals for the act of ‘entering Vietnam, practicing a profession or engaging in other activities in Vietnam without permission from a competent Vietnamese authority.’

The penalties included fines and deportation from Vietnam.

Meanwhile, police in Da Nang City said on the same day that its immigration management division, in coordination with border gate police at Da Nang International Airport, had deported four Chinese nationals for engaging in activities inconsistent with the purposes stated in their entry visas.

They were identified as Yiyuan, Zeng Hongshun, Li Xianglin, and Wang Peng.

The Chinese nationals were detected during inspections of the residence and activities of foreign nationals in Thanh Khe Ward.

Authorities determined that the four Chinese nationals had entered Vietnam using e-visas for tourism purposes.

However, while staying in Vietnam, they worked in online customer service for a Thai gaming application offering prizes.

Based on the investigation's findings, the immigration management division imposed administrative fines of VND22.5 million (US$868) on each individual for entering and conducting activities inconsistent with the purpose stated in their visa application.

The division then coordinated with police at the airport to complete procedures for deporting all four Chinese nationals from Vietnam.

The enforcement actions underscore the strict application of Vietnamese immigration laws and are intended to strengthen the management of foreign nationals while helping maintain security and public order.

Police in Go Vap Ward said foreign nationals who violate Vietnamese law often operate in small groups and frequently change locations in an effort to evade detection by law enforcement agencies.