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Any ideas why Vietnam wants to know my religion?


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I was surprised when applying for a Vietnamese tourist visa that it asks for the applicant's religion. Any of you have any idea why they ask that? China, Cambodia, and Laos don't ask that question. I put "None," but had I put Christian, LDS, or Muslim, would they have searched my luggage for Bibles, the Book of Moromon, or the Koran?

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5 hours ago, WilliamM said:

I have been to Japan, Hong Kong and Vietnam as well  Russia and  never had to answer a question like that.

However I have been on a tour

11 hours ago, Unicorn said:

I was surprised when applying for a Vietnamese tourist visa that it asks for the applicant's religion. Any of you have any idea why they ask that? China, Cambodia, and Laos don't ask that question. I put "None," but had I put Christian, LDS, or Muslim, would they have searched my luggage for Bibles, the Book of Moromon, or the Koran?

Why is this an issue for anyone?

 

 

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I don't recall having to fill in religion the last time I applied for a Vietnamese visa, but that was in 2018.  But the most likely reason I can think of is that the communist government is worried about foreign religious organizations sending missionaries in claiming to be tourists.  I don't think they care if you're Catholic or Baptist or Mormon or whatever, but they might want to know who you will meet while in country or monitor your movements more closely.

They probably won't care if you have a single Bible, but just like dildos in Texas, having more than six is "intent to distribute" and a reason to send you away.

Edited by DynamicUno
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17 hours ago, Unicorn said:

I was surprised when applying for a Vietnamese tourist visa that it asks for the applicant's religion. Any of you have any idea why they ask that? China, Cambodia, and Laos don't ask that question. I put "None," but had I put Christian, LDS, or Muslim, would they have searched my luggage for Bibles, the Book of Moromon, or the Koran?

https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/111090/what-is-the-purpose-of-the-religion-field-on-the-vietnam-evisa-application

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6 hours ago, coriolis888 said:

I saw a similar string on TripAdvisor.com which was a few years old. No one had a really straight answer, but one respondent suggested everyone put in "None," as in "None of your business." One respondent said that he had put down "Christian" when he went to North Korea, and that they asked him at customs if he was carrying any Bible. I don't know about Vietnam, but apparently any religious text will be confiscated upon entry into North Korea. I didn't think the Vietnamese would be that strict. Thank God I'm an atheist! 😄 

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  • 1 year later...

I guess it could be helpful in some respects - some religions have strick rules around treatment of the body and how quickly the burial should take place.  Would be useful info to have should you pass away and they are unable to contact family quickly. That is the only reason I can think of.  

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