vietnam & film

[vs1976]

Colleagues,

Did anyone manage to escape with non-developed exposed film recently? Or they still have that law in effect? Thanks.

Yours,
vs.

 

[Chan Tran]

I did OK in 98 but I don't know now.

 

[colrehogan]

What law?

 

[vs1976]

ah nevermind, seems it's relaxed these days

"You might have read in an older edition of the Lonely Planet guidebook about an incident where some foreigners were not allowed to leave the country with a large amount unexposed film, so they had to have the film processed locally, and then the police examined every frame and "censored" a few. This was a concern of my relatives, because I had exposed a suspicious amount of film (more than a hundred rolls). It is something that you still hear if you inquire officially. The official policy is that no unprocessed film can be exported. I tried to see if I couldn't get around the situation by Fedexing the film, but the Fedex agent said indeed that they were prohibited by the government from exporting unprocessed film. In 2002, another photographer tried to send his film Fedex. The agent did not notice him of the regulation, but after he had left the country, he found out that his film was held in Vietnam.

Of course I was not found of having my film processed locally (see below). However, at the airport there was absolutely no problem, and the agent accepted readily not to x-ray the film (even though I didn't have $5 bills inserted into my passport). I departed the country twice from Saigon, once from Hanoi, and once at the China border without difficulty. Things have been much more easy on tourists recently, and the official regulation is not enforced at the airport. I don't think you should worry if you carry the film with you. Just do not leave the film in your luggage). Someone has reported that unprocessed rolls were removed by airport personnel. In conclusion, you should not try to send out your unprocessed film, but rather hand-carry it with you. "

http://www.terragalleria.com/vietnam/info/vietnam-photography.html

 

[johnnywalker]

I was there for 3 months in 2004, and left with a bag full of exposed black and white film with no problems at all. I didn't know about the law and no one mentioned it. I hand carried it and they did not x-ray it.

 

[vs1976]

johnnywalker, Chan Tran,

thanks for information! could you share some nice spots in Vietnam I should visit ?

Yours,
vs.

 

[stefan d]

Hi, I have been in Vietnam in 2006 and had no problems with the films. Here some very interresting places:
Hoi An
Hue
Da Nang
My Tho (boot market in the early morning)
Dalat

Best wishes from Berlin

 

[vs1976]

Stefan,

Thank you.

Yours,
Vladimir V. Samoilov

 

[johnnywalker]

The whole country is beautiful, but places I wouldn't miss are Ha Long on the northeast coast, the Central Highlands, and the mountain area north-west of Hanoi (around Yen Bai). I usually had an interpreter, but spent a month on my own without one and had a great time and no problems. I'm envious of your trip!

 

[vs1976]

johnnywalker,

Thanks, unfortunately I will have two weeks trip only - I wish I had a month or so like you had. Maybe sometimes later in between of job changes though.

Yours,
Vladimir V. Samoilov

 

[Mick Fagan]

We were in Vietnam in 2005 and had no trouble leaving through Saigon.

The USA was a problem for a friend some years ago. He found out that you cannot let unprocessed film leave the USA, either by post or courier.

His idea was to post back his colour neg film as he exposed it and get it processed in Melbourne, he ended up processing it in mainland USA.

This was in 1999.

Mick.

 

[copake_ham]

We were in Vietnam in 2005 and had no trouble leaving through Saigon.

The USA was a problem for a friend some years ago. He found out that you cannot let unprocessed film leave the USA, either by post or courier.

His idea was to post back his colour neg film as he exposed it and get it processed in Melbourne, he ended up processing it in mainland USA.

This was in 1999.

Mick.

Hmmm...

This seems odd. After all you can certainly carry exposed, unprocessed film out.

Perhaps it was not a prohibition, but rather an advisory by the USPS recommending not to do it, since such mail may be subjected to x-rays?

 

[Mick Fagan]

I visited mainland USA 35 years ago, one of the things I distinctly remember in the voluminous literature I received with my visa from the USA embassy, was a notice that unprocessed film could not leave the country, film had to be processed prior to embarkation.

I landed in San Francisco, bought a motorcycle, travelled across the country, sold the bike and left from New York 10 weeks later. When exiting the country as an alien I had a different gate to go through, my luggage was checked, including my negatives, interesting I thought.

I think there may still be a law about this in the USA, it just isn't acted upon that much. Although after recent events a few years ago, things may have tightened up again.

Mick.

 

[johnnywalker]

johnnywalker,

Thanks, unfortunately I will have two weeks trip only - I wish I had a month or so like you had. Maybe sometimes later in between of job changes though.

Yours,
Vladimir V. Samoilov

I don't know where you're landing or how you're travelling, but with two weeks I'd go to Hanoi and spend a week wandering the city and countryside (Ha Long isn't that far from Hanoi), then spend a week doing the same in Saigon. I've never been to the countryside around Saigon, just the city, but I've heard the delta area is very nice. The city has some nice things to see. First thing I'd do in either city is to take a day's bus tour. Then you can go back on your own to spend more time wherever you want. You won't be disappointed wherever you go though. Have fun!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I don't know anything about this "no unprocessed film leaves the US" rule thing. I've never been advised of it when travelling with film, as a US citizen. I've taken plenty of film (unexposed, unprocessed) out of the country, and nobody has ever asked anything about the status of the film one way or another. I've also returned to the US with exposed, unprocessed and nobody's ever asked.

This is the closest thing I could find on the Customs website to a reference to regulations on film and processing:

Dead Link Removed

and this from the TSA:

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No mention about not allowing any specific kind of film (processed or unprocessed) in or out of the country.

Interesting that they recommend asking for hand inspection of sheet film. I'll take my chances on the xray

 

[eddie gunks]

i will be in vietnam on april 8. when will you be there?

i had no problems leaving 18 months ago, but then i left overland. one thing you may consider if you are worried, is to pull the leader back out a bit. juts to make it appear to be unexposed. could be an easy way around it.

enjoy.

eddie

 

[vs1976]

First of all, thanks to everyone for a share of an information.

Eddie, I will be there more likely around 2nd half of May.

Yours,
vs.