1 hour ago, lemonjelly said:

Thanks Jack. I guess I’ll use Grab or Uber for getting around. If anyone has any tips/ warnings for HCMC, much appreciated


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Couple of tips. Yes being UK go straight to passport control. No need go to large visa on arrival area.

Walk out of airport look to right for big yellow bus #9. 20k dong ~ 1usd.

Takes you to district 1. Good area to stay. Last stop is best (Terminal). Stay near Bui Vien st.

The consulate is small but doesn't have the numbers such as Vientiane for example. Efficient consulate. Drop off paperwork before 11.30am

Pick up next day. Think after 2pm.

The taxis are not rip off so use with confidence.

As for safety... Its very safe but does have more theft. The snatch and run type so you don't leave bag, cell etc on table while having a beer. Great joint I go once a month. Recommended

Edited March 17, 20197 yr by DrJack54
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4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Couple of tips. Yes being UK go straight to passport control. No need go to large visa on arrival area.

Walk out of airport look to right for big yellow bus #9. 20k dong ~ 1usd.

Takes you to district 1. Good area to stay. Last stop is best (Terminal). Stay near Bui Vien st.

The consulate is small but doesn't have the numbers such as Vientiane for example. Efficient consulate. Drop off paperwork before 11.30am

Pick up next day. Think after 2pm.

The taxis are not rip off so use with confidence.

As for safety... Its very safe but does have more theft. The snatch and run type so you don't leave bag, cell etc on table while having a beer. Great joint I go once a month. Recommended

Agree, but prefer 'September 23 Park' area, same bus, different stop.

Don't forget to visit Highlands Coffee for a Viet coffee + baguette combo deal, and a few Saigon Green beers.

 

I will be there (again) next month.

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Agree, but prefer 'September 23 Park' area, same bus, different stop.

Don't forget to visit Highlands Coffee for a Viet coffee + baguette combo deal, and a few Saigon Green beers.

 

I will be there (again) next month.

Don't spread the news that a Saigon green (500ml?) is ~ 15000dong. Too many people there already. ha

11 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Hi guys, need to pick your brains here, can anyone give me any advice/tips re: getting the 12 month multi non-O spouse visa in HCMC;  best way to get to embassy, can I use an agent? good places to stay and pitfalls to avoid etc, planning on going there in a week or so. Apparently I can get a Vietnam visa exemption (UK citizen) when I fly in.... cheers for any input here ????

Diamond Suite on September park is a reasonable price, includes breakfast, and the rooms are decent about $20.

Vinh Hostal nearby does double air-con rooms for $10.

 

I always use the bus to get around, there's an app (BusMap) that shows them all in real-time.

Very cheap and easy to use. Buy a data SIM at the airport, about $10.

Edited March 17, 20197 yr by BritManToo

9 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Agree, but prefer 'September 23 Park' area, same bus, different stop.

Don't forget to visit Highlands Coffee for a Viet coffee + baguette combo deal, and a few Saigon Green beers.

 

I will be there (again) next month.

 

 

Was there 10 days ago.

 

Stayed at the Prague hotel 1,400 Baht a night, very good and I liked the proliferation of bars/restaurants in the surrounding streets.

 

Taxis very good (if they can get around) and fairly cheap.

 

Saigon 'special' very good - 12,000 VND in a little Vung Tau bar.

 

The baguettes................hmmmm....................

Thanks for the help guys, it’s exactly the info I was after...... ;)


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Very interesting thread! Thanks to those who have reported experience in HCMC. It's a year or more since it started, so I wonder if anyone has yet experienced the annual renewal of such a visa obtained in HCMC? Is it treated the same as others? Do you have to return to HCMC (not a hardship!) to renew?

Also, how about Savannakhet? I went there several times in the days before the Non-Imm rules changed and it was very laid-back - anyone done/doing the marriage visa there recently? And is the procedure the same as HCMC?

2 hours ago, isaanistical said:

Very interesting thread! Thanks to those who have reported experience in HCMC. It's a year or more since it started, so I wonder if anyone has yet experienced the annual renewal of such a visa obtained in HCMC? Is it treated the same as others? Do you have to return to HCMC (not a hardship!) to renew?

Also, how about Savannakhet? I went there several times in the days before the Non-Imm rules changed and it was very laid-back - anyone done/doing the marriage visa there recently? And is the procedure the same as HCMC?

I am sure it would not be a problem to apply again. I don't recall any report about it yet.

No changes in Savannakhet. About the same but you do not need the letter from your wife.

On 3/17/2019 at 8:02 AM, DrJack54 said:

Pick up next day. Think after 2pm. 

 

Could you confirm it's next day collection? Consulate website says

4. PROCESSING TIME / THỜI GIAN XỬ LÍ HỒ SƠ

 

Two working days / 2 ngày làm việc

 

but of course that may be the same thing (Tuesday plus Wednesday = 2 days)?

15 minutes ago, isaanistical said:

but of course that may be the same thing (Tuesday plus Wednesday = 2 days)?

The 2 days is the day you apply and the next day when you pick it up.

that's certainly the norm, but you never know. Thanks Joe.

Reporting on visa run – Saigon is still an excellent option. 'Queue' of five people for both application and collection; process for Non-Imm O (multiple still available) took a minute. Couple of hopefully helpful observations:

 

1. paying with USD: make sure they are REALLY clean and crispy. They can be extremely fussy, rejecting one note for a blemish I couldn't even see. So make sure the ink is dry…….

2. the note from the wife, required only in Saigon, may be typed instead of handwritten – it's not clear from the web page.

3. if you are entering VN without visa – UK and some other passports – you WILL need printed proof of outward flight, my man didn't like the electronic version.

4. if you like to stay near the consulate and can run to B1100/night, I can strongly recommend a hotel four minutes' walk away: the HoangLan [I have no connections] is small, friendly, very well fitted out in European style and 50m down a wee cul-de-sac, so it's also relatively peaceful. It's 1.5km from District 1, but still with plenty of good grazing options within a short stroll. Get a room with balcony.

 

Finally, to my great surprise/relief, Suvarnabumi at 7pm on a Friday was DESERTED! Less than 30min from touchdown to taxi is a personal best and that includes two go's at the fingerprint lottery. Maybe there is hope after all……...

Not to hijack this thread but I wrote a separate topic earlier with no response.

 

It pertains to doing my non imm o METV in Vietnam.  I have British passport so I have entered on my British as its visa free.

 

I am married on Canadian and have all documents for that here.  Does anyone know if Thai consulate will have issue accepting application on Canadian pp even though I entered on British or should they not care?  I can leave and come back but would prefer not too.

 

Cheers, Stan

Confirming all information above regarding the Non-O Spousal Visa, document requirements, etc. Everything works fine. Consulate appears to be extremely organized and competent. My first visit took 3 minutes (slid packet of material + passport + 2 @ 100 USD, and was out in 3 minutes). Picked up the next day about 2:45pm (closes at 3pm) and was given my passport in about 30 seconds.

 

The consulate has a a small waiting room area, but only a few people each time I went. Fastest service I've ever experienced and with a smile. Because this is a 2 hour direct flight from Chiang Mai, it is much better for travelling purposes and costs about the same as CNX-UBP but without the many hour transit from Ubon to Mukdahan and back. 

 

Because the CNX-SGN Vietjet flights are mid-day, this does require a 3 night stay in HCMC. Day 1 arrive, Day 2 apply, Day 3 pickup, Day 4 depart. This schedule is basically the same for Savannahkhet, though it used to be possible on the Kan Air 6am flight out of CNX and the 7pm Nok Air flights out of Ubon to try and do this in one overnight. Kan Air is out of business, so it is minimumn 2 nights now, and most of a day spent on busses getting to Mukdahan and then Savannakhet, and back. Since there are buses that take about 30 minutes from SGN to district 1, the time spent on travel is reduced by many hours each way.

 

Visa costs $25 and can be done online (for Americans and others who do not have visa exemption), see: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/web/guest/trang-chu-ttdt Note that the evisa does not have a stamping fee nor extra delay, just hand out the printed copy to immigration along with passport on the way out of the airport.

 

Overall, for this Chiang Mai resident, HCMC beats Savannakhet for a Multiple Non-O for Spousal Visitation. Not to mention how much more interesting and varied HCMC is compared with Savannakhet when waiting for the visa process to conclude.

 

 

On 8/25/2019 at 10:52 AM, khunyod said:

Confirming all information above regarding the Non-O Spousal Visa, document requirements, etc. Everything works fine. Consulate appears to be extremely organized and competent. My first visit took 3 minutes (slid packet of material + passport + 2 @ 100 USD, and was out in 3 minutes). Picked up the next day about 2:45pm (closes at 3pm) and was given my passport in about 30 seconds.

 

The consulate has a a small waiting room area, but only a few people each time I went. Fastest service I've ever experienced and with a smile. Because this is a 2 hour direct flight from Chiang Mai, it is much better for travelling purposes and costs about the same as CNX-UBP but without the many hour transit from Ubon to Mukdahan and back. 

 

Because the CNX-SGN Vietjet flights are mid-day, this does require a 3 night stay in HCMC. Day 1 arrive, Day 2 apply, Day 3 pickup, Day 4 depart. This schedule is basically the same for Savannahkhet, though it used to be possible on the Kan Air 6am flight out of CNX and the 7pm Nok Air flights out of Ubon to try and do this in one overnight. Kan Air is out of business, so it is minimumn 2 nights now, and most of a day spent on busses getting to Mukdahan and then Savannakhet, and back. Since there are buses that take about 30 minutes from SGN to district 1, the time spent on travel is reduced by many hours each way.

 

Visa costs $25 and can be done online (for Americans and others who do not have visa exemption), see: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/web/guest/trang-chu-ttdt Note that the evisa does not have a stamping fee nor extra delay, just hand out the printed copy to immigration along with passport on the way out of the airport.

 

Overall, for this Chiang Mai resident, HCMC beats Savannakhet for a Multiple Non-O for Spousal Visitation. Not to mention how much more interesting and varied HCMC is compared with Savannakhet when waiting for the visa process to conclude.

 

 

Hi Khun Yod, Thanks for the detailed update. Were you required to provide proof of income/savings? Cheers in advance for the response.