Visa in Saigon - Last Minute Checklist

[aldriglikvid]

Hi, 

 

To give you a background I'm on a 8 month trip to (mainly) Thailand and I'm about to finish my first 3 months on a Tourist Visa + Extension (60+30). I'll take a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, stay for 4 days and apply for a new tourist visa back in to Thailand. 

 

My "ultimate" ticket out of Thailand back to Scandinavia will be ~ 5months away at this point. Will that be sufficient to show at the embassy, or will I have to buy another ticket showing that I'm leaving within 90 days? 

 

If I might also ask of your attention that my other documents are complete:

 

1 x Passport

1 x Visa Application (Printed from the HCMC website) 

1 x Photo

1 x Flight Ticket in Thailand

1 x Flight Ticket out of Thailand (5 months "later") <- Point of thread 

1 x Copy of Condo Rental / Place of stay 

 

 

Bless you, 

[ubonjoe]

Their requirements here state "Evidence of travel (air/bus ticket IN and OUT Thailand)". 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/services/7442/80804-For-Non-Vietnamese-passport-holder-|-Dành-cho-ngườ.html

They will accept a ticket out of the country within 90 days from the date you apply. A one way ticket to any nearby country would be accepted.

Also it shows this. "Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)". That needs to be a bank statement showing the equivalent in any currency.  

[BritTim]

I am assuming you do not have previous tourist visas for Thailand issued in nearby countries. Under those circumstances, the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City will tend to be friendly in issuing you a tourist visa if you can show good reason for departing from their normal requirements.

 

Take recent copies of bank statements showing a decent balance (US$ 1,000 is adequate).

 

Write down your proposed itinerary between now and your return to Scandinavia.

 

Arrive fairly early at the consulate. If the above does not satisfy them, you will have time to arrange a ticket to a neighboring country, either for your next visa run, or as a throwaway ticket.

Edited August 21, 2018 by BritTim

[overherebc]

11 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I am assuming you do not have previous tourist visas for Thailand issued in nearby countries. Under those circumstances, the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City will tend to be friendly in issuing you a tourist visa if you can show good reason for departing from their normal requirements.

 

Take recent copies of bank statements showing a decent balance (US$ 1,000 is adequate).

 

Write down your proposed itinerary between now and your return to Scandinavia.

 

Arrive fairly early at the consulate. If the above does not satisfy them, you will have time to arrange a ticket to a neighboring country, either for your next visa run, or as a throwaway ticket.

And don't get out of the taxi on the left hand side. Serious comment by the way.

[aldriglikvid]

Excellent support from you guys, as always. 

 

When I'm reading the website it says I can apply for Visa Day 1 and pick it up the day after. What is your hands-on experience of this, or what have you heard on the board? 

 

I'm looking to do a tight schedule with arriving on the sunday evening, applying at monday morning, picking it up at tuesday afternoon and catching a plane on wednesday morning. 

 

My bank have a written and stamped/sealed statement saying what my balance is, as well translated the balance in to THB and USD. It's not a "computer printed" statement with my transactions. I guess a bank seal would be sufficient, yes? ? 

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

When I'm reading the website it says I can apply for Visa Day 1 and pick it up the day after. What is your hands-on experience of this, or what have you heard on the board? 

I is as written on the website as long as there are no holidays to change it.

Edit: Holiday on Monday the 3rd.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/organize/27986-Office-hours-&amp;-Holidays-|-Giờ-làm-việc-&amp;-những-ngà.html

 

12 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

My bank have a written and stamped/sealed statement saying what my balance is, as well translated the balance in to THB and USD. It's not a "computer printed" statement with my transactions. I guess a bank seal would be sufficient, yes? ? 

That should be accepted.

[overherebc]

6 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

Excellent support from you guys, as always. 

 

When I'm reading the website it says I can apply for Visa Day 1 and pick it up the day after. What is your hands-on experience of this, or what have you heard on the board? 

 

I'm looking to do a tight schedule with arriving on the sunday evening, applying at monday morning, picking it up at tuesday afternoon and catching a plane on wednesday morning. 

 

My bank have a written and stamped/sealed statement saying what my balance is, as well translated the balance in to THB and USD. It's not a "computer printed" statement with my transactions. I guess a bank seal would be sufficient, yes? ? 

For sure is hand in morning and collect the following afternoon.

It's not a big office by the way. Usually very pleasant, my experience anyway. 

Just get there early.

[ElizaStefaniw]

Coincidentally, I'm going to be applying for a (Non-B) Visa in HCMC next week. What time is early to arrive? When it opens? In the morning? Or do you have to come before it opens and queue?

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, ElizaStefaniw said:

Coincidentally, I'm going to be applying for a (Non-B) Visa in HCMC next week. What time is early to arrive? When it opens? In the morning? Or do you have to come before it opens and queue?

When it opens, there will be a queue, but usually not a long one. Unless applying on a Monday, or after a holiday, I would just turn up close to opening time.

[tfc]

The main problem that I saw coming up for people applying was that they forgot or didn't know that the Thai consulate in HCMC only accepts USD and I haven't found that to ever be negotiable.  So some people who had counted on picking up their visa the next day then flying out that night missed their window of opportunity and had to extend their stay in HCMC, meaning hotel in HCMC, flights, possibly hotels already booked in Thailand etc.

 

There are various money changers around but as far as I know none in walking distance to the consulate.  Personally I like to get it out of the way, exchange my money in Thailand put it in an envelope and have all my papers ready to hand over.  The HCMC consulate I've found to be fair but to strictly adhere to the rules.  If everything is in order then you should be fine.  I always go for a week or more just in case there are any issues.

[overherebc]

9 hours ago, tfc said:

The main problem that I saw coming up for people applying was that they forgot or didn't know that the Thai consulate in HCMC only accepts USD and I haven't found that to ever be negotiable.  So some people who had counted on picking up their visa the next day then flying out that night missed their window of opportunity and had to extend their stay in HCMC, meaning hotel in HCMC, flights, possibly hotels already booked in Thailand etc.

 

There are various money changers around but as far as I know none in walking distance to the consulate.  Personally I like to get it out of the way, exchange my money in Thailand put it in an envelope and have all my papers ready to hand over.  The HCMC consulate I've found to be fair but to strictly adhere to the rules.  If everything is in order then you should be fine.  I always go for a week or more just in case there are any issues.

They do like to see nice crisp new notes 

[aldriglikvid]

My Taxi to the consulate is tomorrow. Some friendly guy previously said I should get of on the right side. Could anyone give me some more hands on advice here of what to do? ????