SETV in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, or elsewhere?

[Soneva]

I am planning a trip for another SETV, and am considering the following places:

 

Ho Chi Minh city

Hanoi

Phnom Phen

Jakarta

Bali

KL

Singapore

 

I was recently “red” stamped in Vientiane, but will have a brand new passport on this trip.

 

Are any of the above consulates particularly easy to deal with? I have no problems with providing bank statements or airline tickets, etc... but nevertheless would like the process to be quick and with as few questions asked as possible.

 

Is there anything in particular I should know about application in these cities? I have heard, for example, that it is better to use a visa agent in Phnom Phen - that would actually be just fine with me because I would just as soon not have to queue up at the consulate!

 

My objective is to visit new cities, so am looking also for a nice place to spend five days or so.

 

By the way, regarding a “red” stamp from Vientiane (actually the ink used was blue), does a fresh passport completely solve that problem? i.e. am I good to go for subsequent visas in Vientiane should I choose to apply there?

 

Any advice on which consulates are particularly easy to work with - or places where an agent can do it for me easily - as well as which cities people have enjoyed visiting would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Caldera]

If you're interested in visiting Phnom Penh for five days, that's a good option for your first SETV. It does take longer than the usual next day turnaround, but you can indeed use an agent and don't need to queue up.

[Essecola]

You can go to Vientiane again. The old warning stamp won't affect your application. Jakarta might not be the easiest place to get a stamp. Heard that Singapore vets all applicants online now. You could also try Savannakhet. People have made positive remarks about Bali but u would need bank statement plus ticket etc and wait two days or so to get ur book back.

[Soneva]

If you're interested in visiting Phnom Penh for five days, that's a good option for your first SETV. It does take longer than the usual next day turnaround, but you can indeed use an agent and don't need to queue up.

Thanks. Phnom Penh is actually high on my list of places to visit, so if I can get my SETV there easily, that’s great.


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[BritTim]

Avoid Singapore. In Phnom Penh and Bali, it takes longer. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur would be good choices IMHO.  Yangon and Hong Kong are other possible options

 

Be aware that getting the visa is not the only issue to consider. Returning by air to Thailand, you might encounter an immigration official who thinks you have spent too much time in Thailand. The new passport will not prevent immigration from seeing the full history of your visits to Thailand.

[Soneva]

You can go to Vientiane again. The old warning stamp won't affect your application. Jakarta might not be the easiest place to get a stamp. Heard that Singapore vets all applicants online now. You could also try Savannakhet. People have made positive remarks about Bali but u would need bank statement plus ticket etc and wait two days or so to get ur book back.

Thanks for the tips. Okay, so Singapore is out, and it does not surprise me given the local culture that they would be a bit too “thorough.”

I actually visit Vientiane every time, regardless of where else I go, before returning to Thailand. So, it’s good to know that I can get future visas there. I just try to diversify the consulates that I use in order not to get too many in VTE. It works out well this way because I have VTE as a fallback if for whatever reason I cannot apply elsewhere.

Have you heard anything about KL? Also, I guess Penang is another place I should try.



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[Soneva]

Avoid Singapore. In Phnom Penh and Bali, it takes longer. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur would be good choices IMHO.  Yangon and Hong Kong are other possible options
 
Be aware that getting the visa is not the only issue to consider. Returning by air to Thailand, you might encounter an immigration official who thinks you have spent too much time in Thailand. The new passport will not prevent immigration from seeing the full history of your visits to Thailand.

Thanks very much for the advice. For this exact reason, I return by land even when I get visas further afield. I have friends in Vientiane and enjoy the city there anyway, so that works out perfectly.

This way I also have the Vientiane consulate as a plan B. Therefore I like to go elsewhere when possible, to preserve VTE as a fallback option.


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[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Soneva said:

Thanks very much for the advice. For this exact reason, I return by land even when I get visas further afield.

The embassy in Kuala Lumpur has gotten friendlier than Penang recently. Just complete this checklist and you will not have a problem getting the visa there. http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/images/text_editor/files/Notes_1_1 Toursit TR_1_0 application(1).pdf

You could fly into KL and then take a train to Padang Besar to enter the country at the train station. 

[Soneva]

The embassy in Kuala Lumpur has gotten friendlier than Penang recently. Just complete this checklist and you will not have a problem getting the visa there. http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/images/text_editor/files/Notes_1_1 Toursit TR_1_0 application(1).pdf
You could fly into KL and then take a train to Padang Besar to enter the country at the train station. 

This in an excellent idea. I would actually like to combine this with a short trip in Langkawi before returning to Thailand.

If taking the train to Pedang Besar, is there through service by train, or connecting service, to somewhere close to one of the nearby domestic airports within Thailand?

Is this checkpoint friendly for long stayers, provided that I have the usual documentation (same as used for visa application) and ฿20,000 cash on hand?



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[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, Soneva said:

This in an excellent idea. I would actually like to combine this with a short trip in Langkawi before returning to Thailand.

You could fly to there from KL and then take a ferry to Satun and enter Thailand there.

23 minutes ago, Soneva said:

If taking the train to Pedang Besar, is there through service by train, or connecting service, to somewhere close to one of the nearby domestic airports within Thailand?

You could get a train or other transport to Hat Yai and fly from there.

23 minutes ago, Soneva said:

Is this checkpoint friendly for long stayers, provided that I have the usual documentation (same as used for visa application) and ฿20,000 cash on hand?

The crossing at the train station is friendly. They may ask to see the 20k baht in cash.

[Soneva]

Is Manilla a good place for a SETV, or best avoided?


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[BritTim]

16 minutes ago, Soneva said:

Is Manilla a good place for a SETV, or best avoided?

Most reports suggest it is best avoided. You might get a visa there, but it seems problematic.

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, Soneva said:

This in an excellent idea. I would actually like to combine this with a short trip in Langkawi before returning to Thailand.

If you wanted to see Langkawi, that is feasible. After getting your visa, you could fly from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi. Subsequently, there is a ferry from Langkawi to Koh Lipe in Thailand. I have not done it, but I understand the journey time is about 90 minutes (in good weather) and clearing immigration in Kohn Lipe OK. There is onward transport from Koh Lipe to Hat Yai airport by speedboat and minibus. If you do this, report back. It would be great to have more feedback.

[Soneva]

Are any of the Cambodian land border crossings friendly checkpoints?

 

 

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[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Soneva said:

Are any of the Cambodian land border crossings friendly checkpoints?

All are OK on the Thai side except for the one at Poipet/Aran. There tend to be more or less avoidable scams going on at most Cambodian crossings on the Cambodian side. These only, at worst, drive up the cost. They do not prevent exit and re-entry.

[Soneva]

All are OK on the Thai side except for the one at Poipet/Aran. There tend to be more or less avoidable scams going on at most Cambodian crossings on the Cambodian side. These only, at worst, drive up the cost. They do not prevent exit and re-entry.

Thanks. Unfortunately, Aranyaprathet is the only one to my knowledge that would be convenient for me to use if returning by land from Cambodia. Is this checkpoint an absolute no go for SETVs?

In the past I did a couple of border hops for visa exempt entries there. But, that was years ago, and I recall paying someone a significant amount for “expedited” service.

I suppose I will not risk Aranyaprathet, as I would not want to get all the way there only to have a problem.

Cambodia is unfamiliar territory to me, so I am cautious about attempting ground transportation and a land border crossing. I guess I should stick to my original plan of onward travel to VTE on the direct flight, as I always like visiting Vientiane anyway.


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[BritTim]

There are other border crossings in Cambodia that are not difficult to reach. The best to use will depend on where in Cambodia you have as your starting point, and where in Thailand you want to end up. Two to consider are Ban Laem and Koh Kong/Hat Lek.

 

If you try Aran/Poipet anyway in spite of the warnings, when Thai immigration deny entry and tell you to fly into Thailand, ignore them and go to Ban Laem (about four hours away by public transport as I recall).

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Soneva said:

Thanks. Unfortunately, Aranyaprathet is the only one to my knowledge that would be convenient for me to use if returning by land from Cambodia. Is this checkpoint an absolute no go for SETVs?

It's a no-go if you have much of any history of recent-stays in Thailand (last couple years).

 

4 hours ago, Soneva said:

In the past I did a couple of border hops for visa exempt entries there. But, that was years ago, and I recall paying someone a significant amount for “expedited” service.

Lots of Touts near the borders - generally best ignored.  But recent reports indicate it is 20K Baht if the IOs don't want to let you in at that crossing - not sure what cut of that goes to the tout. 

 

4 hours ago, Soneva said:

I suppose I will not risk Aranyaprathet, as I would not want to get all the way there only to have a problem.

 

Cambodia is unfamiliar territory to me, so I am cautious about attempting ground transportation and a land border crossing.

Here's how you do it - on the bus that would take you to Poipet, you get off early in Battambang.  Near where the bus-stations are, you will find shared-taxis to Ban Laem.  The guys who run the bus-stations will tell you where (there are no buses going to Ban Laem). 

 

When you cross to Thailand, to your left and forward, you will find mini-vans going different places - Bangkok, Chanthaburi, Pattaya, etc.  If you would prefer to use a bus for the majority of your trip (vs a van), Chanthaburi is the nearest stop.  Whether an afternoon/evening bus is going where you are headed from Chanthaburi, is another question - but is not a bad place to spend a night, or even spend a day.

 

Note, if you take an overnight bus headed towards Poipet, you may get to Battambang very early.  There is a coffee-shop that opens about 4:30AM - tuk-tuk guy should know where it is not far from the bus-stations/taxis - just ask for "coffee".  You'll probably be the only foreigner there, but the locals are friendly.

 

Battambang is a decent-sized city, with a riverwalk, many hotels/guesthouses, etc - so if you get "stuck" there overnight or something, it is not a problem.  There are a few large statues, temples, and such to see.

 

4 hours ago, Soneva said:

I guess I should stick to my original plan of onward travel to VTE on the direct flight, as I always like visiting Vientiane anyway.

That will work too.  It really depends on your time-constraints.  If you don't have them, hitting a few towns on the way can be interesting. 

 

Good luck and be careful, either way.

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, BritTim said:

If you wanted to see Langkawi, that is feasible. After getting your visa, you could fly from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi. Subsequently, there is a ferry from Langkawi to Koh Lipe in Thailand. I have not done it, but I understand the journey time is about 90 minutes (in good weather) and clearing immigration in Kohn Lipe OK. There is onward transport from Koh Lipe to Hat Yai airport by speedboat and minibus. If you do this, report back. It would be great to have more feedback.

There is also a ferry to Satun where there is an airport. See: https://langkawi-ferry.com/schedule-fare.html

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, Soneva said:

Thanks. Unfortunately, Aranyaprathet is the only one to my knowledge that would be convenient for me to use if returning by land from Cambodia. Is this checkpoint an absolute no go for SETVs?

The Cham Yeam (Koh Kong)/Hat Lek crossing is not far from Phnom Penh and you can fly from Trat to Bangkok if you wanted to.

[JackThompson]

Koh Kong is another way.  There are buses direct to Koh Kong from PP, then a tuk-tuk to the border.  It's a lousy place to enter Cambodia, but no problem on the way out, and friendly, in my experience, on the Thai side entering.  Then, mini-van from the Thai side to Trat.

 

Note: I would not recommend buying any of the bus-tickets in PP that include transport on the Thai-side, as there will be a line of vans headed to Trat when you cross the border, leaving as soon as they fill-up - so usually faster this way than waiting for a specific transport tied to another (often overpriced) ticket. 

[Soneva]

There are other border crossings in Cambodia that are not difficult to reach. The best to use will depend on where in Cambodia you have as your starting point, and where in Thailand you want to end up. Two to consider are Ban Laem and Koh Kong/Hat Lek.
 
If you try Aran/Poipet anyway in spite of the warnings, when Thai immigration deny entry and tell you to fly into Thailand, ignore them and go to Ban Laem (about four hours away by public transport as I recall).

Now, Koh Kong/Hat Lek has me thinking about combining this with a trip to Koh Kood. And then it would be possible to fly back to BKK from Trat on Bangkok Airways.


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[DrJack54]

Are you visa exempt for Vietnam? If so I would go to Saigon in a blink. Also straight forward overnight setv. However that means fly in most likely to don mueang. Your history will be important.

[Soneva]

Are you visa exempt for Vietnam? If so I would go to Saigon in a blink. Also straight forward overnight setv. However that means fly in most likely to don mueang. Your history will be important.

Thanks. I am a US citizen, I do not recall if exempt or not, but I am not concerned about that. Is the process any easier in SGN than in PNH?

I am not pressed for time, as the visa aspect is only part of a longer itinerary. Actually, provided that there are no hang ups, the idea if having an agent do it without my setting foot in a consulate or embassy is appealing. Does anyone have any information re these services in PNH or SGN (if available)?

I am not worried about flights - I always fly out of BKK, but will return through land borders only. I would never risk entering at DMK.


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[DrJack54]

15 minutes ago, Soneva said:

 

Thanks. I am a US citizen, I do not recall if exempt or not, but I am not concerned about that. Is the process any easier in SGN than in PNH?

I am not pressed for time, as the visa aspect is only part of a longer itinerary. Actually, provided that there are no hang ups, the idea if having an agent do it without my setting foot in a consulate or embassy is appealing. Does anyone have any information re these services in PNH or SGN (if available)?

I am not worried about flights - I always fly out of BKK, but will return through land borders only. I would never risk entering at DMK.


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If that's the case then skip Saigon. As I stated good consulate overnight setv and not many people. USA are not visa exempt for Vietnam. 

Check with others, but as I understand it for PP, many folk use an agent. 

Edited December 25, 2018 by DrJack54
Error

[Soneva]

If that's the case then skip Saigon. As I stated good consulate overnight setv and not many people. USA are not visa exempt for Vietnam. 
Check with others, but as I understand it for PP, many folk use an agent. 

I believe there is an easy visa application process, online even as I recall. I see no reason to avoid Saigon for that reason.

I am leaning towards Saigon or Phnom Penh for my next trip. I will surely do both eventually.


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[DrJack54]

41 minutes ago, Soneva said:

 

I believe there is an easy visa application process, online even as I recall. I see no reason to avoid Saigon for that reason.

I am leaning towards Saigon or Phnom Penh for my next trip. I will surely do both eventually.


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I go Saigon every month (not for visa) currently in da nang. Your 100% correct about visiting Vietnam. Very chilled place. As for the  online "letter of invitation" that gets you onto the plane then you obtain VOA in Vietnam. The email arrives under 48 with your approval letter. Print it out with application form ....all done. You can get a 1 or 3 month, single or multiple. As USA citizen you can obtain 12 month multi (no suit you at this stage prob). Since you don't wish to enter Thai by air, you could travel from Saigon, enjoy few days in Cambodia and enter via borders that suit. 

[4737 Carlin]

I'm currently in Phnom Penh and visited Lucky Lucky visa agents last week with a view to getting a SE tourist visa. I have no previous tourist visas from PP as I've lived here for years. They told me its highly likely they'd "void without prejudice" after issuing the visa and I'd be 50 dollars down with a useless visa in my passport - although I do have a history of visa-exempt entries to Thailand as I visit there at least 6 times per year. Phnom Penh is now only for newbies with no TV/visa-exempt history who require a Thai visa. They told me the voiding of visas is extremely common for all nationalities, including Cambodians, at PP now.

I'm going to Ho Chi Minh City today and applying for SETV tomorrow - I'll report back how I get on.

[AAArdvark]

I would skip Bali at least until Indonesia fixes it's tsunami warning system.

[DrJack54]

44 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

I would skip Bali at least until Indonesia fixes it's tsunami warning system.

I'd skip Bali for life.