Obtaining Tourist Visa from Vietnam

[zugzug123]

Now that my last covid extension is expiring and even agents can't help, I thought to apply for a tourist visa in a neighboring country. I hear vietnam will open up soon?

 

I have not traveled since the pandemic started, been weathering out the situation in LOS, so I'm not sure what would be required for a visa run to vietnam, I am dully vaccinated though.

 

My current extension expires on March 18, ideally I want to fly to Vietnam or another neighboring country, apply for a tourist visa over there, and come back to Thailand all in a timely fashion.

 

I am currently not sure what I need to accomplish  this. Insurance, quarantine, etc. ?

 

Any advice on what I should get done now is highly appreciated as I need to leave in about 2 weeks. Thanks

 

 

[ubonjoe]

To return to Thailand you will need a Thailand Pass. See: https://tp.consular.go.th/

I have seen nothing stating what will be needed to enter Vietnam yet.

Cambodia is already open and people have made trips to the-re already.

[shdmn]

You may want to check the new new requirements for Vietnam.  They just made it a whole lot more complicated because....why not.  Now I think they want 72 hours quarantine and two PCR tests.  I am not sure exactly.  All I know is there are all kinds of new rules now and after I heard that they changed the antigen test to a PCR test on arrival it turned into a deal breaker for me and I stopped listening and scratched Vietnam off my list.

Edited March 3, 2022 by shdmn

[zugzug123]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

To return to Thailand you will need a Thailand Pass. See: https://tp.consular.go.th/

I have seen nothing stating what will be needed to enter Vietnam yet.

Cambodia is already open and people have made trips to the-re already.

Thank you, one of the requirements is "Insurance with minimum coverage of 20,000 USD for medical expenses". Where would I obtain this?

 

Another thing is a SHA Extra+ or AQ Hotel reservation, where can I make such a reservation online?

 

Other than that, seems like I need to have all of these requirements ready 7 days in advance and apply for the Thailand Pass, ok. 

[zugzug123]

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

You may want to check the new new requirements for Vietnam.  They just made it a whole lot more complicated because....why not.  Now I think they want 72 hours quarantine and two PCR tests.  I am not sure exactly.  All I know is there are all kinds of new rules now and after I heard that they changed the antigen test to a PCR test on arrival it turned into a deal breaker for me and I stopped listening and scratched Vietnam off my list.

where can I check the requirements to enter vietnam?

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, zugzug123 said:

Other than that, seems like I need to have all of these requirements ready 7 days in advance and apply for the Thailand Pass

You can apply for Thailand pass before you exit Thailand. 

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, zugzug123 said:

where can I check the requirements to enter vietnam?

Perhaps look here for info in one of the sub forums for Vietnam

 

 

[zugzug123]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You can apply for Thailand pass before you exit Thailand. 

Don't I need a visa to apply for the Pass?

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, zugzug123 said:

Don't I need a visa to apply for the Pass?

No

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Perhaps look here for info in one of the sub forums for Vietnam

 

 

I looked yesterday and also the "visas for other countries" forum.

Couldn't find current info.

The OP question I think is of interest to many.

Think it's March 15 that was date for "Vietnam welcomes back tourists"

I can't anything with clear entry requirements.

OP, given that your permit ends March 18, you may be better off to plan for Phnom Penh. 

[Onerak]

18 minutes ago, zugzug123 said:

Don't I need a visa to apply for the Pass?

You can enter visa exempt if your passport enables to do so.  You need a Thailand pass to renter Thailand. Just go the site and it will tell you the documents you need to apply for a Thailand pass. You also need a pre-flight RT-PCR test for boarding the plane to Thailand in any foreign country. I think Cambodia will be easier as Cambodia does not have any kind of restrictions as of now. Another options may be Singapore. Not sure Singapore's restrictions. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Onerak

[zugzug123]

Can I apply for a Thailand Pass with an exempt... but enter it on a tourist visa as to safe processing time but still have the tourist visa?

 

Another question, do embassies still process tourist visas in one day? So I apply and pick up my passport with tourist visa the next day? Are there any additional requirements nowadays for a tourist visa or is it like before just fill out form and pay money?

 

Ah that reminds me, what embassy won't ask doe return flights etc. ie. is the easiest to get a tourist visa?

 

I know many questions but it is rather complicated!

[DrJack54]

This thread has post from @audaciousnomad and points out that Philippines is worth considering. 

[zugzug123]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

To return to Thailand you will need a Thailand Pass. See: https://tp.consular.go.th/

I have seen nothing stating what will be needed to enter Vietnam yet.

Cambodia is already open and people have made trips to the-re already.

If Cambodia is "proven to work", then I might take my chances there. Are there any reports from people who obtained a tourist visa in cambodia here?

 

What immigration office where they using? Did they need to show return flights, erc.?

[audaciousnomad]

34 minutes ago, zugzug123 said:

Can I apply for a Thailand Pass with an exempt... but enter it on a tourist visa as to safe processing time but still have the tourist visa?

 

Another question, do embassies still process tourist visas in one day? So I apply and pick up my passport with tourist visa the next day? Are there any additional requirements nowadays for a tourist visa or is it like before just fill out form and pay money?

 

Ah that reminds me, what embassy won't ask doe return flights etc. ie. is the easiest to get a tourist visa?

 

I know many questions but it is rather complicated!

I have applied for TRs at Myanmar and Malaysia in the past, and was always next-day turnaround.  Philippines I believe is 2 days turnaround. They all ask for return/onward itinerary as part of the application process.

[MajorTom]

23 minutes ago, zugzug123 said:

If Cambodia is "proven to work", then I might take my chances there. Are there any reports from people who obtained a tourist visa in cambodia here?

 

What immigration office where they using? Did they need to show return flights, erc.?

There was a report recently about "visa run to cambodia". 48 hours+ process. This was a non-o.

 

Even if you got the visa in one day and time everything perfect, its tricky to do the actual trip staying only one night. Probably also tight with two nights, depending on flight times. You need a PCR test to return to Thailand, wait for result etc.

 

The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has always been slow. I got a tourist visa there a few years ago and the turnaround was 5 days if you applied yourself. I used an agent and got it in 2 or 3 days i believe.

I did not have to show any tickets.

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, zugzug123 said:

Another question, do embassies still process tourist visas in one day? So I apply and pick up my passport with tourist visa the next day? Are there any additional requirements nowadays for a tourist visa or is it like before just fill out form and pay money

In Saigon you apply for tourist visa am.

You collect your pp next day AFTER 1pm.

You would need to have print out of flight into Thailand. 

 

In Phnom Penh many use an agent. The process there can take days, however in current times in may take less. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by DrJack54

[zugzug123]

Is the Phnom Penh embassy the best one to use in Cambodia?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, zugzug123 said:

Is the Phnom Penh embassy the best one to use in Cambodia?

There is no other Thai embassy or official consulate in Cambodia you can use.

[zugzug123]

50 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no other Thai embassy or official consulate in Cambodia you can use.

What are the current entry requirements into Cambodia?

 

And is there any info on how many days I should plan for to get my tourist visa in PP?

 

My current plan is:

1) Get covid insurance, book hotel, and return flight approx. for the date I expect to have my visa from Phnom Penh

2) Apply for Thailand Pass

3) Fly to Phnom Penh and apply for Tourist visa

4) Re-enter Thailand after I get my visa

 

How likely is it that I would be turned away if I try to enter with tourist visa and 20k THB cash money if I have been previously on volunteer visa from TVC + 4 covid extensions?

[shdmn]

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Perhaps look here for info in one of the sub forums for Vietnam

 

 

I don't see this info posted in that sub anywhere.

 

Here is the latest I can find about it.  Apparently the tourism ministry is coming out against it, which is no surprise.  It sounds like the health and tourism ministries are fighting over the final requirements, and it's the PM who ultimately decides, so it's still up in the air.

 

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/tourism-ministry-rejects-health-ministry-s-entry-restriction-proposals-for-foreigners-4434447.html

 

Quote

The Health Ministry's proposal on Wednesday said tourists should be self-isolated for three days and tested two to three times during this period. It suggested that unvaccinated children should be self-isolated for seven days and tested each day.

 

Edited March 3, 2022 by shdmn

[JayClay]

Have there been any verified cases of people being granted a tourist visa in Phnom Phen after having being staying in Thailand on covid extensions for a long time? The consulate in PP are known for being particularly unhelpful and reluctant to issue TR visas so the OP maybe be wasting his time even trying.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, JayClay said:

Have there been any verified cases of people being granted a tourist visa in Phnom Phen after having being staying in Thailand on covid extensions for a long time? The consulate in PP are known for being particularly unhelpful and reluctant to issue TR visas so the OP maybe be wasting his time even trying.

Before covid they made problems if you were doing back to back tourist visas to stay in the country. That is certainly not the case now since people have not been getting them there.

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, JayClay said:

Have there been any verified cases of people being granted a tourist visa in Phnom Phen after having being staying in Thailand on covid extensions for a long time? The consulate in PP are known for being particularly unhelpful and reluctant to issue TR visas so the OP maybe be wasting his time even trying.

I haven't seen any recent reports for tourist visas specifically.

[DrJack54]

4 hours ago, JayClay said:

The consulate in PP are known for being particularly unhelpful and reluctant to issue TR visas so the OP maybe be wasting his time even trying

I believe at some point they put a limit of 2 tourist visas from Phnom Penh?

In any event it will be interesting to see what the attitude from Thai immigration at arrival Thailand would be. 

Even more so if visa exempt entry (no visa). 

 

Some folk have been here for 2 years with amnesty, covid extensions etc.

Cannot imagine they would be refused entry and not sure what airlines would do given entry requirements to other countries.