Tourist Visa - Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

[eek]

How viable is Ho Chi Minh for a visa please guys?

I will be going for my forth TV.

Just found out a Vietnamese friend from the UK is going to be back in his home city next month so would be great to combine a visa with a trip to see him.

Cheers for any help.

[lopburi3]

An outbound ticket will be required I believe - if they will issue a 4th. It would not be my choice of Consulates in that situation but nothing ventured; nothing gained.

[eek]

Had hoped for a wee bit more info, but grateful for the reply lopburi thank you.

If you do fancy peningtyping a bit more as to why not a v good consulate then would like to know. Unfriendly? Difficult? As long as they issue a 4th as you say, ill go for it. Just like being mentally prepared for any difficulty etc.

Or if anyone else cares to share.

Cheers.

[marginline]

Respectfully, I have a couple of suggestions eek:

1. If you have a Thai partner, ask your partner to accompany you, hand your partner all your completed tourist visa paperwork and ask him/her to do all the talking when you get to the front of the visa-acceptance line.
   
2. Tell your partner to request a multiple-entry (2x) tourist visa, because you plan to take a romantic train ride sojourn to Langkawi Island.
   
3. Get yourselves two train tickets from Hualamphong to Arau (Malaysia) for a date about 5-weeks after you arrive back in LOS and either go to Langkawi Island, or if your schedule doesn't permit such a trip - cancel the tickets for a refund of up to 80%.
   

[eek]

I will be going solo marginline, but thank you for suggestion.

I also didnt realise they offer multiple entry, but im guessing I would be risking my visa being turned down all together if i tried for that..?

[cali4995]

Yes EEK, it's a rather puzzling bureaucratic system. Each embassy/consulate seems to operate with a degree of autonomy. Stipulating different requirements etc. I think the official immigration term for it is decentralization. Supposedly to increase efficiency but the end result is some are more or less visa-friendly than others. It's a shame really because it discourages travellers from visiting countries they might otherwise go to simply because of perceived difficulty in obtaining a Thai visa on their return trip. Who can explain it. You have visa-exempt days remaining, which is a good strategy because in any event, you can't get in too much of a jam.

Edited August 25, 2007 by cali4995

[cali4995]

Chai88, I'm trying to understand your superior, persuasive argument,

but there are so many misspellings and grammatical errors, I can't.

[marginline]

the whole purpose of the visa is to make you sweat and voluntaryily just leave without to much work on there part. if anyone cares to tell me wrong then explain who it helps to force expats to leave the country and go to another embassy abroad for visas to come back. and go thru all the hassle?

Respectfully I disagree with your "sweat" theory and FWIW I think this article here (entitled Thailand's New Immigration Regulations) has a pretty good explanation; even though I agree with you that a necessity to depart LOS seems rather archaic in an information age where hi-tech computers can do what's needed. Edited August 27, 2007 by marginline

[lekatai]

I have some feedback which might be of use.I am a UK citizen and live in Thailand on a non immigrant O "A" visa.My girlfriend is Vietnamese,and stays here with me.She goes back to Vietnam every few months to visit her family,and when she gets there,goes to the Thai Consulate in HCMC to get a new tourist visa to return here to Thailand.She is there now and has just obtained another one(the 4th one) The visas haven't been back to back,as she usually stays in Vietnam for a few weeks every time she goes there.I always give her a letter guaranteeing her support in Thailand and providing my visa details.I went there last year with her when she got her first visa,and the staff there were very friendly and helpful.There were no other customers there on two of the three occasions we went there,and one other customer on the third visit.I got the impression they were not at all busy.This time I gave her a letter to give to the Thai Consulate asking for a double entry tourist visa,as we are hopefully going to the UK in a few weeks,and enclosed the air tickets to prove this. However they would not give her a double entry tourist visa,I don't know why,as I wasn't there with her.If I can find out more information when she comes back I will add it to this post.

[eek]

That is helpful lekatai, thank you.

I will definately apply for a single entry only to avoid risk of refusal.

Look forward to reading any more info, and will post mine own experience after I return.

[dddave]

That is helpful lekatai, thank you.

I will definately apply for a single entry only to avoid risk of refusal.

Look forward to reading any more info, and will post mine own experience after I return.

I got a 60 day tourist visa in Saigon (HCMC) last week. The consulate is easy to get to, about two blocks from the "REUNIFICATION PALACE" Hours are 0830-1100, 1300 to 1630.

I first went there at 10am on a Tuesday morning. Only one other customer was before me. I filled out the application and gave it to her along with a photo and my passport. She wanted to see my airline ticket, the picking-up of which was to be my next stop. She was adamate so off I hustled to the Bangkok Airways office not too far away. Of course, they wanted to see my visa which led to a long discussion requiring several supervisors. I finally got the ticket which was a one-way from HCMC to Bangkok, no outbound from Bangkok.

Back at the Consulate, I was worried that I would have a problem about the lack of an outbound ticket but when I gave her the ticket she took it into a back office, returned and smilingly took my $30, stamped my receipt and issued the visa. Go figure.

[eek]

erm...whilst checking out airline companies that fly bkk to ho chi minh..im getting a lot of "no flights available" coming up. Dont suppose anyone here can recommend a company who flies direct? (esp if there is any possibility of cm to ho chi minh - although i doubt)

Seems many do the bkk to Hanoi route..but as I will already be flying from cm to bkk, i would prefer not to make a 3rd transfer. :/

[ovenman]

erm...whilst checking out airline companies that fly bkk to ho chi minh..im getting a lot of "no flights available" coming up. Dont suppose anyone here can recommend a company who flies direct? (esp if there is any possibility of cm to ho chi minh - although i doubt)

Nobody flies to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) direct from Chiang Mai. Vietnam Airlines flies BKK-SGN as does THAI.

[34chevman]

Another option is, you can try getting a "visa on arrival", but I dont have any knowledge who you could see in Thailand about the procedure of getting one.

I do know of a lady who works for a travel agent in HCM city who can organise one for you.

I've never used a visa on arrival, so dont know whats involved, but do know they have this and have a special desk over on the right side wall to process visa on arrivals, when you go thru VN customs.

Incidently, this next trip (next week) will be my fourth trip this year on a tourist visa.... no problems.

Part of the visa process for VN, they require an itinery or copy of air tickets; so the lady at the consulate was following procedure.

Airlines from Bangkok to HCM City ..... not many; Thai, VN Airlines and Air France come too mind. The problem seems to be HCM City is not a major stopover point such as Hong Kong ...its also more expensive too fly too then Hong Kong is and half the distance.

VN Airlines has 2 flights a day from BKK, but the last time I used them, they cancelled the early flight (about 11am from memory) due to lack of passengers and gave me a Hungry Jacks food voucher to sit it out at the airport waiting for the 7pm (19:00) flight.

The airport at HCM City isnt that big, or should say they seem to have built a new arrivals and departures building, but still using the old one.

When coming out of the old one, theres a restaurant opposite you, on the otherside of the carpark.

It's about 20 minute drive from District 1 and District 3, being the main city area. Cost is about $5USD by taxi.

Hotels in District 1 can be found for as little as $15USD (550bht??) a night; some rooms having their own balcony ...but many are strict upholding the VN law of not allowing VN women to staying with you (not even for a short time) in your room ...thought I'd throw that in, just incase some single men are reading this.

There isnt the Bars like there is in BKK or Pattaya either. They are certainly there, but not 400 in a row like Walking Street has; more like only 4 or 6 in a street block.

In terms of internal travel, VN is super cheap and you can get a bus from HCM City to Hanoi for as little as $20USD.... Having said that, it might be cheaper to fly too Hanoi and travel down to HCM City by bus???

Steve

[retiredusn]

erm...whilst checking out airline companies that fly bkk to ho chi minh..im getting a lot of "no flights available" coming up. Dont suppose anyone here can recommend a company who flies direct? (esp if there is any possibility of cm to ho chi minh - although i doubt)

Seems many do the bkk to Hanoi route..but as I will already be flying from cm to bkk, i would prefer not to make a 3rd transfer. :/

Check for the direct flights to ton son nok which is right outside of Saigon

[B-BOY]

Daily flights from BKK to SGN only through VN and TH then you have AF, LH and PG (Bangkok Airways) flying over here every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, AF only Tuesday, Thur and Sat.

For best deals book through respective websites. AF and TH have a good deal ata momo...

Cheers!

[eek]

Well..wow..i had not expected so many helpful replies!

Reg flights, I was surprised to find that even vietnam Airlines site said there were no available dates from bkk to Sgn, even when i tried a few alternative dates. Maybe something is up with the site. .. ill just try again later.

Thank you all.

[siam2007]

That is helpful lekatai, thank you.

I will definately apply for a single entry only to avoid risk of refusal.

Look forward to reading any more info, and will post mine own experience after I return.

I got a 60 day tourist visa in Saigon (HCMC) last week. The consulate is easy to get to, about two blocks from the "REUNIFICATION PALACE" Hours are 0830-1100, 1300 to 1630.

I first went there at 10am on a Tuesday morning. Only one other customer was before me. I filled out the application and gave it to her along with a photo and my passport. She wanted to see my airline ticket, the picking-up of which was to be my next stop. She was adamate so off I hustled to the Bangkok Airways office not too far away. Of course, they wanted to see my visa which led to a long discussion requiring several supervisors. I finally got the ticket which was a one-way from HCMC to Bangkok, no outbound from Bangkok.

Back at the Consulate, I was worried that I would have a problem about the lack of an outbound ticket but when I gave her the ticket she took it into a back office, returned and smilingly took my $30, stamped my receipt and issued the visa. Go figure.

why do you need an INBOUND ticket ???

what, if u plan to travel to Thailand by land, crossing Cambodia ? for example, HCMC - Phnom Penh - Snookyville - Koh Kong - Trat ?

[bubu]

Lufthansa has a flight from BKK to SGN also!