Visa Run To Hanoi Vietnam

[anon467367354]

Personally at this time, I don’t think I would consider going anywhere else other than Hanoi for my Visa needs. It was the easiest, most pleasant visa experience I’ve had in my 4 years of living in Thailand, even nicer than Singapore. I went for and got a student visa. There are a few rules, but nothing one can’t deal with. For some like me, being an American, one must have a visa to enter Vietnam. I got my entry letter online from this site here: http://www.vietnam-immigration.org you can check at that same website I listed. For some, a visa isn’t even necessary if you are going to travel in Vietnam for less than 15 days. I did hear one of the immigration officers ask to see the plane tickets of some European visitors, and they said they were leaving by train. I don’t know what became of that situation, or how it was handled. It did seem to be kind of a problem though. Americans no matter what need a visa.

One has to have an entry letter from Vietnam to even get on a plane to Vietnam, and that is done online, with multiple ways to pay for it. Normally it takes two days, or so they say, you can get it in one, if you have about 15 dollars more. PayPal or Paysbuy is a great way to do it. The rates vary depending on how many are in the group, and for how long one stays. Single entry visa to Vietnam for 1 month (Quote per person in USD) Only 1 person US$20 US$25. Group of 2 - 3 persons US$18 US$25. Group of 4 - 5 persons US$16 US$25. Group of 6 - 9 persons US$15 US$25. Group of 10 upward US$14 US$25. The second price is the stamp one gets upon entering Vietnam. They want US dollars for this. 25 Dollars is 1000 THB in their eyes. Getting off the plane, someone will hand you a piece a paper warning you to be wary of con-artists and illegal taxi drivers. The information desk told us that the taxi to the hotel, about 40 kilometers away was 30 dollars, the sign at the taxi stand was 15 dollars, or 250,000 VND. Change your money before you leave Bangkok, or make sure you are getting to the airport at a time the banks in the airport are still open. I recommend doing it in Thailand just to be sure. Jewelry stores and such will change money, but only give you 450VND/baht. The best place to change money is at the Vietcom Bank, for they will change any currency and give a fair price. 1 baht=536VND, big difference. A jewelry store wanted to give us 70 dollars for 3000 baht, we didn’t do it. Taxis are plentiful, I would not recommend using the smaller taxis, they seem to have a meter problem. It was an 18,000VND ride from the hotel to the Thai Embassy. On the way back, the meter in one of those small taxis was 396,000VND, we told him to stick it. Another short ride in one of the smaller taxis was 31,000VND when it should have been around 12,000, we gave him 15,000 wrote down his cab number, and looking very worried, drove away quickly. The best bet is to have the hotel call a taxi so you can get an idea of what the rates are, they were never a problem.

At the Thai embassy, there were no lines, no waiting, air-conditioned, has a nice restroom, the people spoke perfect English, and we were the only ones in there. It could not have been a more pleasant experience. I thought back at my last visa trip to Laos, with the long snaking lines, the smell of sweat, listening for your name to be called from some guy behind a glass wall in a room full of noisy people. Hanoi is the way to go. Hanoi has Internet, which is good for me because I have an online business, wifi in the room was just great. I would be more than happy to share what I do with anybody interested, I know job security is not a strong point here and if one doesn’t teach, one usually can’t stay. We stayed at the Prince 1 Hotel, wonderful people, breakfast was included, and the room was bigger than most people’s apartments, with beautiful wood furniture, and 20USD or 360,000VND per night. The people were awesome! They took care of everything, even included the 15 dollar taxi back to the airport in a very nice new car. Hanoi is the place for me, cheap beer, delicious beer, extremely friendly people, good food, amazing food really, but the beeping horns can certainly wear one out. Great markets, good times. Any questions I would be more than happy to answer them personally. Sawasdii ka, Danielle

The address for the Thai Embassy is this:

Royal Thai Embassy

63-65 Hoang Dieu Street,

Hanoi

Tel. (84-4) 3823-5092 to 94

Fax. (84-4) 3823-5088

Website : http://www.thaibizvietnam.com/

[mussen]

Were there any people that you know of applying for holiday Visas?

Edited October 29, 2009 by mussen

[thaibear1]

fully agree, I did few times before have retire visa for Thailand and now I like Hanoi and other places in Vietnam much that I return at occasion of airasia promotions. You find very friendly people also in Embassy. I did ONLY one mistake, don't rent a motorbike (car you can't drive in Vietnam) and drive to the province (out of Hanoi) most road are very dusty and you come back as a sand sack .... I guess in the lunges too.

[Redhawk]

Thanks for the good information.

[thaibear1]

Thanks for the good information.

Welcome. If you like once eat as in a 5 star restaurant at the price of a 2 star (near 18 $) à discretion (as much you want) don't miss visit SEN Restaurant at the West Lake. Youtube show still the old one, but style is same, all food fresh cookt in front of you.

[PhilHarries]

but the beeping horns can certainly wear one out

I know exactly where you are coming from. I used to live in central Viet Nam, the provincial capital Quang Ngai suffered from the beeping horns but the sleepy little village of Binh Thanh was pure bliss. Then I moved down to HCMC and first night I just sat at a cafe with my head in my hands thinking "get me out of here". But you get used to it the only thing is to make sure you get a hotel room that is not overlooking the road.

The Thai consulate in HCMC is similarly comfortable although the room is quite small and I don't know about WiFi. The only slight hassle I had getting a tourist visa was that they wanted a copy of my ticket to Thailand.

You talk about cheap beer, there's a cafe just down the road that sells Bia Hoi for a whacking 4,000 Dong (about 22 cents) a liter . A half liter bottle of water from a shop costs 5,000! Fortunately District 2 is not on the tourist map .

[ericthai]

I have not been to HCMC in about 5 yrs, the place is nice and cheap, surprising how you can find a place cheaper than Thailand. The night life is not as good as Bangkok, but it is a nice Change of pace. I have not been to Hanoi only in HCMC and then south to the beaches something Anne, not sure my friend live in HCMC and always arranges things. Sounds like I need to make a road trip.

You guys are talking about the horns, I dotn recall it being that bad, now the Philippines they are really bad with the horns.

Hanoi is sounding really nice, my friend said in the in the last 2-3 years there has been an explosion in industry and growth, I hope it does not become like Thailand with too much industry.