Hello everybody, I have a question.

I am a American with a US passport.

I live in Thailand and I have a non-immigrant "O" multiple reentry visa. (retirement)

I want to visit Vietnam as a tourist for a maximum of two weeks.

What are the visa requirements for a American to visit Vietnam as a tourist?

Where do I need to go to get my paperwork done?

Thanks for any info.

You can either go to the Vietnamese Embassy near the US Embassy and get a visa, it takes two visits, or you can apply for a visa on arrival online.

The visa on arrival is a system where you purchase a visa on arrival letter online, this letter allows you to board an aircraft in Thailand, you then present that letter on arrival in Vietnam, pay a further fee for the actual visa which allows you to clear immigration. You cannot use this service at all land crossings.

There are a number of commercial companies offering this service, this is one of them http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/visa-requirements/united-states.html

The online companies also have a download for the visa form you need to present on arrival. It requires one passport size pic attached. If your using the online letter of approval as advised you show this to airline when boarding.

The service costs about $20 and the fee for single entry 3 month stay is $45. Have USD with you.

The process takes about 20-30 mins. I prefer this than going to Viet embassy twice to have visa issued before leaving Thailand.

You don't need US dollars for the fee, you can use Vietnamese dong also.

Yes you can use dong. The ATM,s inside of customs often don't work. Always good to carry bit of USD.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The online companies also have a download for the visa form you need to present on arrival. It requires one passport size pic attached. If your using the online letter of approval as advised you show this to airline when boarding.
The service costs about $20 and the fee for single entry 3 month stay is $45. Have USD with you.
The process takes about 20-30 mins. I prefer this than going to Viet embassy twice to have visa issued before leaving Thailand.

I've used the exact same service many times; applying on line is quite easy, also paying for this service all on line is easy, within 1 to 2 days the visa agent will send you get a scanned letter which is from the Vietnamese Immigration service, this letter usually lists many people, including you. The payment to the agent is just to get this letter of approval, this is not the actual visa..

On arrival go to the visa section, easy to find, as stated best to have some small photos but the immigration officials can take the photos for a small fee. On arrival at the immigration section you complete a simple extra application document, usually several friendly immigration staff floating around to help with form completion as needed, good English.

Submit everything along with US$45 or equivalent and wait 10 - 20 minutes, passport returned with final visa sticker, all done, all polite and friendly, now walk 20 - 30 metres to the passport desks, get your passport stamped to enter Vietnam - all done, your in Vietnam.

Must be honest the worst part of the process on arrival is the stupid travelers / arriving business people rudely asking stupid questions, and aggressively demanding that they have a friend claiming the visa is free for people from ...... or 'my friend said I can get a 50% discount If I give you something, etc.'

This has happened every time (many times) I've gone through the process on arrival. Kudos to the actual visa staff, they politely just refuse to engage in the discussion.

On one occasion a very rude / obnoxious young farang woman dressed in very dirty clothes with boobs pretty much hanging out and looking like she needed a bath three weeks ago was escorted away by the police.

But this can happen anywhere.