Getting a tourist visa to Vietnam for an Australian travelling from Thailand

[Kenny202]

HI. Live in Isaan and planning a trip to Vietnam in August and will need to get a visa. It looks like I have to send my passport to the Viet consulate in Bangkok and they process and return by mail but am dead scared of losing my passport in the mail. Have a strike rate of about 70% so far as far as sending or receiving anything by post. Even registered mail / trackable they lost something. Online tracking said the item was delivered (and it wasn't). Post office said bad luck. As far as they were concerned it was delivered haha.

It also appears impossible here to buy a prepaid registered envelope for the return of my passport unless the Viet consulate covers that in their fee.

Does anyone have any experience with the visa on arrival process? I believe the government doesn't actually recommend or recommend visa on arrival.

[Crossy]

You can do it all online, this is one of numerous sites providing pre-approved invitation letters, get stamped at the airport on arrival https://vietnamvisa.org/?gclid=CLiZ2Iz_zMUCFVgPjgodMkYA_Q

Did it at HCMC in January, a bit of a zoo and 100 USD stamping fee (for a multi) but no real issues.

[Kenny202]

Thanks Crossy. Know there's heaps online but many I believe are dodgy. You use that one?

Ur a man of much information. Do u know if u can buy a prepaid registered or express track able envelope?

[bigyin]

I have just come back from Vietnam which I entered via visa on arrival. This gives you 30 days so don't bother getting one from the Embassy. The procedure is that you contact one of the many companies online and get a visa approval letter which costs around $18-20. You print this off together with the arrival form. Get 2 passport size photos and $45 for the visa and present all this at the counter at the airport. I went into Hanoi and there was a bit of a queue but still took only about 30 minutes. Very easy and very painless and no need to part with your passport.

[jacksam]

I have posted advice on this few times as I do it often.

Online application is a breeze. PM me if you want info.

Have your letter of approval ready for airline to view.

When you go to Vietnam consulate you need a print out of you flight INTO Thailand. Your cell phone won't do. It's cruisie process. You need go in morning and pic up next day afternoon.

[attrayant]

Online application is a breeze. PM me if you want info.

Have your letter of approval ready for airline to view.

When you go to Vietnam consulate you need a print out of you flight INTO Thailand. Your cell phone won't do. It's cruisie process. You need go in morning and pic up next day afternoon.

Confused.

You say "online application is a breeze" but in the last sentence you say "When you go to Vietnam consulate you need a print out of you flight INTO Thailand"

What's the point of online application if you still have to make two trips to the VN consulate?

[Crossy]

Thanks Crossy. Know there's heaps online but many I believe are dodgy. You use that one?

Ur a man of much information. Do u know if u can buy a prepaid registered or express track able envelope?

Yes, I used them, no problems.

Never come across pre-paid registered / trackable envelopes (but never really looked).

This page worth a read http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293921-c148049/Vietnam:Faq.Visa.On.Arrival.Voa.html

[Kenny202]

Online application is a breeze. PM me if you want info.

Have your letter of approval ready for airline to view.

When you go to Vietnam consulate you need a print out of you flight INTO Thailand. Your cell phone won't do. It's cruisie process. You need go in morning and pic up next day afternoon.

Confused.

You say "online application is a breeze" but in the last sentence you say "When you go to Vietnam consulate you need a print out of you flight INTO Thailand"

What's the point of online application if you still have to make two trips to the VN consulate?

Appreciate the advice but yeah I'm a little confused too. I understand they want to see a print out of your return flight to Thailand as they want to see you plan to leave Vietnam but the two trips I don't get? I am going to HCMC and I assume you do the visa on arrival at the airport. (Consulate?). A trip back out to the airport form central Saigon can be an hour or so.

[jacksam]

Sorry 're my reply. I thought you were going to Vietnam to apply for thai visa of some sort at thai consulate. Jus ignore all my reply.

If you are just visitng Vietnam then you need visa. No such thing as visa on arrival. Do the letter of approval online. Costs approx $20.

On arrival line up (already have your application filled in can download from net) ,need a passport pic. They say 2 but you only need one . If you forget they take one for $5 USD. If single entry have 45USD with you.

Enjoy district 1 if your going to HCMC

[Kenny202]

Oh ok. Thanks anyway. How do I apply for the letter of approval? Online with the VN embassy in Bangkok or through one of the many companies advertising?

[bigyin]

Use of the companies advertising. I had no problems and they will tell you exactly what to do. It really is one of the least difficult things I have done in SE Asia.

[bigyin]

Very slightly off topic but relevant nevertheless is that there are no money changing facilities when leaving Hanoi airport so if using Dong change before getting to the airport.

[IMA_FARANG]

I have just come back from Vietnam which I entered via visa on arrival. This gives you 30 days so don't bother getting one from the Embassy. The procedure is that you contact one of the many companies online and get a visa approval letter which costs around $18-20. You print this off together with the arrival form. Get 2 passport size photos and $45 for the visa and present all this at the counter at the airport. I went into Hanoi and there was a bit of a queue but still took only about 30 minutes. Very easy and very painless and no need to part with your passport.

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I've never been to Hanoi but I have made 3 trips to HCMC.

I did my visa every time at the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok.

My Visa card is an ATM/debit card and the online agency for Vietnamese visa approvals denied the card the first time I applied.

As I live in Bangkok anyhow, it is just as easy to get a Vietnamese visa in Bangkok for me.

I probably will be going again to HCMC in July, same process.

I am considering renting a self service cooking equipped flat for a month this time in HCMC..... just to see how that works out.

[bigyin]

I have just come back from Vietnam which I entered via visa on arrival. This gives you 30 days so don't bother getting one from the Embassy. The procedure is that you contact one of the many companies online and get a visa approval letter which costs around $18-20. You print this off together with the arrival form. Get 2 passport size photos and $45 for the visa and present all this at the counter at the airport. I went into Hanoi and there was a bit of a queue but still took only about 30 minutes. Very easy and very painless and no need to part with your passport.

--------------------

I've never been to Hanoi but I have made 3 trips to HCMC.

I did my visa every time at the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok.

My Visa card is an ATM/debit card and the online agency for Vietnamese visa approvals denied the card the first time I applied.

As I live in Bangkok anyhow, it is just as easy to get a Vietnamese visa in Bangkok for me.

I probably will be going again to HCMC in July, same process.

I am considering renting a self service cooking equipped flat for a month this time in HCMC..... just to see how that works out.

If you live in Bangkok then Ok although it still means a trip to the Embassy whereas you are at the airport anyway but if like me you live 5 hours or more from Bangkok then it is just not worth the hassle. Getting one at the airport on arrival works very well. That is, of course, provided the credit card works online.

[Kenny202]

I got my letter of approval and paid online ($20) and got it back in 2 days. Not going until September so far so good. Last time I went to Nam the embassy in Oz frked up and I actually arrived a day before my visa was valid. The guy at the counter was just about to stamp me in no probs then saw the date and was looking around to get help. Big problem for sure. Then he saw the Vietnam flag tattooed on my arm and let me thru :-)