My son is visiting Thailand from USA on a 30 days visa exemption. He has 3 blank pages in his passport and wants to visit Cambodia and Vietnam via train/bus.

My questions are:

1. Are there any issues exiting the Thai-Cambodia border on the 30 days visa exempt?

2. Is there an option to enter Vietnam without using a full passport page for VN visa?

3. Is it best to return to Thailand by air to avoid any visa exemption border hassle?

1/3 No problem to leave and re-enter at a border since he will be out of the country for a period of time. He will get 30 days overland or by air.

I think he will need to get a visa in advance if he is entering Vietnam overland. The visa on arrival is only available (no sticker) at airports .

Hello,

2. Yes, you DO need a visa to VN before going there by land. I met one guy from US

several years ago who said he had got turned back at a Lao-VN land crossing simply

because he didn't have a VN visa on him and had to go back to Savannakhet to apply

for one at the VN Consulate. You can apply for one at the VN Embassy in Phnom Penh

or at the Consulate in Sihanoukville.

When I applied for VOA (3 months) to VN last year, I first paid US$30 to a travel agency

on-line for an invitation letter, and upon arrival in Saigon Airport I paid another US$45

with the letter and got a visa sticker on my passport that took up a whole page. I don't

think you'll have to show the IO an onward ticket when you fly into VN on VOA but on

a visa-exempt stamp.

Hello,

2. Yes, you DO need a visa to VN before going there by land. I met one guy from US

several years ago who said he had got turned back at a Lao-VN land crossing simply

because he didn't have a VN visa on him and had to go back to Savannakhet to apply

for one at the VN Consulate. You can apply for one at the VN Embassy in Phnom Penh

or at the Consulate in Sihanoukville.

When I applied for VOA (3 months) to VN last year, I first paid US$30 to a travel agency

on-line for an invitation letter, and upon arrival in Saigon Airport I paid another US$45

with the letter and got a visa sticker on my passport that took up a whole page. I don't

think you'll have to show the IO an onward ticket when you fly into VN on VOA but on

a visa-exempt stamp.

your comments are more or less obsolete as the Visa situation / requirements in Vietnam has completely changed in 2015, and you now do not need anything pre-arranged by an agent. At least for the citizens of most EU nations that's the case now. Don't know about US nationals though

Hello,

2. Yes, you DO need a visa to VN before going there by land. I met one guy from US

several years ago who said he had got turned back at a Lao-VN land crossing simply

because he didn't have a VN visa on him and had to go back to Savannakhet to apply

for one at the VN Consulate. You can apply for one at the VN Embassy in Phnom Penh

or at the Consulate in Sihanoukville.

When I applied for VOA (3 months) to VN last year, I first paid US$30 to a travel agency

on-line for an invitation letter, and upon arrival in Saigon Airport I paid another US$45

with the letter and got a visa sticker on my passport that took up a whole page. I don't

think you'll have to show the IO an onward ticket when you fly into VN on VOA but on

a visa-exempt stamp.

your comments are more or less obsolete as the Visa situation / requirements in Vietnam has completely changed in 2015, and you now do not need anything pre-arranged by an agent. At least for the citizens of most EU nations that's the case now. Don't know about US nationals though

I just answered Q2 to the OP.

VN has been issuing a visa-exemp stamp to some (NOT most)

of the EU passport holders since 1 July 2015 (till 30 June 2016).

The US passport holders are not put in this category, sad to say.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/854006-tourist-visa-in-vietnam/?p=9827296

Hello,

2. Yes, you DO need a visa to VN before going there by land. I met one guy from US

several years ago who said he had got turned back at a Lao-VN land crossing simply

because he didn't have a VN visa on him and had to go back to Savannakhet to apply

for one at the VN Consulate. You can apply for one at the VN Embassy in Phnom Penh

or at the Consulate in Sihanoukville.

When I applied for VOA (3 months) to VN last year, I first paid US$30 to a travel agency

on-line for an invitation letter, and upon arrival in Saigon Airport I paid another US$45

with the letter and got a visa sticker on my passport that took up a whole page. I don't

think you'll have to show the IO an onward ticket when you fly into VN on VOA but on

a visa-exempt stamp.

your comments are more or less obsolete as the Visa situation / requirements in Vietnam has completely changed in 2015, and you now do not need anything pre-arranged by an agent. At least for the citizens of most EU nations that's the case now. Don't know about US nationals though

"Don't know about US nationals though."

Your words.

Considering the OP's son is from the US explain to us how Too's comments are obsolete when in fact he is talking about an American. He is not discussing anyone from the EU so in fact your comments are obsolete.

It is worth mentioning that, if booking now in advance, flying from Vietnam to Thailand is the cheapest option!