Single Entry Tourist Visa in Ho Chi Minh.... sucess

[IMA_FARANG]

Just picked up my 60 day single entry tourist visa in Ho Chi Minh.

Easy and very friendly at Thai consulate.

Two things you should know, however.

• First they insist you must pay for the visa ($40) in U.S. dollars. They no longer accept Vietnamese Dong in payment for the visa. Reason I was told is due to currency rate fluctuations with the Vietnamese Dong, so you must pay in Dollars.
• If you do not have U.S. dollars there is a Vietnam Airlines office across the street where you can exchange Dong for dollars.
• They are very serious that you must show them a ticket into and out of Thailand. They will check when you apply for the visa. I bought a ticket with Malaysian Air to KL and they accepted that.
• They also want to see proof that you have funds to live in Thailand. In my case I have a Bangkok Bank account. I showed them my Bangkok Bank passbook with more than enough to live on, and that was accepted.

As normal they open weekdays at 8:30 for applications for visas.

They will tell you to return the next day at 13:30 (1:30 in the afternoon( the next day to pick up your visa.

So as in most consulates it is a 2 day process.

But really a happy and friendly experience.

_​

[KhunBENQ]

How did you travel to Vietnam and at what cost?

[Tomtomtom69]

Very strange they no longer accept Dong - although I reckon they probably never did.

The Dong is actually more or less fixed to the USD and since everything else in Vietnam is now priced in Dong (the government has made pricing in USD illegal), it's actually difficult to obtain USD except at a money changer. Good tip regarding the Vietnam Airlines office.

Banks won't change USD for you unless you have proof of travel to a country where the USD is used (for example, a plane ticket to the USA). Applying for a visa to Thailand is not a sufficient reason.

Anyway, thanks for your report. Very useful.

[IMA_FARANG]

I forgot to mention on my original post that i have a U.S.pension sent to my Bangkok Bank account each month.

I suspect that made a big difference in my getting the visa with minimum hassle.

They did look at and photocopy my Bangkok Bank passbook entries.

Edited June 23, 2016 by IMA_FARANG

[JackThompson]

Did you have many other Thai Visas or Visa Exempt entries in your passport? If so, are these continuous entries? I ask because some report that some consulates consider 'how long you have been in Thailand' when determining if they will issue a visa.

[Fatman666]

I forgot to mention on my original post that i have a U.S.pension sent to my Bangkok Bank account each month.

I suspect that made a big difference in my getting the visa with minimum hassle.

They did look at and photocopy my Bangkok Bank passbook entries.

I got 3 SETV in the last two years from HoChiMinh and never was asked for showing money. Only flight tickets in and out of Thailand. Last SETV from them in 05/2016.