HCMC - Tourist Visa - Visit report

[spambot]

After reading visit report from ChomDo - Here - I was little apprehensive about my first HCMC SETV.

However the experience was extremely positive - And made me wonder why anyone would go anywhere other than here for a Visa.

Background - UK passport - Arrived on a SETV from London - Needed Visa for 60 days before returning to UK - previous to returning to UK Six years continuous stay Thailand - Many tourist visas in old passport - New passport only one Vientiane (double) tourist visa and the London SETV.

 

The consulate is very easy to get to and is walking distance from District 1 bus station - Details below....

The size of the Visa application area is simply the size of a small shop ( around 4m x 5m) - Reason for mentioning: This is not like Vientiane where hundreds of applicants gather in crowds and you wait inline for hours - When I arrived there were 2 people filling out forms / 1 applying at the Visa desk - There were 2 officers behind the counter processing - The environment was easy going and respectful and the officers were willing to help (and spoke good English). I arrived with paperwork filled out and was in the Consulate possibly 4/5 mins - They took my payment, application / Flights paperwork and passport - Brief 30/40 sec examination of my passport and application - few seconds looking at my flights - Then I was back on the street.

This is a world away from Vientiane crowd control environment.

 

Returned next day - I entered and there was no one else waiting for their passport - Gave my receipt and instantly got my passport in return - I could have been back out on the street within 60 secs of entering. I did however ask a question (that hopefully might be useful to others).

" I will return to UK after this Visa I have just received from you - I will however then return to Thailand afterwards with a SETV from London - I will then come back to HCMC for my next SETV - I will them also come back to HCMC for a second (back2back) SETV - Would this be possible? Answer: "Yes" 

- I asked the question again by saying " are you sure" Answer: Yes. She did however add this time that I will need to provide a bank statement to show funds appropriate.

- I asked why I was not asked for this on the application just made. Answer: The fist SETV it is not required, but on a back2back application (without returning to home country) this will be required.

- To understand her fully I said " so when I come back (after going to UK) for SETV I will not require proof of funds - When I come back to HCMC to get my second after this - I will need to show you my proof of funds. Answer: "Yes that is correct".

 

Bottom line - Very good experience

 

For those that want to know how to get there:

 

Leaving from Bangkok - There is a Air Asia flight that leaves 7:35am arrives 9:15 - I was able to catch this flight and was on time to get to the consulate before it closed for the morning application session - And this was after...Airport bus to center (District 1)...Continued walking from bus station to Consulate.

Very tedious detail below of my every turn - Useful to some - laughable to others - but I would have liked this - before I actually did set off

 

Bangkok - Just below khao san Rd is the main road - Ratchadamnoen  Rd - caught the bus No 2 ( 24 hrs service - going to Ekamai bus station)

 

3:30am - Left appartments

3:45am - Caught No 2 Bus

4:10am - Got off bus - 3/4 mile from Victory monument - started walking towards Victory monument

4:30am - Arrived Victory monument

5:15am - Got on Bus no 510 to airport (the no 29 is an option also and is supposed to run 24 hrs but did not see one - normally there is one every 15 mins through the day)

5:40am - Arrive at the airport

7:35am - Flight leaves Bangkok

9:00am - Arrived (early) in HCMC

9:34am - Passed immigration and now outside the main building and looking for a bus

9:50am - Got on Bus no 109 - Note: this is a private firm and are promoting heavily their services - come up asking where you are going - But they do go where you need to be for getting a Visa (Bus station Dist 1) - I usually get on Bus no 152 which is a gov bus and goes to the same place - The only differences are - The The gov bus is 5K VND (8 THB) the private bus is 20K VND - The Private bus waits a longer time (until bus is full) while gov bus waits at the airport 3/5 mins max - The gov bus stops at more stops than the private bus -

However I got on the private bus waited 15 mins and the gov bus arrived and left in-between / set off 3 mins before private - But saw the gov bus arrive 2 min after the private bus at same end destination.

10:25am - Got off the bus at Dist 1 Bus station - started walking to Thai Consulate.

10:50am Arrived at Thai consulate

10:55am Left Thai Consulate

 

Walking Instruction to get to Embassy: - Google maps - walking instructions

Simpler version: Exit bus station at the main entrance (for passengers walking in - not buses driving in)  - Look over to left hand side - See MacDonald's about 250 meters away - That is were you want to start. Unfortunately there is major building developments just in from of you - You need to walk around the high blue shuttering that gets in the way of making a direct path to MacDonald's  (walk around either clockwise or counter clockwise) - Once at MacDonald's main entrance - Walk around to the right hand side of the building and look up to your right - walk up here across small car park and 50 meters of park / grass. Get to top and look to your right - you are going to walk up one of the roads you can see, but there are a few options and rather than describe these options here since it will be confusing  - Walk over to the right and take the road 'Truong Dinh' (yes it is clearly marked with a street sign) - You are now going to keep walking straight (for around 15 mins) - Look for Pizza Hut (big building / big signage) on left hand side - walk past Pizza Hut and take the next road turning right - Walk along here for 100 meters (2nd major road on this street)  - Turn left and walk straight for 5/6 mins (2/3 mins past Japanese embassy of right) - Consulate is a small building on the left (just in front of a Vietnamese police or military hut - on the street itself) 

 

Good Luck on your application!

 

 

 

 

[dbrenn]

Nice report, but a cautionary note: Asking a them if getting visas in the future will be possible under any given set of circumstances is a bit like asking them what the weather in England will do on this day two years from now.  Anything could happen between now and when you go back there - changes of staff and/or directives from above - have a plan B in case the policy changes.

 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Great info, thanks for sharing

[IMA_FARANG]

I have received a SETV from HGMC also in 2016 and found them friendly but they then had certain requirements that they insisted you follow.

Follow their rules and you will have no problem.

They insisted on a ticket out of Thailand, they asked me to show proof of funds to support my stay in Thailand, and required me to pay for the visa fee in U.S. dollars.

Some of that may no longer be required, but in 2016 they were quite insistent that I had to pay the visa fee in U.S. dollars only.

They did not accept Vietnamese Dong which surprised me.

Other than those things they were quite friendly as long as you followed their rules which were clearly stated on application.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2017 by IMA_FARANG
correct typo

[edwardandtubs]

I agree with the OP that's it's odd that most people go to Laos for their visa when Vietnam works out about the same cost or even cheaper because the flights are so cheap and Vietnam has visa-free entry for most.

 

I really enjoyed myself in Hanoi. Presumably I could go back there for a SETV? 

Edited April 10, 2017 by edwardandtubs

[Grauwulf]

Informative post thanks for posting