Vietnamese visa

lewie1966

Hi Guys.
Looking to travel to Vietnam in September 2018. I seem to be getting conflicting information regarding visa. I've read from June 2018 I can enter for less than 15 days without visa ? . But every time I look at Vietnamese embassy information they are telling me that a postal application is going to cost £55 for a visa that lasts up to 30 days. Have any of you guys had the same issues regarding this ?.
Cheers Paul.

blindman

lewie1966 wrote: »

Hi Guys.
Looking to travel to Vietnam in September 2018. I seem to be getting conflicting information regarding visa. I've read from June 2018 I can enter for less than 15 days without visa ? . But every time I look at Vietnamese embassy information they are telling me that a postal application is going to cost £55 for a visa that lasts up to 30 days. Have any of you guys had the same issues regarding this ?.
Cheers Paul.

IIRC from our trip last year the Visa On Arrival is free and lasts for 15 days.

But once you leave you cannot come back on that Visa.

One of many Vietnam threads

lewie1966

Thanks for reply so may I ask how you obtain one of these ?
Cheers Paul.

lewie1966

Sorry visa on arrival . How long does it take at airport to get one of these ? Can order before hand ?

bagand96

Keep on eye on this website http://vietnamembassy.org.uk/

Notice 1/18 states the current situation which is that UK travellers do not require a visa for trips of upto 15 days for single entry to Vietnam until 30th June 2018

It seems to be that the Vietnamese government renew this every year. I was in exactly th same situation a couple of years back. And come June time they rneeed it for another year.

Keep an eye on the site over the next few months. You;re not travelling until September so even if July comes round and they announce it is not renewed and you need a visa, you will still have time.

Doshwaster

lewie1966 wrote: »

Sorry visa on arrival . How long does it take at airport to get one of these ? Can order before hand ?

When I flew into HCMC last October, you just had to show you had a flight leaving Vietnam with 15 days at passport control and you got an immediate visa stamp in your passport. Took seconds.


Just remember to take a printed copy of your flights with you.

dj1471

Just to confirm and consolidate the above advice...


Vietnam offers a visa waiver scheme to UK nationals (this is NOT a visa on arrival, that's a different scheme altogether), good for stays up to 15 days. So far they've only offered it for a year at a time, renewing it for another year very shortly before it expires. The embassy are only interested in selling visas so like to imply that it won't be renewed.


They are supposed to ask for proof of onward travel at immigration, they don't always. A print-out is best but in my experience they will accept a booking confirmation on a phone.


You do have the option of applying for an eVisa if unsure about the visa waiver or if you plan to stay more than 15 days (up to 30). The embassy like to keep this quiet. These cost $25 US and are available here:
https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/


Don't use any other site.


As mentioned you can't enter Vietnam using the visa waiver scheme more than once within 30 days, but you can enter once using the waiver and again using an eVisa within 30 days. For more than two entries you'll need to apply for a multiple entry visa from the embassy.

slinga

Been twice never asked to show onward flight info.

PompeyPete

slinga wrote: »

Been twice never asked to show onward flight info.

We wanted a 15 day Visa Exemption the last time we visited [Feb 2017], and HAD to provide proof of onward travel as follows...

- at Bangkok [Don Muang]. NOK Air check-in wanted to see proof of date of onward outward travel from Vietnam.

- at Hanoi on arrival. Same as above. Note: It's difficult to ask for a 15 day Visa Exemption if you can't prove how long you intend being in the country!

- at Hanoi on Departure back to Bangkok NOK Air check-in wanted proof that we were departing Thailand within 30 days.

Even if the check isn't carried out 100% of the time, it's much better to have all the proof you need to hand.

Remember also that a 15 day Visa Exemption includes both the arrival and departure dates as part of the 15.

Also worth checking the passport validity requirements, and number of blank pages left in your passport, particularly if travelling to more than one country in SEA.

No need to arrive with Vietnamese Dong. Plenty of Exchange kiosks as soon as you've cleared Immig. The rate is almost the same as in town. Change £sterling notes, good condition, no writing on them.

Don't take any notice of anyone saying that US$ is the best currency, it isn't.....the only time you might need it is if you have to pay for a pre-authorised visa on arrival.

Great country, arguably the best vfm in the Region.

PompeyPete

Doshwaster wrote: »

When I flew into HCMC last October, you just had to show you had a flight leaving Vietnam with 15 days at passport control and you got an immediate visa stamp in your passport. Took seconds.


Just remember to take a printed copy of your flights with you.

Dosh, if you get a 15 day Visa Exemption the stamp you get in your passport is just a Vietnam Immigration stamp. There should also be a separate stamp underneath that stamp which says 'permitted to remain until.....', with the final date [15th day] written beside it. It's worth checking the date that's written just in case the Immig man gets it wrong.

vietzay

Where are you from? If you are holding passports of following countries you will get a 15 day free entry upon arrival:

UK
Italy
Spain
France
Germany

If You are listed above and want to stay longer than 15 days then you will required to apply for a vietnam visa before hand (Visa on arrival).

However, if you apply for a visa for more than 15 days stay, you should apply for a Visa approval letter , when you receive it (usually in a day or two), then you will get permission to fly to Vietnam and get your visa stamped upon arrival.

To get your visa stamped you will have to pay an extra $25 for 30 day visa, and 50 for a 3 month visa.

Source: Vietnameseprivatetours.com/vietnamese-visa-approval-voucher

Note: 3 month, 6 month and 1 year visas are also available for all Euro, USA, AU, NZ, CA passport holders.

Hope this helps,

cheers,