Vietnamese Visa, Visa for Vietnam
sturll
Posts: 2,582 Forumite
This is posted purely for anyone who searches for Vietnamese Visa or Visa for Vietnam - It is one of three. The other two being Russian Visa and Chinese Visa. Please search my posts if you require these Visa specific topics.
The Vietnamese, arguably the most money making Visa of them all. It exists for one reason only and that is to get cash from you.
That said it is important to note the following:
Except for under very specific circumstances you MUST obtain a Visa for Vietnam prior to travel. There are of course certain exceptions but for 99% of people you CANNOT i repeat - YOU CAN NOT GET A VISA UPON ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM (if you feel you are an exception then this thread is not for you)
From within the UK the process is very straight forward. This thread applies only to postal applications.
The most important thing to do prior to applying for your Visa is to set your dates. What i mean is this:
If on your application you put - Entry 01/06/09 Exit 28/06/09 then you cannot enter before 01/06 and cannot leave after 28/06. However, if your outward plans change you can enter anytime after 01/06 but you still must leave by 28/06.
If you wish to extend your Visa then contact the embassy - Again this thread is only about the application.
The application
What you need: (Per Visa)
- 1 x Passport with 1 blank page and 6 mths left.
- 1 x Passport photo
- 1 x Completed application form found here:
http://www.vietnamembassy.org.uk/visaformf.pdf
- The Visa fee which as of Jun 2009 is:
- 30 Day Single Entry standard processing - £38
- 30 Day Single Entry Expedited processing - £55 if collected in person or £63 posted.
- The alternative is you can turn up, pay £55 wait an hour and get a 15 day Visa.
All cheques/Postal order should be made payable to Embassy of Vietnam
1 x Special Delivery Envelope PREPAID
1 x Special Delivery Envelope NOT PREPAID
Postage costs are as follows:
£8 for one passport
£6 for 2 - 3 passports (per person)
£5 for 3 - 7 passports (per person)
As a guide i paid for 3 Visas, and was bummed the following:
Visa Cost £38 x 3 = £114
3 x postage @ £6ea = £18
Total cost = £132
What to do
1 - Fill out the application form and stick your photo on the form
2 - Work the amount you must pay out and make a cheque/postal order out (the total includes for postage)
3 - Get the prepaid special delivery envelope and put in:
- Passport(s)
- SD envelope
- Application
- Payment
4 - Post it to:
5 - Realise you have been ripped off.
6- Look forward to your holiday in Vietnam.
Please understand that things change and this thread is meant as a guideline only. The best advice i can give is rather than visit a modern country that does not mess about with stickers in your nice passport and rob you of your hard earned cash; to appreciate that countries like Vietnam are ridiculously in debt and are simply trying to find a way to further line the pockets of the wealthy whilst letting the locals live in absolute poverty.
But if you want to experience an amazing country then a Visa is a necessary document.
Have a wonderful trip and best of luck :beer:
For up to date info: http://www.vietnamembassy.org.uk/consular.html#VISA
The Vietnamese, arguably the most money making Visa of them all. It exists for one reason only and that is to get cash from you.
That said it is important to note the following:
Except for under very specific circumstances you MUST obtain a Visa for Vietnam prior to travel. There are of course certain exceptions but for 99% of people you CANNOT i repeat - YOU CAN NOT GET A VISA UPON ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM (if you feel you are an exception then this thread is not for you)
From within the UK the process is very straight forward. This thread applies only to postal applications.
The most important thing to do prior to applying for your Visa is to set your dates. What i mean is this:
If on your application you put - Entry 01/06/09 Exit 28/06/09 then you cannot enter before 01/06 and cannot leave after 28/06. However, if your outward plans change you can enter anytime after 01/06 but you still must leave by 28/06.
If you wish to extend your Visa then contact the embassy - Again this thread is only about the application.
The application
What you need: (Per Visa)
- 1 x Passport with 1 blank page and 6 mths left.
- 1 x Passport photo
- 1 x Completed application form found here:
http://www.vietnamembassy.org.uk/visaformf.pdf
- The Visa fee which as of Jun 2009 is:
- 30 Day Single Entry standard processing - £38
- 30 Day Single Entry Expedited processing - £55 if collected in person or £63 posted.
- The alternative is you can turn up, pay £55 wait an hour and get a 15 day Visa.
All cheques/Postal order should be made payable to Embassy of Vietnam
1 x Special Delivery Envelope PREPAID
1 x Special Delivery Envelope NOT PREPAID
Postage costs are as follows:
£8 for one passport
£6 for 2 - 3 passports (per person)
£5 for 3 - 7 passports (per person)
As a guide i paid for 3 Visas, and was bummed the following:
Visa Cost £38 x 3 = £114
3 x postage @ £6ea = £18
Total cost = £132
What to do
1 - Fill out the application form and stick your photo on the form
2 - Work the amount you must pay out and make a cheque/postal order out (the total includes for postage)
3 - Get the prepaid special delivery envelope and put in:
- Passport(s)
- SD envelope
- Application
- Payment
4 - Post it to:
Embassy of Vietnam (Consular Section)
12-14 Victoria Road,
London W8 5RD
- Sit back and the wait 5 working days for it to return.5 - Realise you have been ripped off.
6- Look forward to your holiday in Vietnam.
Please understand that things change and this thread is meant as a guideline only. The best advice i can give is rather than visit a modern country that does not mess about with stickers in your nice passport and rob you of your hard earned cash; to appreciate that countries like Vietnam are ridiculously in debt and are simply trying to find a way to further line the pockets of the wealthy whilst letting the locals live in absolute poverty.
But if you want to experience an amazing country then a Visa is a necessary document.
Have a wonderful trip and best of luck :beer:
For up to date info: http://www.vietnamembassy.org.uk/consular.html#VISA
0
Comments
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There's yet another reason for my girlfriend to gloat: No visa required for travel less than 15 days: Citizens of Japan and South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland.
May be cheaper to do it whilst abroad: Vietnam Embassy Thailand0 -
Apart from it being a rip off, and you want to apply ahead of time and make sure you send them the envelope i.e. follow the instructions above carefully as i managed not to and ended up getting passport with visa back about 24 hours before I travelled, it is quite straightforward and maybe easier than dealing with it in another country?
And Vietnam is lovely and what you spend on your Visa you will save on other things. Besides, it won't be the last time you are ripped off in Vietnam!0 -
Of course it depends on your circumstances. e.g. If you were going to spend one to four days in Krungthep...
I think it's 20% to 30 % more than the basic £28 for the one day service.
Vietnam Embassy Thailand0 -
But they would speak good or passable English in the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand?
Def an option if your travel plans were changeable i.e. six months in South East Asia and no def plan for when you'd be in Vietnam.0 -
When I did it, three years ago, I turned up at the Embassy and just handed in the application picking it up five days latter.As regards getting a Visa, I thought the process was a bit of a breeze compared to others I've had to do! The Embassy is a rather nice residence off a street not far from the Albert Hall.
Vietnam is a great place to Travel and has some of the nicest food I've ever tasted in that part of the World - and it's cheap!0 -
But they would speak good or passable English in the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand?
Def an option if your travel plans were changeable i.e. six months in South East Asia and no def plan for when you'd be in Vietnam.
Erm....their form is in English, their website has an English version and I dare say that more than a few backpackers grace their hallowed halls.
Six months in Asia?? If you are flying direct to Vietnam from the UK, get it from the UK. If you are stopping for at least a weekday or two in Bangkok, it's an option. Especially if you don't have too much time before you travel.0 -
In which case you need to check out their national holidays - for both Thailand and Vietnam.0
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I got my visa for Vietnam in Cambodia, it was about $30-40, can't remember how much exactly. The embassy in Phnom Penh is fine, their English is ok and there were tons of fellow travellers there
The woman told everyone else they'd have to come back the next day, but she let me pick my visa up in like 15 minutes because I had to go to the ATM. Didn't have to pay extra or anything, it was so quick 0 -
Would just like to update this thread...
Everything is the same except the cost is now £44 per visa.The Summer Holiday of a Lifetime0 -
Still listed as US$40 or 1600 baht on the website for the embassy in Bangkok.
No surprise that you are charged more in the UK.0
This discussion has been closed.
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