Ho Chi Minh City Travel Forum

Hi there,

We're flying into Vietnam in October with Tiger Airways, we're in two minds about the whole visa thing.

We've been told by some people to send off for it at the Vietnamese embassy in Canberra ($70 each!!!) or to get it at Vietnam on arrival. We can't be arsed with any possible hassles at the airport, i.e if they don't like the look of you, you don't get a visa, is it much simpler than it sounds or are we better to get it in Oz before-hand?

Cheers

Rach : )

Unless it's changed since the beginning of the year you can't get a visa coming into Vietnam unless you do it through an agency. Have to have one before getting there.

Yes - I believe too that you have to get the visa before your trip as I travelled on a tour to Vietnam a few months ago with some Australians and they told me they had to get their visas in advance. They also said how expensive it was as they too had to send off for it!! Here in Dubai, it was also the same price to get the visa and I had to drive to Abu Dhabi (over 1 hour there and the same to get back) to get it as they had closed down the consulate here in Dubai just 1 day before!!! I don't know why these visa prices are sometimes so steep as you are going to be spending lots of money on your trip. My visa took about 10 minutes to issue, so it can't be for an administration fee!!

Definatly get it before you go. In Australia it took approx 4 days from sending to Canberra from Brisbane and back to me when I applied about 3 years ago. That was using the express mail and I sent a prepaid bag for the return journey. Very much worthwhile and as you say you don't have that worry then.

Yes I would recommend you organise a visa before you leave. A friend of mine who has just returned last week from a month long interpendent trip to Vietnam said she had some difficulties organising tours etc through travel agents when she got there. Lots of problems I believe.

She organised her visa through the Consulate General of Vietnam in Sydney. She downloaded the application, sent her passport, a certified passport size photo, cheque for AUD70.00 and a prepaid return registered post envelope as suggested. It took about 10 days to come back with no problems.

Considering your coming in October I would send of to the VN embassy/consulate. Your other option is to arrange a Visa-on-arrival through a travel agent here, you'll have to pay the agent who will send a letter of invitation which you present at imigration and then pay them. All told if you have the time it's a lot less hassle to just get the visa the normal way

Hi there
Heard a lot of bad reviews on forums with this visa on arrival (and also positive ones too I must add!). Didn't want to chance on getting any problems on arrival as I had waited a long time for this trip!! As Jonny says, if you have lots of time to get the visa, why not get it the normal way and avoid any "possible" hassle.

Hi Rach,
Been there done that,
Get the visa in Australia like I did before you leave.
So many hassles otherwise and is such a smooth process when you have a visa.

Have a good one
Daniel

Hi Rach, sent off our downloaded applications to vietnam consulate in New South Wales last Monday. I called them this morning and they said they sent them back in my reply paid reg mail envelope last Friday. They should arrive tomorrow morning hopefully.

Do it yourself, put all applications in one satchel and pay for the return envelope and include it, to make things quick and easy. I had called a travel agent but they charge $33 each for admin and $55 each for special courier in addition to $70 visa fee each! Ouch! Have fun! We leave next week. YEAH!

HiFrom NZ,
Never depend on another country to issue you a visa!! Definately get it in Australia it saves all the hassle and red tape. Do it yourself you will save dollars, an agent will charge you ex amount of $$$ .I'm envious the cost of your visa is definately cheaper than in NZ. I paid $80:00nz last year.Going back in August and now its gone up to $90:00nz. *^#!!.
Good luck enjoy your holiday.

I fully agree. Agents still get charged the full visa fee, and then have their fees on top of. The only difference can be the exchange rates of when the fees were set versus current.

Also I much prefer to get as many of my trip expenses out of the way before I go giving me a much clearer picture of how much I have to spend on the actual trip.

Hiya,

Thanks so much everyone for the helpful responses, will definately be sorting them here in Oz before we go now!
Cheers

Rach : )

Hi We were there in Feb, our travel agent in Perth organised the Visa for us but needed our passport 4 weeks before we left as it can take some time to issue. Get it before you leave Australia.

Good Luck,
Mike