fastest way to obtain travel visa

[pholy 0]

what's the fastest way i can obtain a travel visa to vietnam?

[Anh map 2,098]

what's the fastest way i can obtain a travel visa to vietnam?

I always sent in to the Embassy. Others have used visa on arrival or travel agents.

[BinhJerome 14]

what's the fastest way i can obtain a travel visa to vietnam?

Visa on arrival to Vietnam is the fastest, just do a search online for vietnam visa on arrival. You will need to get 2 passport sized and style photos prior to leaving, then you will print off the invitation letter the service emails you and check your name, this usually takes 2 days depending on the weekend, use this paper when you go to the airport, and when you arrive you just fill out a card hand them $25 USD and the photos and your passport, takes about 30 minutes when you arrive, depending on the line, as little as 15 minutes and as many as 45, they stamp your passport with the new visa inside and you are in. I did this 3 times only problem I had was the second time they had my name wrong, but I emailed and it was fixed the next day.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I always got my visas from the VN consulate in San Francisco. Takes two days, if you go there in person. Most VN travel agents in the SF bay area send a courier to the consulate every few days, so you can usually get a visa within a week through a travel agent. The agent will even fill out the application for you.

[Xinh_Will 1]

So, with Visa on arrival, do you actually get stamps in your passport? I've only gotten my visas through San Francisco, which are paper and not affixed to my passport. No problem with the multi entry cause I can keep them--but the single entry visas are kept on exit. I'd like to keep proof of entry without necessarily having to pay for a multi-entry.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

So, with Visa on arrival, do you actually get stamps in your passport? I've only gotten my visas through San Francisco, which are paper and not affixed to my passport. No problem with the multi entry cause I can keep them--but the single entry visas are kept on exit. I'd like to keep proof of entry without necessarily having to pay for a multi-entry.

Hmmm. I've always gotten the 30 day single entry/exit visas from the consulate in SF. They're stickers attached to my passport. They stamp the visa as used when I leave. They also put entry and exit stamps on the opposite page from the visa. The only thing they keep is the stub from the card I filled out on the plane.

My passport still has visa stickers in it from each trip I've made to VN.

[tcTTct 37]

My travel agency in Little Saigon sends a photocopy of my passport to the VN consulate to get the visa, so my passport doesn't have to risk being lost in the mail. But VN immigration keeps the single entry visas. I used to take a c=photocopy of the visa in VN but now I pay extra for the multi entry visa just so I can keep it.

You can get visa on arrival but after the long flight and the layover etc, I don't really want to spend an extra half hour/45mins waiting for the visa knowing that my SO is just outside the gate.

So if you have a couple of weeks before your trip, get the visa through the travel agency or consulate since it takes around a week. If you are leaving in a couple of days, then visa on arrival is your best bet, but you'll have to wait at the airport.

[Xinh_Will 1]

Yeah, my passport never goes anywhere. I see you are in California, so I assume you physically go to the consulate. I've gotten two, one through my travel agent and one through the mail, but in both cases a copy of my passport was submitted and a loose leaf visa issued. Sounds like I can do visa on arrival--but I'd rather not send the passport to the consulate through the mail. Now I understand though--thanks!

Hmmm. I've always gotten the 30 day single entry/exit visas from the consulate in SF. They're stickers attached to my passport. They stamp the visa as used when I leave. They also put entry and exit stamps on the opposite page from the visa. The only thing they keep is the stub from the card I filled out on the plane.

My passport still has visa stickers in it from each trip I've made to VN.

[BinhJerome 14]

So, with Visa on arrival, do you actually get stamps in your passport? I've only gotten my visas through San Francisco, which are paper and not affixed to my passport. No problem with the multi entry cause I can keep them--but the single entry visas are kept on exit. I'd like to keep proof of entry without necessarily having to pay for a multi-entry.

Yes it looks like you sent your passport in, they take it from you at the gate while you fill out the form and they actually put a visa in your passport just like any visa you would send off for, then when you go through the gate they stamp it just like normal, it doesnt even say anything different. Simple and painless, and if you want the multiple entry it is $50 and 3 month visa, I got that when I arrived because I was planning on staying here and didnt know how long the marrige thing and visa exemption would take, not to mention any trips we might have went on. Yeah these are fixed in your passport, and you keep them as such, no worries either way you want to go, $25 for a 30 day single entry, and $50 for a 90 day multiple

[BinhJerome 14]

My travel agency in Little Saigon sends a photocopy of my passport to the VN consulate to get the visa, so my passport doesn't have to risk being lost in the mail. But VN immigration keeps the single entry visas. I used to take a c=photocopy of the visa in VN but now I pay extra for the multi entry visa just so I can keep it.

You can get visa on arrival but after the long flight and the layover etc, I don't really want to spend an extra half hour/45mins waiting for the visa knowing that my SO is just outside the gate.

So if you have a couple of weeks before your trip, get the visa through the travel agency or consulate since it takes around a week. If you are leaving in a couple of days, then visa on arrival is your best bet, but you'll have to wait at the airport.

The wait is negated, since you have to fight for all of your luggage and then you have to wait for the luggage to even get put on the belts. When I do the visa on arrival by the time I get done all the bags are on the belt and many of the people have already got theirs so the line is not nearly as thick and I usually get out a bit quicker because I dont have to sort through all those bags looking for mine. Truly not like I am the last one out the door, my first trip I landed at midnight and got out at 1:15 am, this was with visa in hand, the second I arrived at midnight and was out before 1 am, and the same on the others. So honestly filling out the paper is not that bad and the wait is negated by the wait for your luggage. Jerome

[pholy 0]

hmm, thanks guys. you guys once again have been very informative when it comes to these things. i would perfer to ask you guys then some random sites on google because those who answered my question have experienced similar situations. personally my father is retired and currently living in vietnam and being the "dai da" that he is, is causing a lot of stress for me and now i am forced to change plans and have to leave to vietnam as soon as possible, hence my question about getting the visa quickly. i've decided to hit up a travel agency that i've always gone to in boston, mass. it will be a bit expensive ($1800+ for me and $900 one way for my wife) but all worth it when i see my wife.

[ScottThuy 140]

hmm, thanks guys. you guys once again have been very informative when it comes to these things. i would perfer to ask you guys then some random sites on google because those who answered my question have experienced similar situations. personally my father is retired and currently living in vietnam and being the "dai da" that he is, is causing a lot of stress for me and now i am forced to change plans and have to leave to vietnam as soon as possible, hence my question about getting the visa quickly. i've decided to hit up a travel agency that i've always gone to in boston, mass. it will be a bit expensive ($1800+ for me and $900 one way for my wife) but all worth it when i see my wife.

From the east coast that is not a bad price if you are talking about a short flight time... I just paid 1800 for my RT and my wife cost 2100 last month .. it could have been a bit cheaper on both, but I dont want a 35 or 45 hour trip so going with the shortest trip of 27 hours for me on Korean Air 1800 was a deal and she cant stand layovers.. I miss being able to pay 700-800 for a RT flight.. and that has only been a few years ago...

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I miss being able to pay 700-800 for a RT flight.........What do you think? VN is paradise and it'll be like that forever?

So now Vietnam is responsible for the price of jet fuel?

[quann 26]

living on the west coast i sympathize with you guys on the east with the extra 5-6 hrs flying to sfo or lax than another 17-18 hrs to vietnam. i went with the overnight layover this last trip ($100 cheaper...money saved is money earned etc) and they put me in a very nice and modern hotel in taipei. it's better than those smaller hotels that asiana air puts you in for those that are familiar.

price of living has certainly gone up in vietnam. everything seems to cost at least 50-75% more than just a couple years ago, while the exchange rate remains the same. even as a VK i feel the dollar doesn't go as far. i feel for natives...gas/food/electricity have gone up while most workers' salaries remain the same.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

living on the west coast i sympathize with you guys on the east with the extra 5-6 hrs flying to sfo or lax than another 17-18 hrs to vietnam. i went with the overnight layover this last trip ($100 cheaper...money saved is money earned etc) and they put me in a very nice and modern hotel in taipei. it's better than those smaller hotels that asiana air puts you in for those that are familiar.

price of living has certainly gone up in vietnam. everything seems to cost at least 50-75% more than just a couple years ago, while the exchange rate remains the same. even as a VK i feel the dollar doesn't go as far. i feel for natives...gas/food/electricity have gone up while most workers' salaries remain the same.

The same thing has happened in the US. Many people have lost their jobs. Many of those who still have jobs have had their pay slashed, and many more haven't had a pay increase in two years. The price of everything has gone up, though the government carefully selects how they measure inflation so they don't have to pay cost of living increases on entitlements. Federal and state governments are putting the squeeze on the people who still have jobs in order to attempt to cover their severe budget shortfalls. I get bi-annual notices from the utility companies telling me how they have to raise rates because their costs have gone up, yet the government keeps telling me inflation is very low. The value of homes has tanked, but property tax authorities routinely delay reassessments as long as possible to keep getting the maximum tax from homeowners. Millions have lost their homes to foreclosure, and millions more are going to lose their homes this year. Rents have skyrocketed because there are a lot more people who need to rent now.

If things keep going the way they've been going, I wouldn't be surprised if VK's start asking their relatives in VN for remittances.