Vietnam tourist visa

[sealedkiss 1]

This topic has been discussed before, but it was not in great length and the personal experiences greatly varied.

Old thread link on VN visa

So I thought I'd bring it up again.

I'm planning a 3-week trip to Vietnam in less than 2 months. Last year I also went. I bought tickets online, but I paid a travel agent to do the visa for me. All I needed to do was fill out a short form, attach a photo, attach a copy of my passport (front page only), and paid $55. I got the visa on a piece of paper, not stamped on my passport (sure, I didn't send my original passport). The visa was single-entry, valid for 3 months.

This year I also bought my tickets online. But I want to do the visa myself. Now the instructions are here (VN VISA info), and fees (hopefully up-to-date) are found here (fees). Item A-3-a on the fee schedule is the one I want, single-entry, good for one month. Now that all sounds fine, except I'm concerned about 2 things:

1. I feel uneasy about sending my original passport.

2. Is the turnaroung time as fast as they promise on the website (9-10 days)?

Anyone with personal experience on this, please comment. Thanks a lot.

sealedkiss

[payxibka 10,047]

This topic has been discussed before, but it was not in great length and the personal experiences greatly varied.

Old thread link on VN visa

So I thought I'd bring it up again.

I'm planning a 3-week trip to Vietnam in less than 2 months. Last year I also went. I bought tickets online, but I paid a travel agent to do the visa for me. All I needed to do was fill out a short form, attach a photo, attach a copy of my passport (front page only), and paid $55. I got the visa on a piece of paper, not stamped on my passport (sure, I didn't send my original passport). The visa was single-entry, valid for 3 months.

This year I also bought my tickets online. But I want to do the visa myself. Now the instructions are here (VN VISA info), and fees (hopefully up-to-date) are found here (fees). Item A-3-a on the fee schedule is the one I want, single-entry, good for one month. Now that all sounds fine, except I'm concerned about 2 things:

1. I feel uneasy about sending my original passport.

2. Is the turnaroung time as fast as they promise on the website (9-10 days)?

Anyone with personal experience on this, please comment. Thanks a lot.

sealedkiss

While I have no direct experience with VN, I had the same apprehension sending my passport to the UA consulate for my visa. But since a drive to Chicago was not an option I did it. They turned my visa application and returned my passport....

[wait4ever 0]

I have obtained tourist visas from both the Vietnam Embassy in Wash., D.C. and more commonly, the Vietnam Consulate General in SFO. I always send my passport in and have never had any problems. As the Tet Nguyen Dan holiday nears, the turnaround times become greater. Last year it took two weeks. Other times of the year they seem to turn a visa around in about 5 days or less. At this time of year, it's best to obtain your visa ASAP.

[sealedkiss 1]

Hi wait4ever,

How many photos are required? I'm planning to apply via the Vietnam Consulate in San Francisco. The instruction on the website says 1 photo, but when I called their number and the automated message says "2 photos"??

Also, do you know what the current fee is? I called their number, but never got to talk to a live person.

Thanks,

sealedkiss

[wait4ever 0]

On the application there is only room for one photo, and the instructions on the form say "submit one passport photo". So that is what I have done. The visa fee they have always quoted me is $65.00. This came up in a previous forum and the fees that people were paying seemed to vary wildly. Last time I think I tried to contact the Consulate in SFO for a current fee by e-mail and phone, but to no avail. When I called the embassy in Washington, D.C. I finally got a real person and the quoted fee was still $ 65.00. I don't know for sure if this is still the fee as I have not checked this year. They don't often update their website.

[Tony_H 0]

I got the visa from the SF Consulate 3 times now and I paid $45 each time. However, they required payment in money order or cashier check. I had trouble getting through to anyone. They never replied to any of my emails. I was able to talk to someone once back in March and that was how I got the fee of $45. I just got my last one last week and I paid $45.

I also heard that several travel agencies in the San Francisco bay area paid around $30 for the visa as well but I never got any confirmation for it. This was through several friends who bought tickets from these agencies and paid for the visa at the same time.

I hope this helps somehow.

Tony

[sealedkiss 1]

Tony,

Did you apply in person or by mail? I wonder if the the $20 difference ($65 - $45) is due to mail vs. in person.

sealedkiss

[Tony_H 0]

Hi sealedkiss,

I applied in person. However, I was told on that only call that I got through was the same fee applies. The only thing is that you have to provide a postage-paid return envelope.

Tony

Tony,

Did you apply in person or by mail? I wonder if the the $20 difference ($65 - $45) is due to mail vs. in person.

sealedkiss

[Vietnam 0]

Alright Tony, what's up with the name change?

[Tony_H 0]

Hi Vietnam,

Well, Anh Thu* is kind of hard to pronounce for most of us. I found a Greek name that sounds very similar to her name: Antheia, Anthia, or Anthea which has a meaning of "Lady of flowers". So I asked her to see if she likes it and would be willing to use it. I figure that it would be easier for her to have an American 1st name, a Vietnamese middle name, and my American last name after we get married.

She likes it and chose "Anthea" so now we are getting ready for her new name once she gets here. Thanks for changing it in your list. I changed it in the system and the timeline but I forgot about your pinned status list totally. Please pardon me for not mentioning it to you.

Many thanks.

Tony

Alright Tony, what's up with the name change?

[sealedkiss 1]

Old topic brought back just to update you all with my experience. I ended up going to a VN travel agent to do the visa for $50 (3-month, single-entry). No original passport was kept, only copy. I didn't even have to fill out a form. Just gave them my address. They took my photo for an additional $5. I didn't have to purchase a money order. Got the visa in about 2 weeks. Pretty convienent. Downside: you don't get a stamp on your passport for record.

[chuckandkim 0]

make copy of your Visa if you like! CO understands you don't get to keep loose-paper visa. I got two sticker-type visas on my two trips to VN. The last trip, got the loose-paper one! Vietnamese Custom took it went I entered Tan Son Nhat. Oh well, no biggie, you must remember, you have other evidence that prove you came to vietnam to see your honey...

Use them!

[Landy 0]

I hate getting a Visa from the VN embassy/consulate because their is absolutely no consistency to the price. I have been given numbers such as $30, $45, and $65. My wife (who is VN) looked at their website in VN and she says the price for a tourist visa for foregners is $25. So I am going to send in a money order for $25 and see what happens. I am SURE that someone at the embassy is skimming the excess into their personal slush fund!

[JSW 0]

curently i have been planning a trip to see my love in Ho Chi Minh and the visa prices i have seen off of their website show $21 for the visa fee and a $25 stamping fee total 46$