Visa (no Vietnamese embassy here)

Hi,

You don't really make it clear whether you're trying to enter Vietnam overland: if that's the case, then you probably will have to sort out a visa first. However, if you ARE planning on flying in, then the pre-arranged visa on arrival is a perfectly good option, and shouldn't require sending your passport anywhere. I used Vietnamstay's service without trouble. Check out their website at:

Vietnamstay Website

Hi,

Thanks for the answer.
I'm planning to travel 1 month, probably August, in Laos and Vietnam.
Wether I'll enter Vietnam overland or fly in, it'll depend on the best flight fares from Europe to south east Asia I can get.

But if can get a visa prior to enter Vietnam, then I'll have freedom to enter the country either of the ways.
I may even need to enter Vietnam twice: Vietnam -> Laos -> Vietnam. Is it possible to apply for a double entrance visa? Or would I need to get 2 visas?

Hello Caiuss,
i'm also portuguese, traveling with 3 friends to vietnam in July.
I'm having the same problem that you, and i've checked the same websites.
I'm crosing vietnam overland, coming from China, and i'm only staying in Hong Kong 1 day probably.
Does anyone know if i could get a Vietnam Visa in Hong Kong in the same day?
Or visa on arrival works on a overland border?
By the way Caisuss, for entering Vietnam twice, you need a multi entry visa, wich is more expensive (i think double), and i might be wrong, but i think to have a multy entry visa, the Visa on Arrival doesn't work. But as i say, i might be wrong.
When are you staing there?
We are going from 5 of July to 6 of April (China, Vietnam, and Thailand) Laos is still an option.

Cheers

Hi

In the link provided by JakartaBoy (http://www.vietnamstay.com/service/</a>), it's said: "We provide a form .... You will subsequently still need to get the official Vietnamese stamp of approval on your passport at any of our Embassies. Following such an approval, we will send you notification (by fax or email) and fax the approval to your desired Embassy or Consulate. You will need to take that approval with your passport to that Embassy or Consulate to get the visa stamp on your passport, which is done on the same day."
I did't understand very well this!!! It seems you need to get a stamp of approval from an Embassy, then they'll send you and the embassy 'another'??? approval, and finally you go again to the embassy to get the visa stamp on the passport!!! Is this right?

This site also says: "Visa on Arrival ... With this type of visa, you only can enter the country by air."

João,

Are you flying to Hong Kong, and then go overland to Vietnam? Or are you gonna do a longer itenerary in China?
The last year I spent 1 month in China (Shanghai, Macau, HK, Guangzhou, Guilin (Yongshuo), Kunming, Lijiang, Litang, Chendu, Beijing, Harbin, Beijing). It was great ... now I'm studying Chinese :)

On your way from China to Thailand, are you gonna fly from somewhere in Vietnam to Thailand? Or are you gonna cross Cambodia?
I was thinking in something like this: fly to Bangkok, fly to Hanoi, overland to Laos, Laos from north to south, re-enter Vietnam, Ho Chi Min, Phnon Penh, Bankok, fly back home.
But because of flight prices (it seems flights from Europe are cheaper to China than to Bangkok, but I still have to check this very carefully), I may consider fly to HK, and then do all the way over land to Bangkok, or fly from Macau to Hanoi and over land to Bangkok, and then fly from Bangkok to Macau.
Another option would be to fly with KLM to Chendu, as this is the lowest fare from Europe to China. But I think this works very much like the low fare flights, as they sell tickets the price increase.
But as I still don't know exactly when my vacations will be (probably in August), it's a bit worthless to be checking and comparing flight prices

I don't like very much to have a rigid plan to stick to, that's why I'd like to get all the visas I need in advance so I don't have to make my trip function of visas

P.S.: João, enviei-te uma PM com o meu mail, se quiseres discutir alguma coisa sobre a viagem

Caiuss, Vietnamstay provides TWO types of visa service: they help expedite visas at difficult embassies that require approval letters - I think that's a bit of a hangover from the past, but maybe some embassies still require it - Jakarta is a bit sticky, for example - and they arrange visa on arrival. Know what you mean about being flexible - but if you want to get the pre-arranged visa you have to bite the bullet and make a fixed time and entry point. That's the way it works. Vietnam is the most finickety country in the region about stuff like that: you can be more flexible with the other countries. If you think you'll be in Cambodia before Vietnam, it's very easy to get single or multiple entry visas there: one day service available from many travel agents at a reasonable price, easiest place in the region. Dunno how it works in Thailand or Laos, but usually embassies in neighbouring countries are good bets - a general travel rule ...

Cheers, and happy travels!

Hi.......
I'm portuguese and I'm in cambodia right now. Going monday to vietname. I gott the visa for 30 USD in one of the hundreds places that provide this kind of service. I takes 24 h. If you going to another country first, thailand, china get the visas there. In thailand you can get a turist visa on arrival. Easy. In cambodia the same. Easy. Vietnam and China more fussy about that but easir here than in europe and cheaper.
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Luis