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Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:10 pm
by SlackWaster
Hello

So I have a year visa sorted (phew!) but I need to go out and come back (as usual) and a coach to Vietnam seems the best (ie cheapest) way to go.
Can anyone assist me with what to do? Where to go? What to take? Etc?

For instance, should I get a bus to Ho Chi Minh or is there something nearer the border?
I'm assuming I'll need a few Passport photos and some dollars, etc.

Any advice gratefully received, thanks.

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:27 pm
by John Bingham
If you're from the UK I think you get a 15 day visa waiver which makes things a bit simpler. The border at Chau Doc for HCM can get very busy and take a long time. The border crossing near Kep that goes to nearby Ha Tien (Chen) is likely easier. Ha Tien is a pleasant enough place to spend a day or two.

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:09 pm
by cautious colin
Can anyone assist me with what to do? Where to go? What to take? Etc?
What to do:

Take a bus, ask one of the 100 bus companies based along Sihanouk near olympic

Where to go:

Anywhere in Vietnam. the PP to Saigon border (Bavet i think) is the closest from PP.
Go to HCM and spend a couple of days. bus takes around 7 hours last time I went.

you can just go to the border and back the same day but why go all the way there and not spend a little time

What to take:

Money, passport & clothes is always a good bet, and maybe a phone

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:05 pm
by SlackWaster
Thank you Colin - that's exactly the kind of basic steps I required - thank you very much.

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:29 pm
by bvanfossen
I read to get the Vietnam visa you need to register a few days ahead of time for a sponsor or something similar (I forgot the correct terminology)?
or can we just stamp into Vietnam no problem? I'm American btw and need to do this myself

Ty

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:25 pm
by ExPenhMan
bvanfossen wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:29 pm I read to get the Vietnam visa you need to register a few days ahead of time for a sponsor or something similar (I forgot the correct terminology)?
or can we just stamp into Vietnam no problem? I'm American btw and need to do this myself

Ty
For a 30-day tourist visa, you use the government visa site to order a letter, which they email to you. It takes usually 3 days. Government portal: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt.

Also third-party visa sites all over web.

A sponsor letter is used for long visas, 3-month, 6-month and 1-year, via the third-party sites.

For Americans, a reciprocity agreement between US and VN gives Americans a 1-year tourist visa (must leave every 90 days) for $135US.

Scandinavians and people of UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France get an automative visa waiver for a 15-day stay.

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:09 am
by bvanfossen
ExPenhMan wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:25 pm
bvanfossen wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:29 pm I read to get the Vietnam visa you need to register a few days ahead of time for a sponsor or something similar (I forgot the correct terminology)?
or can we just stamp into Vietnam no problem? I'm American btw and need to do this myself

Ty
For a 30-day tourist visa, you use the government visa site to order a letter, which they email to you. It takes usually 3 days. Government portal: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt.

Also third-party visa sites all over web.

A sponsor letter is used for long visas, 3-month, 6-month and 1-year, via the third-party sites.

For Americans, a reciprocity agreement between US and VN gives Americans a 1-year tourist visa (must leave every 90 days) for $135US.

Scandinavians and people of UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France get an automative visa waiver for a 15-day stay.
I only need to do a visa run for my Cambodian visa...


Can I stamp out of Cambodia, not enter Vietnan, then stamp right back into Cambodia?

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:13 am
by ExPenhMan
bvanfossen wrote: Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:09 am
ExPenhMan wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:25 pm
bvanfossen wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:29 pm I read to get the Vietnam visa you need to register a few days ahead of time for a sponsor or something similar (I forgot the correct terminology)?
or can we just stamp into Vietnam no problem? I'm American btw and need to do this myself

Ty
For a 30-day tourist visa, you use the government visa site to order a letter, which they email to you. It takes usually 3 days. Government portal: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt.

Also third-party visa sites all over web.

A sponsor letter is used for long visas, 3-month, 6-month and 1-year, via the third-party sites.

For Americans, a reciprocity agreement between US and VN gives Americans a 1-year tourist visa (must leave every 90 days) for $135US.

Scandinavians and people of UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France get an automative visa waiver for a 15-day stay.
I only need to do a visa run for my Cambodian visa...


Can I stamp out of Cambodia, not enter Vietnan, then stamp right back into Cambodia?
You did not say that in the first place. I doubt very much you can leave Cambodia and enter a kind of no man's land and not enter VN. Others may know the answer, however.

To enter VN, which you do when you leave Cambodia, you need a VN visa approval beforehand. No such thing as visa on arrival in VN.

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:34 pm
by bvanfossen
ExPenhMan wrote: Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:13 am

To enter VN, which you do when you leave Cambodia, you need a VN visa approval beforehand. No such thing as visa on arrival in VN.
Yes, As i believe i mentioned earlier, thanks for trying to assist

Re: Need to do a Vietnam Visa run - help required.

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 2:49 pm
by cautious colin
bvanfossen wrote: Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:09 am
ExPenhMan wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:25 pm
bvanfossen wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:29 pm I read to get the Vietnam visa you need to register a few days ahead of time for a sponsor or something similar (I forgot the correct terminology)?
or can we just stamp into Vietnam no problem? I'm American btw and need to do this myself

Ty
For a 30-day tourist visa, you use the government visa site to order a letter, which they email to you. It takes usually 3 days. Government portal: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt.

Also third-party visa sites all over web.

A sponsor letter is used for long visas, 3-month, 6-month and 1-year, via the third-party sites.

For Americans, a reciprocity agreement between US and VN gives Americans a 1-year tourist visa (must leave every 90 days) for $135US.

Scandinavians and people of UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France get an automative visa waiver for a 15-day stay.
I only need to do a visa run for my Cambodian visa...


Can I stamp out of Cambodia, not enter Vietnan, then stamp right back into Cambodia?
You need to enter another country (Vietnam) after you have stamped out of Cambodia, can't just turn back and come straight in