Another Vietnam Visa Question
 

We fly from the US to Hanoi in October. We will be getting a pre arranged visa (VOA). I have 2 questions:

1. When an American airline checks your passport before flying, do you have to show the pre approval letter and if so, has anyone had an issue not having the visa in their passport?

2. Tripadvisor has an updated article on applying for the approval letter. We will be getting a 1 month multiple entry. The article gives an example on how to apply.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g2...rival.Voa.html

I don't understand why in the example given in the article, it suggests putting the arrival date a few days earlier than you will actually arrive. The article says that day 1 will actually be on arrival and the visa will be stamped accordingly, but I don't understand why you wouldn't apply with the actual date of arrival. I do understand that time zones are to be taken into consideration.

Les

1. When You check in to any airline flying to Vietnam you will have to show your visa approval letter. There will not be a visa in you passport at that point, you will get that on arrival in Hanoi. Hence the term Visa on Arrival.

2. The TA article is overcomplicated. Apply for the visa for the date you are arriving. Time zones make no difference whatsoever as it is simply the date on arrival in Vietnam that matters. I think what the TA article is getting at is a way of avoiding paying the higher fee for multiple entry stays marginally over 30 days. If this doesn't apply to you, ignore it. If there is ANY chance you may exceed the 30 days, I would go for the 3 month multiple entry visa.

I have done this twice in the last eight months and it is a relatively painless process. Just remember to bring cash $$ for the fee - I was amazed how many people forgot and we stuck because there were no ATMs.

It is easy to miss the VOA counters . As you descend the stairs from arrivals they are right in front of you. Don't go through to the immigration desks as you will be sent back.

Agree with Crellston.

We used http://vietnamvisapro.net/ for our Visa Approval Letter (VAL).

Application was immediately acknowledged. Took 48 hours from applying online to receiving an e-mail with the VOA, and a link to the VOA Application Forms. Print-off the VAL and VOA forms. Complete the VOA forms, and submit on arrival with the VAL and Visa fee in US$.

Straightforward.

Thanks crellston and LancasterLad. You've answered my questions :)

If you already booked the air ticket, you should enter the exact travel date. You should enter the arrival date earlier than the date you arrive actually only when you are not sure about when you will take the flight. This is because the visa approval will be valid from the date of travel you enter in the form until it expires. Therefore, if you can't decide the exact travel date at the time of application, it's best to enter the earliest date. :)

Applying for visa abroad is always confused, especially for first-time travelers. There are some more necessary notices that should be taken. You may view guidace at http://www.vietnamvisa-easy.com/visa...or-us-citizens. Hope this helps.

The time-zone concern may be a matter of caution. Trans-Pacific flights crossing the dateline can invite confusion, especially since some flights reach Vietnam near midnight.

iamles-Did the VOA experience go smoothly departing from the US? Specifically, was there any problem with the airline not seeing an actual visa in your passport? I am thinking of going the preapproved VOA route from the US for our Jan trip.

You have to show the pre approval letter right at the airport you're about to board in and fly to Vietnam.
Your Visa will be counted from the date issued that you've registered ( but actually you may enter Vietnam earlier 1 day - legitimate permission ).