Jacketwatch: do you have a cruise booked that has a port call in Vietnam? If you have to pay this high $135 visa fee will you still go or cancel?

Nope but we did one with two stops there last March. Glad we did it then!

Blame Brexit or Donald !

I asked on cruise critic about what the visa fees for VN are now. This is the reply I got:
Copied from the cruise personalizer for our Golden trip next month:

VIETNAM VISA/PASSPORT REQUIREMENT
A Vietnam visa is required for most guests on this voyage, including Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and U.S. passport holders. You may either obtain the visa on your own before your cruise, or a visa will be issued upon arrival in Vietnam. If you choose to have the visa issued on board, a passport-size photo or copy of your passport photo page is required, and a visa fee of USD $56.00 per person (USD $76.00 per person for those participating on an overland package) will be charged to your stateroom account.
Some guests, including UK passport holders, do not require a visa; however, they will be charged $1 per person for a landing card and a $1 per person processing fee.
All guests' passports must be valid for at least six months after departing Vietnam and must contain at least one unused page for entry/exit endorsements.

This was from someone who had already booked a cruise to commence soon but then again I wonder if the new fees will be in effect for cruise booked after the increase.

I wonder if that person is aware of the change in visa fees. I also wonder if VN has a special cruise price for visas.

VN has always had confusing visa rules. They have never allowed a visa on arrival, but they call their pre-arranged visa a VOA. The price has been fluid, it was $65 from the embassy or consulate for years, then, when they went to the pre-approved visa, different agencies charged different amounts for the approval letter and for the stamping fee.

I'll be interested to hear from people getting this visa how the process went.

Good point and as they do say the fee is more if you have an Overland stay then all the more reason to think cruising fees with a one-day port stop maybe different.

I will call princess cruise lines and ask them

I called Princess and they don't know as it may be too soon for them to have implemented the new fees. I had them test book a cruise for Dec. 2018 and they do no shave fees available though there are some good perks like $200.00 OBC, prepaid gratuities and a cabin upgrade. They told to try a website visa central and this is what I gleaned;
http://visacentral.com/requirements.

The consular fee is minimum $200.00 and the processing fee for this company is like $119.00. Yeeesh!

Here is the reply I received from the Vietnam Embassy in Washington DC in regards to my visa inquiry:

Hello,
Thank you for writing to the Embassy of Vietnam in Washington DC.
First of all, the Embassy of Vietnam strongly recommends you to have the visa before you depart for Vietnam.
I. Total visa fee: On the basis of reciprocity, the Government of Vietnam will only issue 1 year multiple entry visa for US citizens with the fee being $220 per person.
* For non-US passport holders:

A. 30 days, single entry: $80 per person
B. 30 days, multiple entry: $135 per person
C. 90 days, single entry: $110 per person
D. 90 days, multiple entry: $160 per person

Thanks, Ginger.

At least you got a response. See my 9/2 post above.

So the $249.00 I was quoted by Travisa seems like a fair service fee but visa centrals fee seems like vig. :D.

SFO consulate has the visa priced at $185. Each location sets their own prices so shop around.

This is getting more murkier all the time. Apparently there is a price variance based on the embassy or various consulates?? I suppose the only way to find out is to apply and see what the damages are. SMH.

When I got my visa last year the NYC Consulate was cheaper than Washington DC and San Francisco.

Yes, it has always been true that the various VN embassies and consulates have charged different fees.

And the "VOA" which was really a pre-arranged visa had different costs from different agencies in VN and different stamping fees.

Has anyone ever heard of a practice like this before? Not me.

<i>When I got my visa last year the NYC Consulate was cheaper than Washington DC and San Francisco.</i>


Russia worked like that too, when we had to make multiple trips for extended stays. The price could vary depending on which US consulate one contacted.

Hadn't been in the position to see that with VN, as we lived in Australia by then and everything just goes through Canberra.

Looks like tourism companies in Vietnam are pushing back. Whether it will be effective remains to be seen:

http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/36900...or-us-visitors

Thank you. I am fb friends with the guide we had for HCMC and he notes that there has been little drop as of now but of course that can very well change as time goes by. I will contact him from time to time to see how it is from their end and post any developments.

We paid $100. each at Vietnamese Consulate in NYC( near UN) for multiple entry visas five years ago. It seemed reasonable as we also were getting visas for China at the same time which were much more expensive.