Vietnam visa debate
 

I have read the discussions on visa requirements to enter Vietnam. I think I understand how the e-visa site works My wife thinks she read somewhere (?) that the e-visa will not work if you are entering the country via a cruise ship. She thinks the e-visa only works if you enter via an airport. This doesn't make any sense to me, but she is usually right. Can anyone please help me (her) ? Cruise line is not very helpful. Thanks.

We will also visit Cambodia. Any recommendations on getting a visa for Cambodia ?

If you are going ashore from your boat on a ship tour, the visa is usually part of your fee, a group visa

The eVisa DOES work for entry by cruise ship. When you get to complete the application you will have to select your "intended entry gate" from the drop down menu on the application page. It will give you all the entry port options, just select the appropriate one - Ho Chi Minh seaport, Hai Phong seaport etc. It also asks somewhere for your point of departure but I don't think that matters too much.

Not the greatest website in the world and the authorities could do with putting a lot more information on there, but the visa process is pretty efficient.

I see from your other post that you are US passport holders in which case Cambodia has the option of a visa on arrival or an eVisa. Most people will go for a visa on arrival which costs $30 cash and requires a couple of passport photos - available at all airports and most land borders. eVisas are available from https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

It is a painless process at airports but beware of scams if arriving by land. Coming from Chau Doc in the Mekong delta by boat, it was chaos, it took around 90 mins waiting in the blazing sun and an extra $5 "admin fee" aka bribe to get our visas.

"Coming from Chau Doc in the Mekong delta by boat, it was chaos, it took around 90 mins waiting in the blazing sun and an extra $5 "admin fee" aka bribe to get our visas."

Wow, crellston, things have certainly changed! I did that route in 2002, it did take a while as I think five different people handled the passports but more like 15-20 minutes, and no bribes required. I think the only time I've had to bribe a border guide was Transnistria and since the place doesn't have any embassies I considered it an informal visa.

How are you entering Cambodia? If you are going in by air, the visa process is easy and without scams.

Thursdaysd - we arrived at the same time as three other boats from Vietnam and a couple coming the other way. The boat captains collected the passports + visa fee + bribe + forms and then piled them up on a table for the immigration guys to sift through and process. We then had to take stamped forms and passports to another counter for final approval. Maybe 50 -60 people there at the same time - guess whose visa was processed last :-)

Same problem with bribes and scams entering at poipet from Thailand and from Laos around stung treng.