Hi all,

I've been researching details on how to acquire a Vietnam visa online. Wanted to try a forum so I can hone in on some truth.

So far I have read some conflicting pricing issues and conflicting stories on the steps they are issued. Some are as high as $100 per person inclusive of all the fees.

Was wondering what the most reliable source to acquire this visa and the most economical.

Please help.

The most reliable source is no doubt the VN embassy or consulate closest to you. From the consulate there are two prices, one for a single entry, one for a multiple entry.

You can get a pre-arranged visa where you pay the travel agency when they arrange it and pay a "stamping fee" when you arrive by air into HCMC or Hanoi. Pre-arranged visas are not available for land crossings. While people have reported different fees for stamping (I think some of the "stampers" may be building in a tip for themselves), the costs from each travel agency and on arrival are supposed to be the same. Valid price differences exist for single entry vs. multiple entry.

We definitely also saw a bunch of different prices when we were looking for Vietnam visas but we ended up just sending our passports and a money order to the Vietnam Embassy since we assumed it was the most reliable. As a US citizen, we paid I think 70$ in a money order plus pre-paid return envelope and postage. For 2 people, the full total came to around $180 with postage, money order etc included. From what I remember, that includes the 'stamping fee' although I should look into that before I leave next week.....

depends on what country you live in....

i have just done the visa on arrival for usa citizens....i paid $39.99 for the paperwork on line and will have to pay $50 on arrival in hanoi---that is for the two of us...

i found all of this on the embassy site as kathie suggests...

We did it through the mail. It was nice and easy. Filled out the paperwork we downloaded on line, sent it with our passports certified mail with a return envelope with a certified mail receipt inside. We got the visa within approx. 1 week. I think we sent ours to Washington DC as we are in FL. Don't think it was very expensive and we did not have to wait on any lines once we got to VN.

goingtoitaly, If you get a visa from the embassy/consulate, there is no stamping fee.

The stamping fee is for putting the visa into your passport, which must happen if you have a pre-arranged visa through an agent.

Hey guys!

Thanks so much for clearing this up for me! Its all making sense now!

Jet

Thanks Kathie, you just saved me the time of going back to check on that!

I'm heading to Vietnam on the 16th July. Can anybody give me the name of a reputable on-line agency?

In typical Dogster fashion, I need it fast... it's 8.00 a.m. on the 13th right now.

You can get a visa at the VN embassy in Bangkok.

I'll let someone else recommend an agency, as I got mine from the embassy.

Thanks for that super quick reply Kathie.

I've done it online anyway thru Vietnam-visa.com. I'm so jetlagged, I'd fall asleep at the embassy. Gotta cut the corners today, I'm cactus. Theoretically, in twelve hours I should get the approval letter in my E-mail. Then I can get stamped at the airport.

Soon 'Live from the Jayarvarman'

<i>[if they have internet - otherwise: 'Nearly live from the Jayarvarman...']</i>

http://www.heritage-line.com/8d7nthe...eam.php?lan=en