DOES ANYONE HAVE INFO OR EXPERIENCE RE: ENTRY INTO VIETNAM AND THE POSSIBLITY OF PAYING A FEE -WHEN ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT IN HANOI OR HO CHI MIEN -TO SECURE A VISA. MUST I GO THROUGH THE NORMAL CHANNELS OR IS THERE A SHORT-CUT? MY WIFE AND I PLAN ON A DEC 6 TRIP.<BR><BR>ANY INFO RE: THIS IS GREATL APPRECIATED.<BR><BR>THANK YOU.<BR><BR>I

Marc:<BR><BR>I assume you are a US citizen. According to the website from the US State Dept, a visa is required, and there does not seem to be any way to obtain one at the airport. Check the State Dept site at &quot;travel.state.gov/foreign entryregs&quot;<BR><BR>There is a website called traveldocs.com which will obtain rush visas in 2-3 business days. They have application forms which you can download and print out. You will need to send them photos, passport, etc. Check the website. I know nohting about the trustworthiness or effeciency of this comapny.<BR><BR>If you are going to be in Bangkok for a day or two before you enter Vietnan, my guess is that you might be able to get a visa there somewhat easily. <BR><BR>Hope this is helpful.<BR><BR>

If you can visit a VN consulate office before you leave, you can pay an extra $20 per person and they will process your visa in an hour or two. Otherwise, it's a minimum of 3 days turnaround. The phone for the San Fran consulate is 415-922-1577. You cannot receive a visa at the VN airport upon arrival unless you go through Da Nang where this is allowed. If you cann the consulate, they will probably help you to expedite things.<BR><BR>Chuc anh may man. (Good luck.)<BR><BR>Gary<BR><BR>If you want some tips on HCMC or travel within VN, let me know.

Does anybody know if you can actually get visa for Vietnam at Bangkok airport. We were told to bring money and pictures.

Dear all,<BR><BR>For visa entry Vietnam: It is possible to get visa at the airport. But you have to submit your passport &amp; flight detail to a travel agent in Vietnam. They will ask Vietnamese police for special arrival. You will pay 20 USD per person for this approval (for 3 - 2 business day) or 25 USD per person If urgent processing. You will take the copy of the approval or the fax the approval to Vietnam. You will submit 01 4cm * 6cm photo &amp; 25 USD for Immigration police at the airport and Your passport will be stamped entry visa.<BR><BR>For normal visa: You should ask a travel agent in Vietnam send you police number (you will pay them some of money for doing this). With the police number you go to Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate for entry visa. You also give them your photo and 25 USD per person for visa.<BR><BR>Chuc cac ban may man - Good luck to you. <BR>

I don't believe you can get a visa for Vietnam at the Bangkok airport. Visas are only issued by a consulate or embassy of Vietnam, which does not have an office or representative at the airport. Bangkok immigration cannot help with this. I have not tried to obtain a visa at the Bangkok airport, and leave it to others with any recent experience to contradict this.<BR><BR>What my message above was meant to imply was that it might be faster to go through the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok to obtain a visa than going through their embassy or consulate in the US. However, I have done some very quick checking and I actually think (if you don't mind paying more) that using the expedited visa process in the US would be cheaper. <BR><BR>The Lonely Planet website (visa issues are always a hot topic there) says it takes about 5 days to get a visa in Bangkok. You could do this yourself or use a travel agent in Bangkok. The Vietnamese Embassy in Washington will process one in 2 days (from their date of receipt of you passport and application).<BR><BR>The Lonely Planet site also suggests you get the &quot;visa stamped on a separate piece of paper (not stamped in passport) because you are often required to provide your visa to hotels. Avoids having to give passport to hotel.&quot; I am not sure if either embassy in the US or Thailand will do this, the above suggestion might be for visas obtain going overland into Vietnam (the preferred method of travel for Lonely Planeters).<BR><BR>If you do decide to use Bangkok, you will need money and pictures as you indicated, same for applying for a visa via their embassy in the US<BR><BR>Hope this is helpful.<BR><BR>

OK to confuse you even more, I just read on another posting here (&quot;Visa Price for Vietnam&quot that a US citizen entering Vietnam by air CAN BUY A VISA ON ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM. The thread says the cost was $50. This information did not show up on the website for the Vietnamese embassy, but does jive with a news report I read a few months ago that Vietnam was instituting a visa on arrival program for US citizens later this year.<BR><BR>I would suggest you call the embassy in Washington or check the website yourself:<BR><BR> 202-851-2293 <BR> 202-861-0917<BR> vietnamembassy-usa.org<BR>