I am looking to travel to SE Asia in late-December, starting in Vietnam, then going to Cambodia, Thailand, and finally Laos. I visited travel.state.gov to find out more information about visas and discovered that I will need one for Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. It appears that I have to send my passport to their embassies to get the visas, but say that the visa will only be valid for so long after issue. So what is the best way for me to get these three visas that I will be needing before I go? Will I have time to send in my passport to three different embassies before I go and still have the visas be valid? Thanks!

It is possible to get both Cambodian and Lao visas on arrival at airports or at the major land entry points. You will need a VN visa in advance. Send your passport and visa forms to the nearest VN consulate (I used SF and it was very fast).

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but what is SF?

San Francisco (SFO - the airport code). But there are a few consultate/tourism offices around the States. Pick the one closest to where you live.

Okay, I wrote the last reply without thinking too hard...it is Friday after all. SF = San Francisco I imagine?

Sorry, pebbles, I didn't mean to be opaque. Use which ever consulate as closest to you.

I just got my VN visa. Cost - $65. Took about 10 days. I strongly suggest using US Postal Service Priority or Express with tracking & stipulate you want to sign for guaranteed return. Fed Ex recently lost my passport/visa from Jordanian Embassy & their policy states that you do not have to sign for package unless sender (Embassy) requests it.

Sue, sorry they lost your passport - what a nightmare. I always get my visa on arrival if it is available, as I then don't have to worry about the return of my passport. But of course, there are a number of countries that require a visa in advance.

The cost for the Vietnam visa is $65 if you go through the embassy in D.C. The price is not on the embassy Website.
I got our passports back a week after sending them.