Vietnam visa process is turning into a nightmare!!

That is what I thought! To get a multi entry visa for an American citizen, you must either go to the Vietnam Embassy or send your passport. Obviously, you may be able to speed things up by uploading information and photos online, through the company Uniworld works with or other companies that help you get a visa faster or more efficiently, but there is no total online process.

When we did Amawaterways vietnam and Cambodia river cruise couple months ago we did a Visa on Arrival on line. Fill in form on line (several sites to chose from) who provide you with an official letter. Think it cost approximately 16$ usd for this letter. You take this letter to the VOA window at the arrival airport..give them $50 each for multiple entry visa, 2 pictures and the form they ask you to fill out before you arrive. Very easy and no need to send passports away and pay high embassy fees.

The VOA only works at 3 airports but was so easy. I learned a lot about this process on trip advisor vietnam...so much helpful information on this process. Perhaps pop over there and have a look.

The scenario Jack1 is describing is definitely preferable. I don't believe it was available when we traveled in 2015.

Visa on Arrival fee went up to $135 USD at one point (Nov '16?) in addition to the fee for the letter, but I think it has come back down. Not that you can find the info on the Vietnamese embassy website....I follow the thread on Flyertalk.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia/804256-visa-voa-info-vietnam-88.html

For those of us living in Canada, we have the option of applying for the actual visa (not visa on arrival) directly from the Vietnamese Embassy in Ottawa. You scan the first page of your passport, a passport photo, the application form (where you choose single or multiple entry) and the payment form (where you choose premium or standard service and next day or Canada Post shipping). I sent it in last Thursday night late asking for standard service, and the visa was approved and sent out on Wednesday by Canada Post. It is supposed to be delivered tomorrow; since I won't be here I expect to pick it up at the post office on Saturday.

I like the fact that I will get an actual visa to attach to my passport, without having to send the passport off. I didn't like having to email a credit card authorization; I will be watching that card extra carefully for the next little while.

I also found that nowhere did it tell me the cost of the visa. On the website I found the cost of shipping; US$25 for Canada Post and US$35 for Fedex, but nowhere did it tell me what I would be paying for the visa. Ultimately, the cost was US$149.35, which I am assuming included the shipping charge.

I also found that nowhere did it tell me the cost of the visa. On the website I found the cost of shipping; US$25 for Canada Post and US$35 for Fedex, but nowhere did it tell me what I would be paying for the visa. Ultimately, the cost was US$149.35, which I am assuming included the shipping charge.

Usually there is an email address that they ask you to use to get the current pricing, but yes, they don't usually put it all on the website.

I used CIBT for Chinese visas last year (they are a visa service company), and I also uploaded my photos online.

How it worked was quite straightforward. I went to CVS (local convenience store) and had passport photos taken that met the guidelines (white background, no eye wear, no head wear) and brought those photos home. I then scanned the photos to my computer and followed the CIBT directions to upload them to the application. I then filed the application online, at which point someone at CIBT checks it over and gives it the thumbs up. You then print out the information, sign it, and mail it all in.

Since I started this thread will give the final details. I really have no one but myself to blame for the problems. I almost passed out when I got the final charge on my Visa. Over $700 for my wife and myself for the visa and the process to get it!! With VisaCentral (the link from Uniworld for the visa) I did give them very negative feedback. So what?

I think before anyone applies for the visa check on how to DIY without the intermediary..

In retrospect very difficult to have predicted the final cost from their website but should have been more cautious. I usually

do my homework....

I got my visa today. One week to be delivered to my door, and I didn't have to send my passport in. For Canadians I certainly recommend dealing directly with the Embassy.

That is what I thought! To get a multi entry visa for an American citizen, you must either go to the Vietnam Embassy or send your passport. Obviously, you may be able to speed things up by uploading information and photos online, through the company Uniworld works with or other companies that help you get a visa faster or more efficiently, but there is no total online process.

Looks like I would be using Travisa again for this as they were great for India and Brazil. Could call them anytime I had problems with the application. Did China ourselves..spent a night in DC to be early in line for expedited visa. First thing said was No Expedited visas today! Another long drive later in week convinced us we would use a service next time. We did get to observe the services bringing in briefcases full of passports to be processed and doing each one by one at a special window.

Is this necessary for just a one day stop on an ocean cruise or just for longer visits?

Is this necessary for just a one day stop on an ocean cruise or just for longer visits?

No, most countries have exceptions for visitors arriving by sea and only going ashore with official registered tour guides.

That said, if you are on a sea cruise and wish to just go for a wander on your own you will need your own visa's in many locations.

As Jack1 said, it is not difficult to use Visa on Arrival (VOA) for either a single or multiple entry Vietnam Visa. We sailed this year with AMAWaterways and used vietnamvisapro.net to arrange our VOA letter. We paid a little extra ($30) for the "VIP" service where somebody met us to collect our letters, passports, photos, and money, but when we arrived in Hanoi there was no line at all so it would not have been difficult to do ourselves. The letter itself was very cheap - we paid $33 for a private letter for three travelers. The visa itself was $50 per person (cash). So in total for three people we paid $213. Cambodia was even easier - there was a very obvious desk right after we entered the terminal and before baggage claim where we bought our Visas for $35 apiece.

As Jack1 said, it is not difficult to use Visa on Arrival (VOA) for either a single or multiple entry Vietnam Visa. We sailed this year with AMAWaterways and used vietnamvisapro.net to arrange our VOA letter. We paid a little extra ($30) for the "VIP" service where somebody met us to collect our letters, passports, photos, and money, but when we arrived in Hanoi there was no line at all so it would not have been difficult to do ourselves. The letter itself was very cheap - we paid $33 for a private letter for three travelers. The visa itself was $50 per person (cash). So in total for three people we paid $213. Cambodia was even easier - there was a very obvious desk right after we entered the terminal and before baggage claim where we bought our Visas for $35 apiece.

Thanks Jack1 and INiles for helpful information.

A question for all - can I use VOA for entry into Vietnam via a river cruise ship instead of airplane?

A question for all - can I use VOA for entry into Vietnam via a river cruise ship instead of airplane?

These things change all the time, but when I checked this a few months ago the answer was 'no'.

These things change all the time, but when I checked this a few months ago the answer was 'no'.

Thanks for confirming about not able to get VOA when arriving by ship. Indeed VOA only applies to entry by air.

In light of OP's bad experience with VIsaCentral, I plan to go to the Vietnam Consulate in New York for the visa. The fee is only $80 for single entry for stay of one month (multiple entry visa costs $135), and $30 same day expedited service. Some people got their visa within half hour. I think the cost is reasonable, and better yet, my passport would not be tied up for weeks. The latter means a lot, because I have other travel plans.

Since I started this thread will give the final details. I really have no one but myself to blame for the problems. I almost passed out when I got the final charge on my Visa. Over $700 for my wife and myself for the visa and the process to get it!! With VisaCentral (the link from Uniworld for the visa) I did give them very negative feedback. So what?

I think before anyone applies for the visa check on how to DIY without the intermediary..

In retrospect very difficult to have predicted the final cost from their website but should have been more cautious. I usually

do my homework....

I am very sorry about your bad experience with VIsaCentral. Your post has helped me a lot, because without it, I would have blindly followed the cruise's link for getting visa through VIsaCentral and may experience the same frustrating ordeal.

In 2015 I was on Avalon Cambodia to Vietnam and used a local (Houston) passport/visa service for my Vietnam visa, and it was simple. I am just back from Uniworld Imperial Waterways of Russia and initially was going to use the Uniworld-referred visa service. But when I looked closely, the price quoted wasn't the final price, as there were additional charges for things like return mail, etc. that really increased the total cost. I simply returned to my local passport/visa service and, again, obtaining my visa was simple. In fact, when I had my visa photos taken at Costco, I forgot about the "no smile" rule, but the Houston service didn't mind that I was smiling and had no problem getting the visa.

As I recently mentioned in my review of my Russian cruise, I chatted with several other passengers who had used the Uniworld-referred visa service. It seemed that the total cost paid by each couple for their visas had ranged widely. And it was considerably more than what was charged by my local service. Also, one lady told of receiving a visa with her name misspelled and having been told to simply use a pen to correct it! Of course she wasn't comfortable with this so had to get a supervisor involved to get it corrected.

I would not consider using the Uniworld-referred service.

Hi BooBooTX, would you mind telling me which passport/visa service you used in Houston? We live in Seabrook and would much rather use a local agency also.

When we went to China several years ago we simply did our visa through the Chinese consulate in Houston and it was quick and easy.

Thanks.

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Hi suspaul. I use Frank at quick-passport dot com

His office is on Augusta in Houston. I like that I don't have to mail my passport anywhere - just drop it off and collect it from him. He also did a super fast passport renewal for me a couple of years ago.

Thanks very much, will keep him in mind.

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BoobooTX,

I used Viking's recommended visa agency, Genvisa, for our Russian cruise. Your helpful posts sparked my curiosity about Genvisa's charges (reasonable or not). I searched online and found a Russian visa (for US passport holders) costs $140 (standard service). Genvisa charges my husband and me together $365, which includes return mailing via usps priority mail (no signature required for receipt). Thus, Genvisa's service charge for processing the visa is about $40 per person, which seems reasonable to me. Their instructions for completing the application form are very clear. They emailed me initially to confirm receipt of my application and then again notified me when shipping my visa and passport to me. I appreciate their notifications, because they reduce my anxiety.

Now for the Vietnam visa, I initially planned to use VIsaCentral (via the other cruiseline's link) to apply for Vietnam visa, and then temporarily considered using Genvisa instead due to OP's bad experience. Further online research led me to the decision of applying for the Vietnam visa in person (eliminating the need to have my passport held up for weeks). For future travel, if there is no Consulate nearby, I would definitely try Genvisa myself. Of course, it is even better to be able to go to a trustworthy local visa agency.

I am going to Vietnam at the end of August to take an AMAWaterways cruise starting in Cambodia and ending in Ho Chi Mihn city. I am confused about the information I have been given. I have a travel agent who set up the cruise, but hasn't been helpful providing me information on how to get a Visa. I have another agent who set up the rest of the trip. He has been helpful, but I am concerned about the information I have been getting from him. He said we needed a Visa letter for Vietnam. However, what I have read on line is that these can only be used at airports. Will a Visa letter work if we cross into Vietnam on a cruise? Or do I need to go to the Vietnam Embassy to get a visa (luckily, I am close to Washington DC).

I think that if you are close to Washington your best bet is to get the actual visa at the embassy. You know that you have it; you won't have to give up your passport and you will know that you have exactly what you need.

I got my visa today. One week to be delivered to my door, and I didn't have to send my passport in. For Canadians I certainly recommend dealing directly with the Embassy.

Hello Gnome12: who are you travlling with in Vietnam? We are going with Avalon in late 2018 and I appreciate all you info on this post. Sent to a friend request to keep in touch. We are in Milton, ON.

Walter

I am travelling with Ama. I have a few days in Hanoi on my own, and then I join Ama for the Hanoi, Halong Bay and Siem Reap extensions before the cruise.