Vietnam Visa - Cruise then fly back

I am a UK passport holder and will be on the Voyager of the Seas sailing from Singapore on 30 June 2018. The ship calls at Phu My (5 July 2018), Nha Trang (6 July 2018) and Chan May (7 July 2018). NONE of these ports are overnight stays. The cruise ends in Hong Kong. I will then fly from Hong Kong to Hanoi on 10 July 2018 and return home to the UK from Hanoi on 14 July 2018. The visa exemption for British citizens currently ends on 30 June 2018.

I have researched the CC forums but cannot find any equivalent visa requirement.

I have contacted RCI who have confirmed they can provide a visa for US$6 per person to cover the 3 Vietnamese ports.

I have contacted the Vietnamese Embassy but they provided no advice, but rather told me that they provide 30 day multiple entry visas (£89 per person - currently US$126) or 30 day single entry visas (£55 per person - currently US$77).

I am hoping that I can use the RCI provided visa (really a landing card) for my sea port entry to Vietnam (US$6 per person) as this will not need my passport stamped. Then use a single entry e-visa (US$25 per person) for my Hanoi airport entry back to Vietnam. I would be keen to hear if anyone has any experience / opinions of such a situation.

We are a family of 4 so the difference in cost is substantial.

You may not need a visa. But you will not know until closer to the cruise date from Visa Site:

Until 30 June 2018 ‘British Citizen’ passport holders travelling for tourism or business can enter Vietnam for up to a maximum of 15 days (inclusive of dates of entry and exit) without a visa. Confirmation of whether the visa waiver will be extended beyond June 2018 is unlikely to be received until close to the time.

But you can apply for a visa online, the ships visa will not help you for your air trip.

Thank you for a quick reply. The current (pre 30 June 2018 exemption) requirements are not straight forward either. They state "The 15-day visa exemption is for single entry only" and "If you wish to enter Viet Nam at least two consecutive times without visa, the next entry must be at least 30 days after the previous exit. Otherwise, you still need a visa.". So I am not clear if the ship's "visa" counts as an entry to Vietnam for visa purposes (i.e. your passport would be stamped or electronically register that you have been in Vietnam) or if it is simply a landing card / transit visa in which case I can use a single entry visa (or be in the 15-day exemption period for single entry) to enter by air to Hanoi after my cruise.

I agree that the ship's visa will definitely not help for my air trip to Hanoi after my cruise.

We recently did a cruise that included 3 ports in Vietnam. The ship handled visas for everyone once we were aboard. Most passengers only needed the landing card ($6 US) but since we were staying overnight in a hotel in Hanoi, we needed a different visa ($28 US). That type of visa was valid for 15 days and it was returned to us with our passports at the end of the cruise.

As long as that type of visa was available aboard your ship, might that solve your problem? Note that we had to provide 2 passport photos in order to apply for this visa. We weren't aware of that requirement ahead of time but the ship's photo dept was able to get them for us fairly quickly.

We recently did a cruise that included 3 ports in Vietnam. The ship handled visas for everyone once we were aboard. Most passengers only needed the landing card ($6 US) but since we were staying overnight in a hotel in Hanoi, we needed a different visa ($28 US). That type of visa was valid for 15 days and it was returned to us with our passports at the end of the cruise.

 

As long as that type of visa was available aboard your ship, might that solve your problem? Note that we had to provide 2 passport photos in order to apply for this visa. We weren't aware of that requirement ahead of time but the ship's photo dept was able to get them for us fairly quickly.

Be careful here, yes that visa might be valid for 15 days but it does not necessarily mean it is a multi entry visa to Vietnam - but a document to allow you to stay for 15 days.

Thank you budbo and Bpos for your replies. I tend to agree with Bpos here - but am not sure if I am classified as "multiple entry" for visa purposes. I am thinking that the US$6 landing card from the ship may not

This just shows how difficult it is to interpret Vietnam visas.

Thank you budbo and Bpos for your replies. I tend to agree with Bpos here - but am not sure if I am classified as "multiple entry" for visa purposes. I am thinking that the US$6 landing card from the ship may not

count as an entry to Vietnam for visa purposes (i.e. your passport is not stamped or electronically registered that you have been in Vietnam - anyone who could clarify any part of this would be very helpful) so that I can then use a single entry e-visa to enter by air to Hanoi after my cruise.

budbo - ordinarily I would simply ask on the ship what the US$28 visa covers (and if it works for me) but I am hoping to sort this before I leave, as if the US$28 visa does not work for me then that leaves me with no visa for the second part of my holiday (flying back into Hanoi).

 

This just shows how difficult it is to interpret Vietnam visas.

Unfortunately getting a correct and authoritive reply to this question from the Vietnamese Embassy or consulate in your country is equally as difficult as they will tell you anything in order for you to obtain the visa at a greatly inflated cost from them.

The Embassy and consulates rely on the funds for visas to pay their operating costs so naturally they will give conflicting advice in order to sell you the visa. The have a shocking reputation for doing this.

As well,I doubt the cruise line will provide you with a suitable answer as they do not want to be "caught out" about giving out the wrong advice as well. I have a friend travelling with Princess to Asian Ports including two ports of call in Vietnam and Princess have recently sent them an email saying the Visas for Vietnam are their responsibility - no mention that up to now (and probably in the future) the ship can and will organise the visas for them.

If you fly into Vietnam - do not rely on using a visa issued by the ship - look at the other options for when you fly in

If it were me - I would organised a Visa on Arrival and although it is going to cost each of you around USD$35

it will get you in when you fly in - no ifs or buts or maybe.

Trip Advisor - Vietnam forum - has a a whole section dedicated to the getting of the visa etc.

The ship issued visa / landing card (in our case for 3 ports) was counted as one entry into Vietnam and the passports were stamped twice "entry and exit". We were not charge the $6 (covered by the 15 day visa expemtion rule).

Who knows what will happen as from 1st. July?

With your passport being stamped (who don't see until Hong Kong) a single entry visa would not be applicable.

I just do not understand your train of thoughts. You spend thounds of $/€/£ on a cruise and holiday in the far East, but are worried about spend $49 per person ($196 in total, being the difference between single and multiply entry visas).

Just invest $196 in the multiply entry visas then sit back and dream (not worry) about your holiday.

Stealing a song title "Don't Worry, be Multiy Visaed".

Thank you Bpos and GMT for your further replies.

Bpos - I think we are on a similar thought process, although I was thinking about a single entry e-visa (US$25) rather than a VoA. When you say "if it were me" I assume you are thinking about a single entry Visa on Arrival - is this correct? GMT's post makes me think I would need a multiple entry Visa on Arrival (US$56 including US$50 stamping fee).

GMT - Your post has provided new information to me that I was not aware of namely

Any further thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I would still go for the multiply entry visa.

Before doing anything else, try contacting the Foreign Office to ask if there are talks / changes in the pipeline with regards to Vietnam Visa.

What ever happens, enjoy the cruise, I know I did.

Make use of the ship's visa for your cruise through Vietnam

Organise an EVisa or VOA a few weeks before heading off for your Air entry into Vietnam (whichever works out cheaper for you and your family)

Tunnocks : just a quick note re e-visas for Vietnam, last I checked the UK Vietnam embassy was recommending against e-visas. http://vietnamembassy.org.uk/index.php?action=p&ct=Consular%20Services%20for%20UK%20residents

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Tunnocks : just a quick note re e-visas for Vietnam, last I checked the UK Vietnam embassy was recommending against e-visas. http://vietnamembassy.org.uk/index.php?action=p&ct=Consular%20Services%20for%20UK%20residents

 

 

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I had a look at the attachment.

It is exactly as I mentioned before - a tactic to get you to believe that you can only get a Visa for Vietnam from the local embassy or consulate - at inflated costs I might add.

After all they need the visa fees to pay for their rent, wages and operating costs.

Hundreds of thousands of tourists to Vietnam who require a visa have used the Visa on Arrival (although it needs to be organised before you travel) and now the EVisa process without any problems, me included.

Thank you again for your replies. I have not had a reply to my emails to the Vietnamese Embassy in the United Kingdom, and cannot get through by telephone. So I am getting no help from the Vietnamese Embassy at this point in time.

My current plan is to

a) Use the visa provided by the ship for the cruise part of my holiday

b) Obtain a multi entry Visa on Arrival in the near future and well before I leave for my holiday - for the air arrival in Hanoi part of my holiday.

The largest part of the VoA cost is the stamping fee (US$50 per person) paid at the arrival airport. If the current visa exemption is extended for UK passport holders (likely to be close to 30 June 2018 if at all) then I may not need to pay the stamping fee as I can then enter Vietnam 'visa free' (having previously entered Vietnam on the cruise portion of my holiday using a visa provided by the ship).

Tunnocks, I would really confirm this with the Vietnamese embassy in London.

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ozscotart. I would like to confirm this with the Vietnamese Embassy but cannot get through by telephone and they have not replied to my emails. I am also worried that they might simply want to only promote the visas that they can supply (i.e.

You could contact RCIs visa agent , they are in Edinburgh, NCL told us about them and I see RCI also have a link from their website. CIBT visas. Exchange Tower, Canning St,

tel:0844 208004650.

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