Visas for Vietnam - multiple or single entry?

[MandH]

Our Crystal cruise has two stops in Vietnam, one with an overnight. We applied for multiple entry visas but when they arrived today they were clearly marked Single Entry. Does anyone know whether we will be allowed to use them to disembark on three separate days?

[Krakatoa]

My passport came back with a single entry visa although Crystal has two port visits. My TA assured me it was in order as she had contacted the embassy and was told we would be in teritorial between the two ports !

Anyway not being a trusting person I sent an email to the embassy who confirmed all was OK as long as the visits were within the validation dates on the visa. Still not too happy but that is what I have been told.

 

See you in the Hanoi Hilton

[nadalina]

I, too, am on a Crystal Symphony cruise that has stops at two ports in Vietnam but I handled getting my visa myself instead of using the cruise line's official "handler". I just checked my visa again to make sure it is marked "Multiple", and it is, thank goodness. Certainly not meaning to raise concern among others, but, I, personally, would be extremely uncomfortable leaving to go on this cruise unless my visa was marked for Multiple entry. I have never been to Vietnam before and my concern is that what they say at the Vietnam Embassy here in the U.S. and what they actually do in Chan May and Ho Chi Minh City could be two entirely different scenarios, and I just simply would not want to take that chance. Again, that is just my personal position. I certainly hope it works out just fine for those on Single Entry visas.

[MandH]

Thanks to both of you. I'm contacting the Vietnam embassy here in London for clarification although my experience has been that what you're told at home isn't always what happens when you're at the port. I'll keep you posted when I get a response.

[Krakatoa]

I would be interested to hear what the Embassy in London say. I agree that what we are told at home does not always cut it with immigration some thousands of miles away.

Having been told by the embassy in Australia that my visa is ok I feel there is nothing more I can do.

[MandH]

My wife called the Embassy this morning and she was assured that a single entry visa would be adequate for our two-stop cruise (which I guess is the same cruise for the other posters). He also alluded to an emergency desk at the port. Anyway we emailed the Embassy asking them to confirm this back in the probably misguided belief that an email from them will act like a magic wand should we be denied entry at the second stop. I'll post back if and when we receive it.

[nadalina]

Have you thought about calling and asking Crystal about this? On their website about passports and visas, it clearly says a Multiple Entry Visa is required for Vietnam. I am sure Crystal will check everyone's passports and visas prior to boarding in Hong Kong and I would imagine that the first hurdle to get over will be Crystal allowing you to board with a Single versus Multiple Entry Visa. Just a thought.

 

Actually, if you are interested, there is a couple on the Symphony right now, Keith and Ann Marie Steiner, and Keith is posting a daily log on the Crystal Board. I am sure he would be happy to ask the onboard staff about this matter for you. He is extremely well connected onboard and can at least get their reaction to your situation. But you probably need to post your question to him fairly quickly because I think this cruise ends very soon.

[nadalina]

On second thought, to save time, I will ask Keith myself to check with the onboard crew about this matter and will report back when he answers.

[nadalina]

I did ask Keith and he has already replied, and so has another poster, Judith, both of whom have been to Vietnam on the Symphony before. You can see both of their answers for yourself on the last page of the thread entitled "Los Angeles to Hong Kong" on the Crystal Board. But, bottom line, Keith said he asked the onboard crew and they stressed that a Multiple Entry Visa would be required. Also, both Judith and Keith said a Multiple Entry Visa was required when they went to VN. I do not know, and Keith did not say, whether or not the Symphony crew would let you board with a Single Entry Visa, but Keith did say that if it were him, he would have his visa re-issued to Multiple Entry.

[Krakatoa]

Thur.26th March

I spoke to the embassy this morning and was told the single entry was ok. He explained that as long as the ship was in Viet Nam waters all visits are counted as a single entry.

So far my TA has confirmed it through the embassy.

I have confirmed through an email to the embassy.

Today I have confirmed it by telephone from the embassy.

 

I am still not too sure about what I have been told however I will wait to see what happens in Viet Nam.

[nadalina]

Good luck to both of you. I sincerely hope it works out well.

[MandH]

Nadalina: thank you for all your help and advice. You were right - at no time did we ever find the cost of a Multiple Entry visa so although we ticked the box marked "Multiple" we didn't know how much to pay. We sent what we thought was the amount and that's why they sent back a Single Entry. I'm now sufficiently concerned so I called the Embassy today and they agreed to reissue the visas as Multiple Entry on payment of the difference. OK for me because I can get to central London quite easily but Krakatoa, I guess that might not be so easy for you with their Embassy in Australia.

[Krakatoa]

I have been going over the Crystal briefing regarding visa requirements.

The first line on the page states :-

 

The following information is for U.S. citizens only.

 

It goes on to say that Guests must obtain a multiple entry visa prior to cruise departure.

It seems that there are different requirements for different nationalities.

[Ah-ah]

I took the Queen Victoria from Sydney to Singapore in Feb/March 2009, and stopped at Nha Trang (13/3) and then Phu My on next day (14/3).

 

On the ship (12/3), the Queen Victoria gave us information regarding visa to Vietnam:

 

It is Vietnam Immigration requirement that all guests**, regardless of whether they go ashore or remain on board during the ship's stay in Vietnam are required to have a valid visitor's visa.

 

**The following Nationalities do not require Visa for Vietnam: Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

 

If you do not hold a valid visitor's visa for Vietnam then Vietnam Immigration will issue you a day visa which will permit you to go ashore in Nha Trang and Phu My. The cost for this visa covering our calls to both Vietnamese ports is 15.00 $US which will be charged to your shipboard account.

 

Before the trip, I also had read many different information, some mentioned about 15 $US visa charged to shipboard account.

 

Vietnam Immigration gave me the Passenger Landing Card to use in Nha Trang and Phu My and returned to them when we backed on Cruise at Phu My

 

My trip went well and no one got problem with visa!!!

 

My opinion is that you should check with your cruise about getting visa to Vietnam.

 

Have a good time in Vietnam.

[Krakatoa]

Thank you for that information.

[MandH]

We now have Multiple Entry visas! See you in Vietnam.

[nadalina]

We now have Multiple Entry visas! See you in Vietnam.

 

Hi, MandH. That's great news. Maybe it would not have been necessary after all but I'm sure you feel more relieved and confident about it now.

 

You might have noticed that I have not signed up for the Cruise Critics get-together, not because I don't want to meet all of you, but since I will be on a Family Visit with one of the crew members, I am just a little bit unsure about respecting 'my place', if you know what I mean. I am certainly not crew but I'm also not really a guest in the sense that all of you are. So, I definitely hope we will meet onboard. I am usually the lone 50-something female with short blond hair sitting at the bar in the Avenue Saloon before late dinner, so please introduce yourselves. This is my first trip to Asia and to say I am excited would be putting it mildly. I'm just dreading packing!!

 

Take care and I wish you safe travels!

Peggy Parker