patrinka Posted May 16, 2018 #1 Share Posted May 16, 2018 We will be flying into Hanoi and spending 3 days there. Flying to Siem Reap, Cambodia for 3 days and then boarding a river cruise. We will then re-enter Vietnam via Tan Chau (on the river cruise). I believe that we can do a Visa on Arrival Multiple Entry since we enter Vietnam via Hanoi Airport and then re-enter via a port. Anyone have recent experience with this? If so what agency did you use for the VOA online application and letter? There are a lot that do this service and it is way less expensive than a Visa Service in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_T Posted May 16, 2018 #2 Share Posted May 16, 2018 I would check that carefully, generally e-Visas are said to be valid for 'ports' but that is airports, land crossings and sea ports, not the river crossing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrinka Posted May 17, 2018 Author #3 Share Posted May 17, 2018 You are correct that e-visas are only for airport landing. However, from what I have read there is a visa on arrival that you can get the approval letter in advance and then pick up the visa at the airport. As long as you arrive by air then you can do a multiple visa and go in and out of Vietnam anywhere. This is what I have read and trying to determine that it is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisePfan Posted May 17, 2018 #4 Share Posted May 17, 2018 Yes, we used Visa on Arrival for a multi-entry visa to Vietnam, which allows you in the country via riverboat. We used: http://www.vietnamvisa.govt.vn Dont bother with the fast track processing. We flew into Ho Chi Minh City arriving at 1:10 AM and there was barely a line. We only waited about 10 minutes for processing and were almost done by the time the rep found us. we did use them for airport transfer to hotel which was substantially cheaper than the cruise line was charging as we came in a day early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gldnbull Posted May 19, 2018 #5 Share Posted May 19, 2018 The e visa via the San Francisco Consulate website was the easiest. Follow the instructions to email the documents and pay their fee and the fee to fedex the paper visa back and your done. We received our multi entry Visa back within a week and just attach them to your passport. When we got to Hanoi the lines were very long for customs and the voa and we were thankful we were in possession of the documents after such a long flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare gnome12 Posted May 19, 2018 #6 Share Posted May 19, 2018 The e visa via the San Francisco Consulate website was the easiest. Follow the instructions to email the documents and pay their fee and the fee to fedex the paper visa back and your done. We received our multi entry Visa back within a week and just attach them to your passport. When we got to Hanoi the lines were very long for customs and the voa and we were thankful we were in possession of the documents after such a long flight. You shouldn’t call that an eVisa. You get an actual paper visa. (That sounds like the process that I used to get my Visa from the Vietnamese embassy in Ottawa.) Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrinka Posted May 19, 2018 Author #7 Share Posted May 19, 2018 From what the cruise line has told me we can not use an e-visa for entering vietnam by cruise ship. We first enter via airport and then re enter via cruise ship. I was told a Visa on Arrival with multiple entry is the way to go. Hope this information is accurate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gldnbull Posted May 21, 2018 #8 Share Posted May 21, 2018 From what the cruise line has told me we can not use an e-visa for entering vietnam by cruise ship. We first enter via airport and then re enter via cruise ship.I was told a Visa on Arrival with multiple entry is the way to go. Hope this information is accurate! You can re-enter Vietnam via the river cruise with a multi-entry paper Visa that is attached to your passport having used the method I describe above. We did it in 2/18. It is applied for electronically and received physically. As I mentioned, the lines were long in Hanoi airport and why risk not having something right when you’re at the border. The Cambodian visa is even easier to get online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foodpolice Posted May 21, 2018 #9 Share Posted May 21, 2018 We will be flying into Hanoi and spending 3 days there. Flying to Siem Reap, Cambodia for 3 days and then boarding a river cruise. We will then re-enter Vietnam via Tan Chau (on the river cruise). I believe that we can do a Visa on Arrival Multiple Entry since we enter Vietnam via Hanoi Airport and then re-enter via a port. Anyone have recent experience with this? If so what agency did you use for the VOA online application and letter? There are a lot that do this service and it is way less expensive than a Visa Service in the US. Hello patrinka, It sounds like we did what you are going to do, but the reverse. We got back May 1 from Siem Reap after touring Vietnam & river cruising from My Tho to Siem Reap. You are correct respecting the multiple entry "VOA". We are Canadians & bought our visa for Vietnam ($100 CDN) in Vancouver, because I checked with & was advised by Cathay Pacific they would not allow us to board the plane without it. Anyhow, so be it. When we arrived at Hanoi Airport around noon, we went directly into a line up to clear immigration/customs as we had the Vietnamese visa in-hand. There were about 15 - 20 people at the "VOA" pick-up area, just behind where we were lining up. To make a long story short, we were in a VERY slow line & a lot of those people picking up the "VOA" got through immigration/customs before us AND saved money to boot. FYI, we bought & paid $40 USD for our Cambodian visa on the river boat. Enjoy your trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrinka Posted May 25, 2018 Author #10 Share Posted May 25, 2018 From what I have been advised the approval letter is all we need to depart from the U.S. Once we enter the airport in Hanoi we take the approval letter with photo's to the VOA counter and then get the actual Visa. I certainly hope this is accurate. I have read a number of reviews and this is what people have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foodpolice Posted May 25, 2018 #11 Share Posted May 25, 2018 From what I have been advised the approval letter is all we need to depart from the U.S. Once we enter the airport in Hanoi we take the approval letter with photo's to the VOA counter and then get the actual Visa. I certainly hope this is accurate. I have read a number of reviews and this is what people have done. You are probably are correct. Remember, I'm saying the airline (Cathay Pacific) rep that I'd spoke to on the phone, told me that we couldn't board their flight in Canada for Vietnam with a "VOA", but only with the actual visa on hand. She continued to say that it was their policy, as such we bought our visa before going to Vietnam. However, I spoke to a friend who advised they went to Vietnam with a "VOA" with no problem, albeit they did not fly Cathay Pacific. As such, to be safe, I would check with your airline, however, if you're not flying Cathay Pacific, you're very likely to be ok with the "VOA". Enjoy your trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel54 Posted May 25, 2018 #12 Share Posted May 25, 2018 The e visa via the San Francisco Consulate website was the easiest. Follow the instructions to email the documents and pay their fee and the fee to fedex the paper visa back and your done. We received our multi entry Visa back within a week and just attach them to your passport. When we got to Hanoi the lines were very long for customs and the voa and we were thankful we were in possession of the documents after such a long flight. Good morning, I have a couple questions if you don't mind. - How much was a visa and the processing fees total per person? - How did you email the photo? Did it have to be a certain size in the email? - Did it matter how long before departure you applied as long as you have your arrival date? Thank you Reb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2travel90266 Posted May 25, 2018 #13 Share Posted May 25, 2018 My wife and I did it on-line and it was quite easy. https://visa.mofa.gov.vn/_layouts/registration/ApplicationForm.aspx . The photo was shot with an iphone and attached. For some reason they don't quote the price anywhere on the website. I was contacted by email a few days later for payment and paid online $145/person for a multiple entry. We had the paper visa back in approximately 10 days from beginning the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel54 Posted May 25, 2018 #14 Share Posted May 25, 2018 My wife and I did it on-line and it was quite easy. https://visa.mofa.gov.vn/_layouts/registration/ApplicationForm.aspx . The photo was shot with an iphone and attached. For some reason they don't quote the price anywhere on the website. I was contacted by email a few days later for payment and paid online $145/person for a multiple entry. We had the paper visa back in approximately 10 days from beginning the process. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel54 Posted May 27, 2018 #15 Share Posted May 27, 2018 This is the link I'm using: https://vietnamconsulate-sf.org/en/2017/05/11/visa/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrinka Posted June 2, 2018 Author #16 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Actually, our flights from the U.S. are to Bangkok. We are staying there a few days and do not need a Visa to arrive in Thailand. We then booked air separately from Bangkok to Vietnam so this is where we need the Visa to enter. From everything I have read we can use the Visa on Arrival multiple entry - cost is $50. plus $20. fee per person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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