Vietnam Visas

[Saintsman]

I'm doing a tour of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia next year. A visa into Vietnam for the first leg of our holiday is no problem, though it is only valid for 15 days (which is fine and free of charge). However, once you leave Vietnam, unless you have a multi entry visa, you cannot return within 30 days.

For our journey home, we leave Cambodia and transit back through Vietnam to the UK. We will not be leaving the airport. Therefore do we need any sort of visa (a transit visa) for this leg?

I think not, but info on the web is not particularly clear and just to keep the other half happy I need a second opinion. (The travel agency just looked on the web and didn't know for sure).

Thanks.

[PAXboy]

Viet Nam Embassy UK (http://vietnamembassy.org.uk/)

[Saintsman]

From the above link (which I couldn't see for looking previously...)

• Transit/Flight connection: In most cases you do not need a visa to enter/re-enter Viet Nam if you do not cross passport control/immigration when catching connecting flights. Please double check carefully with your travel agencies and airlines for specific requirements at your transit airports. This information cannot be confirmed by the Embassy.

If you cannot confirm whether you have to cross passport control/immigration or not, please consider applying for visa to avoid any problem during your transit.

[1DC]

I used to transit Vietnam to and from Oz without a visa, haven't done it for a couple of years though. Also when going south the layover was about 15 hours and we would be put in a hotel and given a temporary visa on arrival.

[Ancient Observer]

A couple of years ago SWMBO and I did a Cambodia/Vietnam trip. On a single visa.
Flight was in to Vietnam, and on to Cambodia with a 2 hour layover. But......and it was a huge but.............The bags could not be inter-lined.
I rang the travel agent about this, and spoke to some one who had had their ears removed, and was in broadcast mode. I have travelled a lot in Asia, I told them, and I know the rules.
I was, of course, told that I was wrong.

I should have put it all in writing..................We arrived in Vietnam, had to go and get our bags, and used up our visa, just for getting the bags. There were no options for transit-style visas.
On the tour, for the next entrance in to Vietnam, the Tour Guide had to fix it all at the border. I hope it cost them an arm and a leg.

[krismiler]

From what I have seen of Vietnam immigration, money talks and a few $$$ in the right pocket will soon solve any problems. If you are travelling with the visa approval letter, where the visa is then stuck into your passport on arrival, make sure you have a few passport sized photos or they will sting you as much as David Bailey would charge for taking them with their camera.

Make sure you get a receipt as well as there doesn't seem to be any check on visas in passports vs money received and the immigration officers are very reluctant to provide one unless specifically asked.

BTW I think Brits have visa free for Vietnam at the moment.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam/entry-requirements

[supersani]

Get a visa on arrival letter from an online agent for $6. If you find you need a visa you can use the letter and pay the visa fee, and if not it’s not been a lot to pay for a bit of insurance.


Krismiler - I actually had to have replacement photos taken at HCMC after I mislaid mine and they cost less than I’d paid for the originals, so I’d leave them until need as well.

[Hartington]

Many, if not most, airlines use this tool IATA travel centre (https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/) to determine if you need a visa to board a flight. If that says "you must have a visa" and you don't there is a good chance you won't be allowed to board.