Vietnam forum

Visa and Onward travel

ChrisJenko

backpacker
Posts: 18

Ok so today i went to book my ticket to Ho Chi Minh from Sydney for next January and the lady at the travel agents was a little apprehensive on giving me a one way ticket, after a little coaxing finally she put it through but stated i would probably have trouble with immigration.

Now I have read a heap of other posts here and on other sites where no-one has had a problem with this issue, and i would assume with 1000's of people over landing each year throughout SEA that i would have no issue whatsoever, yet im starting to be concerned i will be turned back either at immigration or even before boarding the plane.

Now i have the initial departure booked in for Jan 27th where i will start in HCMC before heaing up North on the Reunification Express stopping at the sites along the way to Hanoi before making my way overland through the Sop Hun / Tay Trang border crossing from Dien Bien Phu to Muang Khua in Northern Laos.

Now i plan on staying less then the 30 days on the original visa which im yet to apply for ( will be leaving this for a few more weeks as its still 80 odd days till i fly out) before moving onto Laos and then through to Cambodia - Thailand - Malaysia - Indonesia before a Flight home from Denpasar to Sydney in Late August, early October. I booked this ticket as well with a flexible date change for the 29th august to come back home.

Will this be enough to satisfy immigration i plan on leaving the country? when i post away for my visa i intend on having a detailed itinerary sent with it stating im over landing it but will it be enough? Sorry if im rambling and im probably worrying about nothing but as the date gets closer to departure im stressing a little more about every little detail.

Thanks in advance, Chris
Sop Hun / Tay Trang

#1 Posted: 8/11/2010 - 15:07
svendj

tuk tuk driver
Posts: 180

You shouldn't have any problems at all. They are definitely not going to sent you back when you arrive in Vietnam because you'll have you're visa ready. If they start complaining to you at the airport in Sydney, just explain them what you're plans are and you'll be fine, they will also see you have your visa ready so they probably won't bother about it.

#2 Posted: 8/11/2010 - 17:03
ChrisJenko

backpacker
Posts: 18

Thanks for the advice. its exactly what i thought would be the case.

#3 Posted: 8/11/2010 - 17:43
violets

tuk tuk driver
Posts: 148

Give the airline a ring and check with them. They won't let you board if they think there's a problem because they will be fined if you are turned back.

#4 Posted: 9/11/2010 - 06:14
69bertie

beach masseuse
Posts: 90

Posted from within Vietnam.

I can't see why you should have any problems with immigration, simply because they don't ask anything about your exit plans. I've been coming here since 2007 (about 12 times now) and not once have they enquired. All they ask for is your passport with the Vn visa in it and your arrival flight number now ever since they did away with the arrival card. You have a visa for XX days and must leave at the end of it if not extended. Just because you have a ticket for a particular flight it doesn't mean you'll necessarily be on it e.g when I came to Vietnam in December last year I ended up buying a very cheap return ticket because it was cheaper than buying a single fare. I never used the return portion. And they know where you are anyway when you check-in to hotels etc via the reporting system.
Thailand is one country where if you are picking up a visa (stamp) on arrival at the airport you do need to have proof of your intended departure (if asked for).
I see you intend to arrive end of January, I presume you are aware of Tet being on the 3rd February.... a lot shuts down for a few days at least.

#5 Posted: 8/12/2010 - 08:27