Visas and border crossings forum

Urgent Vietnam Visa Help!!!

mischiefmack

newbie
Posts: 4

Posted from within Vietnam.

Can you apply for the Vietnam visa before flying, but leave without having the printed approval letter?

I lost my passport, and couldn`t get a temporary without proof of travel, but obviously I couldn`t apply for the vsa until I had a passport.
So now the flight is tomorrow. My Vietnam visa assures me the approval will be gotten before I get to Vietnam, but not before I have to leave for the airport, and lose all access to a printer....
What do I do?????????????????

(Note my g/f is already in Vietnam waiting, hence the urgency, and she is posting this for me)

#1 Posted: 27/10/2010 - 18:37
eastwest

som tam seller
Posts: 699
Private message

First, calm down. I can not make much sense of your post.

You have a new passport but not yet your approval letter?

You take a big risk by boarding that plane without that letter. Just be aware of that.

My suggestion:
first
- If they send it by email to you, give your girlfriend access to your email account so she can print the paper somewhere in Vietnam.
- If it's a hardcopy or fax, ask someone at home to scan & email to your girlfriend or fax it to her.

second
your girlfriend need to approach either embassy/consulate or travel agent. My money is on the travel agent.
- she should ask their assistance. If you can somehow get that document to her either of the two can print it out and go together with g/f to airport and get the paper to you.
- By herself this is difficult since she doesn't know the language or anyone there and vietnamese immigration is not very friendly.

Are you sure that that document will be on time? Because if it isn't you might be turned away on a flight back. If that's the case try somehow to get to Phnom Penh and wait there for the proper papers or get visa directly there and enter Saigon.
Try to have 1 of the two steps completed before you set off.

good luck

#2 Posted: 27/10/2010 - 19:31
eastwest

som tam seller
Posts: 699
Private message

Another thing:

They might give you a problem at check-in if you don't have the paper/visa. Don't know which airline it is but they could also assist (with printing) if you explain.

If you have a choice at the airport and don't fancy your chances, try to change your flight to Cambodia somehow. The vietnamese visa service in Cambodia is very quick (1-2 days) and travel from Phnom Penh to Saigon is easy and quick as well (6 hours). But I don't know where your girlfriend is waiting for you.

Let us know how it went.

#3 Posted: 27/10/2010 - 19:55
busylizzy

under-employed
Posts: 1471
Located in:
Private message

Good advice from eastwest above. Just another suggestion that may be of help - when you get to the airport that you are departing from, check to see if they have a business centre somewhere. From there you can connect to the internet to check your email and print it out (if it has arrived by that stage). I would think that most international airports would have this service.

It would be cutting it fine though....

#4 Posted: 2/12/2010 - 14:59

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