Visas and border crossings forum

Visa on arrival letter...Ho Chi Min airport

Carolynimini

newbie
Posts: 1

Any one use a website to obtain a "VISA on arrival letter" Does this info from vntraveler.com look legit?

"Thanks to the open travel policy of Vietnam, visitors now can apply for a so-called visa on arrival (VOA). Travellers can apply for their entry visa online and pick up their visas at Vietnam international airports. After checking through travel forums to find out a good service provider for this type of visa, we found My Vietnam Visa a reliable agent to start with.
It is being recommended by forumers at Tripadvisor, GapAdventures, LonelyPlanet, Flyertalk, Travelfish and also recommended by Lonely Planet veteran author Robert Reid.
Their price is posted clearly on website, and we found it reasonable among others. One of our editors emailed them, and we almost received an immediate response. one positive thing is that they also offer online secure payment through credit/debit cards."

Any one have any experience obtaining the VISA this way?

#1 Posted: 20/11/2009 - 09:33
somtam2000

admin
mahout
Posts: 5862
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Well Travelfish has not recommended My Vietnam Visa so I'd take that as a big red flag.

#2 Posted: 20/11/2009 - 12:18

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thomas2129

newbie
Posts: 1

yes, visa on arrival is legit, there are a few sites offering this service and i have not heard any problems. a few sites are being recommended such as guidevietnam.com, vietnamstay, hotel-in-vietnam, and the site you mentioned above.

after a few minutes of reviewing info on travelfish, i found the most recommended one is guidevietnam.com.

regarding the info provided by vntraveler, i also read some threads on tripadvisor and lonely planet, many members used my vietnam visa and recommended them. (you can search more information on tripadvisor or lonely planet)

in general, i will advise you to go with visa on arrival since i would prefer not to send my passport to an embassy or just to save a few bucks.

good luck.

#3 Posted: 20/11/2009 - 21:28
DLuek

adventurer
Posts: 403

I used www.guidevietnam.com last spring and had no problems whatsoever.

good luck

#4 Posted: 21/11/2009 - 01:29
Saphir

motodop
Posts: 30

This doesn't relate directly to visa issues, but may be relevant as an entry/exit problem. At the end of May 2009 I was booked on a flight from Brisbane to Hanoi with Malaysian Airlines. My return flight was out of Singapore a couple of months later. The staff at Brisbane airport told me I could not board the plane as I did not have a ticket out of Vietnam (even though I had obtained a visa from the consulate in Canberra). I told them I planned to travel to Cambodia overland and that is why I did not have a ticket out of Vietnam. They kept insisting I had to purchase one online at the airport. I kept refusing. Eventually they said I had to sign a statement to the effect that I had sufficient funds to travel from Hanoi to Singapore. I did so, as they would not let me board the plane if I did not. Had to run to catch the plane, and only just made it. I did not show the document to airport staff at Hanoi, nor did they request it.

#5 Posted: 21/11/2009 - 04:04
pugwash

newbie
Posts: 3

I used this service a couple of weeks ago when I arrived in Hanoi - everything went smoothly. Just be aware that there is another form to fill in before you go to the desk with the VOA and photograph.

After about 15 minutes everything was ready, they returned my passport with visa and I could then proceed to the Immigration desks (don't go there first like me!)

#6 Posted: 21/11/2009 - 22:39