Asia - Can I transit HAN on sep. PNRs w/ no visa?

The title pretty much says it all.

I'm looking to start a *A RTW from HAN, but I live in Thailand. (US passport, no Vietnam visa)

Mrs. Turbo and I will be flying AirAsia from BKK-HAN, but I'm curious what happens next.

Here are my assumptions: (and you know what happens when you assume)

1) AirAsia can not check us all the way through to IAD. (BKK-HAN||HAN-ICN-NRT-IAD)

2) When arriving on an int'l. flight and have to get bags, you end up going near/through? passport control, etc.

3) Even if we can collect bags and sneak up some way back into the terminal, the check-in area for our *A itinerary is still pre-security... back in Vietnam, instead of WorldwideAirportVille.


So, do I try to find a place airside to check-in, tag and collect luggage, and issue our BP's?
Or, can I somehow be escorted into Vietnam w/ the sole intention of heading back on a plane in 2 hours?

Unlesss requirements have changed I believe you have a problem. I was advised by the Vietnam Embassy that a visa is required even of in-transit passengers.

I'll paste their entire reply:

consular@vietnamembassy-usa.org



Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in visiting Vietnam and for writing to the Embassy.

Please review the following information organized in the form of q&a's.

1) Do I need a visa?
- Yes, you do.
- Technically, any holder of a valid (6 months prior to expiration) passport other than Vietnamese, no matter what citizenship, needs a visa.
- This general rule is applicable to US citizens, Canadian citizens, Latin American countries, EU citizens, and Japanese citizens.
- Please contact the nearest Vietnam Embassy for further information if you think your country and Vietnam have a visa-waiver agreement.

2) How early and how late can I apply for a visa?
- You can apply for your visa as early as six months prior to the proposed date of entry.
- You can apply for a visa as late as a few days prior to your departure. Please call or email the Embassy to check your options for rush/expedited service.

3) How long will the visa be good for?
- The visa will be issued on the basis of your specific proposed dates on the application.
- The applicant cannot enter the country before the date.

4) What to submit?
- Passport.
- Application form (http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/visaform.doc) or (http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/VisaApplication.pdf).
- 1 passport-size picture (2x2).
- Fee (MONEY ORDER or CERTIFIED CHECK), payable to "EMBASSY OF VIETNAM." Applicants applying together may submit the fee in one money order.
- Self-addressed, pre-paid return envelope. FedEx is recommended. Applicants applying together may provide one envelope for the passports and visas to be returned to the same address.

5) How to fill-out the application?
- All items must be filled-out completely in UPPER CASE letters.
- Do not use PO Box addresses.
- Item 11 (name, address of your contact in Vietnam) is required for "BUSINESS TRIPS" only.
- Put your town/city on the line "Place" at the end of the form.

6) What is the fee?
Without prior authorizations,
-Single entry, one-month:
- $65.00 (regular service - 5 business days).
- $85.00 (rush service - Between September 25 and October 15, 2004, 3 business days).
- Single entry, three-month:
- $110 (regular service - 3 to 4 business day).
- Multiple entry:
- 1 month: $130.00 (3 business day).
- 3 month: $150.00 (3 to 4 business day).
- 6 month: $200.00 (3 to 4 business day).

Note:
- Turn-around time are calculated on a working day basis. Please take account of the observed Vietnamese and US holidays in planning for your visa application and travel. A complete list of the oberserved holidays can be downloaded from http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/news/newsitem.php3?datestamp=20031226141838

7) How to submit?
- Hours for drop-off and walk-in at the Embassy: 9:30-12:30 (Monday-Friday)
- By mail:
- US Express Mail (www.usps.com <http://www.usps.com>)
- FedEx (www.fedex.com <http://www.fedex.com>)

Note:
- Please use FedEX, or US Express Mail, Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation, Certified Mail. Passport(s) without a proper return envelope, or with a UPS or DHL return envelope, or an envelope without a tracking number will be sent back via FEDEX
"collect" service.
- Please put your name and address must be in the "From" section on the
label/airbill/envelope for safety and security of your package.

8) Where to submit?
Consular Section
Embassy of Vietnam
1233 20th Street, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

9) Immunization?
- No information available now, and it is not required.

10) Can I get a visa at the airport?
- Without a proper entry visa, airliners will not allow the passenger to board.
- Please use the 2-day procedure designed to assist applicants under time pressure.

We hope all you wanted to know have been answered.

For further questions, please send your email to the Embassy at consular@vietnamembassy-usa.org.

Hi,
Here is some useful info for you,

"A TRANSIT VISA CAN BE
OBTAINED ON ARRIVAL, PROVIDED:
HOLDING A LETTER FROM VIETNAMESE IMMIGRATION CONFIRMING
THAT
VISA WILL BE ISSUED ON ARRIVAL* AND
PASSENGER IS CONTINUING JOURNEY OUT OF VIETNAM UPON ARRIVAL
AT NEXT DESTINATION IN VIETNAM

I strongly recommend that you consult with the nearest Vietnamese Embassy on your problem to verify if you could do the things you mentioned earlier.
( Don't think telling them about the sneaking in part would be a good idea)
It will save you the hassle of being stuck in a difficult and sticky situation.
Also I am not too sure if the Air Asia counter will accept you before you fly to HAN without a Visa knowing you will need to collect your luggage and therefore will need to clear immigration for that purpose.
And I do not think they will transfer your bags from a LC carrier that does not have any baggage agreements with any of the major international carriers, if you decide to remain in transit in HAN.

Have you purchased your tickets to ICN from HAN?
I would recommend flying to countries like Malaysia (KUL) or Singapore on either AirAsia or Thai Air Asia where you don't need a visa and make yourself to ICN from there to connect to your flight to NRT and onwards.

All the same wish you a safe journey!

Cheers!

Well, we're actually starting the *A-RTW there because the rates are significantly lower. I'll get in touch w/ the embassy ASAP.

/ 06DEC07 / 1525 UTC
National U.S.A. (US) /Embarkation THAILAND (TH)
Transit VIETNAM (VN)
Destination KOREA (REPUBLIC) (KR)
Visited THAILAND (TH)
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW

VIETNAM (VN)


Visa not required provided continuing on the same day and
holding confirmed return or onward ticket.
Leaving the airport transit area is not allowed.

If arriving by Vietnam Airlines only, it is possible to obtain
a transit visa on arrival, provided holding letter from
Vietnamese Immigration confirming that a visa will be issued
on arrival. Fee: USD 25.-. Also see: For details, click here .

OK, let me break that down:

1) Where in the world did that come from?? (Noting the officially formatted description of my situation as the post header)

2) That looks promising... However, I don't picture the check-in counter inside the airport transit area. Can a random OZ gate desk print bag-tags?

OK, let me break that down:

1) Where in the world did that come from?? (Noting the officially formatted description of my situation as the post header)

2) That looks promising... However, I don't picture the check-in counter inside the airport transit area. Can a random OZ gate desk print bag-tags?

Another helpful Ft'er helped me with a similar question about transiting Laos. The source is klm.com

http://www.klm.com/travel/travel_en/travel_information/travel_planning/travel_clinic/visaform.htm

How bout flying TG from BKK. I'm pretty sure they would thru check your bags since you are flying on *A to ICN.

Visa not required provided continuing on the same day and
holding confirmed return or onward ticket.
Leaving the airport transit area is not allowed.

If arriving by Vietnam Airlines only, it is possible to obtain
a transit visa on arrival, provided holding letter from
Vietnamese Immigration confirming that a visa will be issued
on arrival. Fee: USD 25.-. Also see: For details, click here .

Neither of these provisions apply in the OP's case.

The first does not apply because if he is travelling with luggage (which AirAsia cannot and will not check through the bags to Asiana) he will need to exit the transit area. This rule only applies for passengers whose bags are through tagged and who remain within the international part of the terminal for an airside transfer (for example, someone flying SIN-SGN-ICN on SQ/OZ or someone flying FRA-SGN-SYD on Vietnam Airlines).

The second provision, since it specifically lists Vietnam Airlines, also does not apply to the OP, who will be flying AirAsia and Asiana. This provision is in place to enable connections on VN from cities served only from HAN to cities served only from SGN (an itinerary similar to CDG-HAN-SGN-SYD, let's say). The only way to perform such a journey would be to include a domestic Vietnamese flight, for which the person would need to enter Vietnam - and this is where the VN visa waiver applies.

JettaTurbo, I would recommend that you either get a Vietnamese visa in BKK, or that you fly TG as yycworldtraveller suggests.

Get a multiple entry visa in case you also end the RTW in Vietnam. There is a Vietnam embassy in Thailand. They issue visas to U.S. passport holders. The process is simple.

Air Asia will not xfr bags to anyone including themselves. Fly them, for example SIN-BKK-CNX. You have to collect the bags in BKK, clear immigration & customs, wait until the counter for the connecting flight opens and check-in again. No on-line baggage handling; that is part of flying a low cost carrier.

Rather than Air Asia, perhaps consider LH or AF who do have interline agreements and do not cost much more one way BKK-HAN or BKK-SGN. Whether they will interline in Vietnam is another possible problem. Whether there is a transfer desk is another problem, one that seems not to be definite. Also they probably as explained above will not let you on the plane without a visa even if you never leave the secure area. Just so that you know, neither SGN or HAN are major international airports.

An additional warning, you and the Mrs. best pack light since FD is strict on enforcing the the 15kg, one checked bag per person limits. They also sometimes weigh carry-ons. This does not hold true with TG, AF, or LH or even Bangkok Air. If they do not let you slide, it will cost approximately $6 US per kilo for each kilo you are over. Please consider that when figuring the costs of this entire trip. I hope you saved a bundle on the fare starting in Vietnam.

then forget the visa. Noi Bai airport in Hanoi is approx 45 minutes from the city. There is little to nothing near the airport to see. The best you'll get is a taxi ride through a little countryside on a highway and then back to the airport. If you do have more time, of course Vietnam is always worth a visit. Best of luck on your trip.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I appreciate the help.

I've also seen that Vietnam based tour agencies can give you a paper that grants visa on arrival at the airport. Any experience with this?

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I appreciate the help.

I've also seen that Vietnam based tour agencies can give you a paper that grants visa on arrival at the airport. Any experience with this?

Tried asking around for ya, but got no replies.
Best bet will be to get a multiple entry visa for Vietnam before you commence your journey.

If HAN turns out not to be an option for you, OZ ( I'm assuming you are flying on OZ on a *A,) does fly out of SIN to ICN on OZ752 dep 1040P arriving 540A the next day.

Once again good luck and have a safe trip.
Cheers!

then forget the visa. Noi Bai airport in Hanoi is approx 45 minutes from the city. There is little to nothing near the airport to see. The best you'll get is a taxi ride through a little countryside on a highway and then back to the airport. If you do have more time, of course Vietnam is always worth a visit. Best of luck on your trip.

The visa is definitely necessary for this transit, especially if flying AirAsia.

JettaTurbo, make sure you get a multiple-entry rather than a double-entry visa. It doesn't cost much more and you'll be able to go back to Vietnam to see that place properly at some point in the near future (until the expiration date of the visa).