I'm going to Vietnam on the 18th of April. Will be in LA next week (10th-15th of April) and was thinking of dropping by the consulate and getting my visa. I just discovered that the consulate is in San Francisco... doh. Should be able to fedex my passport Monday and get it returned by Friday or should I just hop over to SF for a few days and do it in person? Have e-mailed the embassy, but they probably won't answer til Monday anyway. Feel stupid having it left so late, and now having to pay rush fedex/processing fee, but cost is no longer the issue; just want to get my visa/passport on time.
I'm going to Vietnam on the 18th of April. Will be in LA next week (10th-15th of April) and was thinking of dropping by the consulate and getting my visa. I just discovered that the consulate is in San Francisco... doh. Should be able to fedex my passport Monday and get it returned by Friday or should I just hop over to SF for a few days and do it in person? Have e-mailed the embassy, but they probably won't answer til Monday anyway. Feel stupid having it left so late, and now having to pay rush fedex/processing fee, but cost is no longer the issue; just want to get my visa/passport on time.
I've gotten two visas from the SF office this year and both were turned around in one day.
Well I sent my passport last Monday and the Embassy received it the following day. I called to confirm and they assured me that they would return my passport on Wednesday. Nothing arrived Thursday and I requested that they send the FedEx tracking number. It corresponded to the Air Bill I had included, but nothing showed up on the FedEx system. It turns out that they sent it out Thursday, so the lady probably told me Wednesday to stop me from calling them all the time
Last edited by cardesigner2000; Apr 14, 06 at 11:31 am.
After 18 tries so far, I am having a difficult time getting through by phone to either the Consulate in SF or the Embassy in DC. They also have not answered emails. The current price for a visa is not listed on the website of either; they say to call for current visa fees. I am trying to confirm that the fee is now $65 per person. Can anyone verify this?
Yes, I sometimes pay extra, but Travel Document Systems visa service works very well and laves one worry-free. You can also see current visa requirements for almost any coutnry in the world, including fees and downlaoding applications.
The TDS site says, June 29, 2006, for Vietnam (SF Consulate) the fees are:
Fees
TDS Service Fee: $45.00 per visa
Consular Fess (sic): (Single Entry)
$ 25.00 PER VISA - Consular Fee $ 40.00 PER VISA - Approval Fee
$ 65.00 PER VISA - Total Embassy Fee
Rush Embassy Fees:
$ 20.00 PER VISA - (Additional) Issued in 2-3 business days
Multiple Entries:
$150.00 PER VISA - Valid for one to three months
$200.00 PER VISA - Valid for six months
Their complete requirements (and TDS fees) may be seen here.
After 18 tries so far, I am having a difficult time getting through by phone to either the Consulate in SF or the Embassy in DC. They also have not answered emails. The current price for a visa is not listed on the website of either; they say to call for current visa fees. I am trying to confirm that the fee is now $65 per person. Can anyone verify this?
(side note... I thought I shared with everyone already... am I going senile? )
You weren't alone. As of a week before my trip earlier this month, still no passport (and obviously worried), I was constantly on the phone calling the SF consulate, and always getting the "The person you're trying to reach is unavailable, please leave a message *hangup click*" I was darned near flying up to SFO to deal with it!
Finally, after punching in a random sequence of numbers, I reached a human being (while at a restaurant in Cleveland ) and he was some computer IT person. I wouldn't let him go... I explained my situation (and the fact that the phone system sucks), and the gentleman was kind enough to give me his personal cell phone number and I was told to call back in 1/2 hour. Sure enough, I called, and he had checked (it was being held at my post office... wth?!)
ALSO, I just checked... I had a funny feeling about the fee, and I checked my checkbook again... I made out the check for $45! (So did my business partner). I remember thinking it was more than that, but I didn't really question the person on the phone (how I got a hold of a person that time, I do not know).
So I don't know. I see the higher fee listed on visa service sites as well. Good luck I suppose?
Sure enough, I called, and he had checked (it was being held at my post office... wth?!)
ALSO, I just checked... I had a funny feeling about the fee, and I checked my checkbook again... I made out the check for $45! (So did my business partner). I remember thinking it was more than that, but I didn't really question the person on the phone (how I got a hold of a person that time, I do not know).
So I don't know. I see the higher fee listed on visa service sites as well. Good luck I suppose?
There are two fees. One is a $20 charge that is only required the first time you apply. The second is the regular $45 fee. So the first visa should cost $65 in total, while all subsequent ones are $45.
Interesting about your P.O. problem. My second VN visa was delivered to the wrong address by my mailman. Someone two blocks away (entirely different street name and #) was nice enough to look me up and leave a message for me that she received an important-looking package for me. If she'd just stuck it back in the mail I might have missed my trip. I've found the service from the SF office to be extremely quick, although getting someone on the phone is indeed difficult.
There are two fees. One is a $20 charge that is only required the first time you apply. The second is the regular $45 fee. So the first visa should cost $65 in total, while all subsequent ones are $45.
That would explain it, but for the fact that they never asked if I had applied before (which I had).... clairvoyance?
Finally, after punching in a random sequence of numbers, I reached a human being
That certainly is more logical than anything else I tried.
After more than three dozen attempted phone calls and a dozen unanswered emails, I sent in a $260 cashier's check, four passports, and four visa applications. :::fingers crossed:::
"Vietnam Visa is also available on arrival at the airport in Vietnam for $50/person just in case"
Only if you live in a country without consular relations with Vietnam. Ask the two South Africans who checked out of the country at SGN on the way to REP. Immigration told them to get a new visa at the consul in REP. My agent specifically told me that the visa was cancelled and a new one had to be obtained outside the country for any further visit.
If you think you are going into Vietnam more than once, get a multiple entry visa.
You were tremendously helpful on my first leisure trip to Vietnam in October, 2005. However, on this one, I am going to disagree. Since October, I have made three more trips. Thanks again for all the help.
First trip-visa on arrival. Arranged by Vietnamese travel agent in Hanoi. Pre approval letter was faxed to me in September, 2005. I showed the letter to Cathay in HKG. I just had to take the letter and pictures and hand it to the guy at the airport in Hanoi for visa.
Second trip-arrive from BKK to SGN. Pre arranged letter in hand. Same procedure.
Third trip-finally realized that there was a multiple entry visa I could obtain. That one I got in the US.
You CANNOT just show up in Vietnam and expect to get a visa. I am sure that is what happens to quite a few when they hear "visa on arrival". Visa on arrival MUST be pre arranged with a travel agent in Vietnam. And you must have the letter in your possession to board the aircraft AND get the visa. It is doable, but only if you follow the rules.
Here is my recent experience getting a visa for Vietnam here in the US.
First I called the consulate in San Francisco. After many calls, I finally reached an actual person. I asked how much the total fee for a visa was and he said $45. I asked if I could combine two applications with one MO for $90 and he said yes.
Saturday, 1 July, I sent the two applications (USPS Priority Mail), each with a photo stapled to it, our two passports, each with a spare photo inside, a postal money order for $90, a Priority Mail SASE and my business card with a short note of thanks on the back (this IS an Asian country).
The completed visas (for 30 days, even though we will be in VN only a few days) arrived today, Friday 7 July. Very smooth, except for the initial calls to nail down an exact amount for the visas.
Here is my recent experience getting a visa for Vietnam here in the US.
First I called the consulate in San Francisco. After many calls, I finally reached an actual person. I asked how much the total fee for a visa was and he said $45. I asked if I could combine two applications with one MO for $90 and he said yes.
Saturday, 1 July, I sent the two applications (USPS Priority Mail), each with a photo stapled to it, our two passports, each with a spare photo inside, a postal money order for $90, a Priority Mail SASE and my business card with a short note of thanks on the back (this IS an Asian country).
The completed visas (for 30 days, even though we will be in VN only a few days) arrived today, Friday 7 July. Very smooth, except for the initial calls to nail down an exact amount for the visas.
Quick question... was this your first time requesting Visas?
I want to add that I am fairly sure the procedures and fees are different between the consulate in San Francisco and the embassy in DC.
I would certainly call first and speak with someone no matter how much of a hassle it is to actually get a real person on the phone.
Interesting... this sort of confirms the price as $45. While I had applied for a Visa already, I just realized it was my business partner's first time (although she sent hers to DC).
)
) and he was some computer IT person. I wouldn't let him go... I explained my situation (and the fact that the phone system sucks), and the gentleman was kind enough to give me his personal cell phone number 
and I was told to call back in 1/2 hour. Sure enough, I called, and he had checked (it was being held at my post office... wth?!)
