Going there in November for a few days. I see that there are quite a few options (on quite a few various sites) that range in price from $10 to $100, all for a single entry visa.

I reached out to the VN embassy, and their option is $100....are the cheaper sites less reputable? Any downsides to the cheaper versions?

I have some time still before the trip and would prefer to spend as little as possible, with minimal risk.

Thanks!

Why not just apply for an e-visa?

That's absolutely an option, but I'm seeing multiple providers and I'm wondering which if any are reliable and what advantages they might offer verses going through their Embassy

https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt

In 2013, I went to the consulate in SF (probably where you would go if you went in person). It was easy, just a hassle coming from the East Bay and then going back again to pick it (my passport) up. The only advantage is that you get a nice sticker in your passport as a keepsake. If the Vietnam e-visa is like other e-visas that I've obtained, it's just a piece of paper that you print out.

yes, their e-visa is loose leaf. Looks like it should cost $25.

There is only one provider of the e-visa (the Vietnamese government) and it's found in the link provided by calbear2005 in this thread. The same link is also listed in the wiki under "e-visa" in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia...ietnam-50.html

The "other providers" are basically travel agencies offering to provide you with an invitation letter to the country where you'll have to pay a stamping fee for a Visa on Arrival (VOA). (That will also require standing in line for 30-45 mins upon arrival while they process the VOA.) That is NOT an e-visa, despite what their websites may imply.

Get the e-visa. It's the cheapest ($25) and easiest way to enter the country, if your country of origin allows you to qualify for it.

E-visa is the easiest one but it's restricted to a single entry for one month. I use the VOA because I buy the 1-year visa and I need multiple entry. I buy from www.visa4vietnam.com - a great company based here in Hanoi. I've been coming here for the past ten years and now live here full time.

A couple of friends are going on a cruise that will make 3 stops in VN, before they leave on the boat from Sinapore, they want to take in Seim Reap and possibly Hanoi and then fly to SIN to catch the boat.

Seems an E-Visa wont work, so the best for VN is to get a Multi-Entry via VOA it seems is this correct? now if they decide to hit up HAN after the cruise returns to SIN or jump ship and make their own way back to SIN can they do VOA when arriving on a cruise?

Just saw your cruise question. Not a lot of info/data about cruises, in my experience. I had thought there were some special regs for cruise passengers, like visa waiver on their stops or something, but I could be very wrong on that. Seems like VOA would be the safest option for the first scenario, but if trying to get a VOA on arrival from a ship, would be something I've not heard of. I thought VOA was just in the airports, not at the land or sea border points.

Please Vietnam does NOT have any normal person would call an E-Visa, as in electronic Visa. Vietnam has a Visa on Arrival system, which means yo pay some money and get a letter saying you can get aVisa upon arrival in Vietnam by paying $25US and waiting on line. When I went thru the airport two weeks ago, there were 100+ people waiting for their VOA.

Anyone who needs a visa, you are far better off going in person or sending your passport to the Vietnamese consulate in their country.
Visa | Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States

I got my one year multiple entry tourist visa in 15 minutes in New York.

In the above link, they provide this warning:
"* Online visa: As the Embassy cannot confirm the reliability of online visa services offered by many companies on the Internet, it is strongly recommended that travelers obtain suitable visas prior to their trip to Viet Nam. There have been reported cases of fraudulence and personal data theft when applying for online visa and cases of entry refusal on arrival when these types of online visas are applied through un-recognized websites with no connection to the Embassy. The Embassy cannot verify the validity of such visas and cannot provide assistance to travelers in case they are refused of entry while using these types of visas. In order to avoid any risk of personal data theft or losses through fraudulent use of credit/debit cards, travelers are strongly recommended not to provide personal information on untrusted websites."

"can they do VOA when arriving on a cruise?"

No, cruise passengers should contact their cruise line for further information.

Your statement is factually incorrect. Vietnam does indeed have an e-Visa system, administered by the Vietnamese government. (It is not available to citizens of all countries but is available to US citizens.)

The VOA system also remains in place but the e-Visa is very much an option that does not require standing in the VOA line upon arrival.

Here's the link to the e-Visa so that you're better informed prior to your next visit: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/en...trang-chu-ttdt

That link can also be found in the wiki of this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia...ietnam-50.html

You will also find - in that thread - the documented experiences of many of us who have obtained the e-Visa.