Two single-entry visas versus one multi-entry
 

I'm going to Vietnam for a few days, then leaving the country for a few weeks, then coming back for a few days. My question is about visas. I'm a U.S. citizen.

Getting a multi-entry visa sounds kind of confusing, especially since it'd need to be a multiple month one. Actually, getting a visa at all sounds confusing, but a 30-day tourist visa sounds the least confusing. So I was thinking of getting a 30-day visa, single-entry, here in the U.S. for my arrival (involving a few days in Saigon). Then sometime during my 3 weeks of traveling around southeast Asia, probably in Phnom Penh, I was going to get another single entry visa for my departure (involving a few days in Hanoi, a month later).

Does this work? Can you use two single-entry visas in a short period like that? Or am I better off figuring out how to get a 60-day multi-entry visa?

Sure, plenty of businesspeople and such get new visas for every trip. In many countries (although not necessarily Vietnam), a record of several used single entry visas is actually required before they'll give you a multiple entry.

And you can probably get that Vietnamese visa much faster in SEA than in the US. I'm not sure about Phnom Penh, but both Singapore and Bangkok can do it in a few days at normal rates, and on the same day if you pay express surcharges.

Yes, you can.

There are two ways of doing this

1) While you are in Cambodia, you asked for a Visa. It will take one or two days but you will have to surrender your visa to the embassy (for them to issued the visa)

2) Get a Vietnam tourist office to pre-arrange a Visa for you (with a service fee around $15), and will give you a paper indicating that you have a pre-arranged visa. When you arrive at Hanoi airport, they will issue you the visa on the spot. This only works at HCM and Ha Noi airport.

However, you should get the multi-entry visa, ask for a 3 months multiple entries.

In this case I'd recommend getting one single-entry tourist visa in the U.S. prior to your departure and then a second, single-entry tourist visa in southeast Asia.

The Vietnam embassy in Bangkok has limited hours, maybe an hour or two in the morning and an hour or two in the afternoon. Getting a visa there requires two trips; it's best to drop off your paperwork/fee in the morning, then go back the next morning. Same day service is available but it does take all day and costs quite a bit more. All applications get faxed back to Vietnam for approval.

Embassies and General Consulates of Vietnam in Asia - Oceania

EMBASSY OF VIETNAM IN CAMBODIA
Add: 436 Monivong, Phnom Penh
Tel: (855-23) 726 273 / 726 274
Fax: (855-23) 362 314
Email: [email protected]
Consular: Tel: (855-23) 362 531; Fax: (855-23) 427 385

EMBASSY OF VIETNAM IN THAILAND
Add: 83/1 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathurnwan,
Bangkok 10330
Tel: (66-2) 267 9602
Fax: (66-2) 254 4630
Email: [email protected]
Consular: Tel: (66-2) 251 5837; 251 3551;
Fax: (66-2) 251 7201

http://www.vietnamembassy.or.th/visa.html

http://www.vietnamembassy.or.th/major.php?pointer=100

This used to be the deal in getting Vietnam visas in Cambodia:

• Phnom Penh, 3-5 working days; interestingly, it may be cheaper to use visa service than to go to the Embassy
• Battambang consulate, same day visa, open daily
• Sihanoukville consulate, same day visa, open daily

You can probably verify the latest at the thorntree site.

If it was me, I'd rather hang around Sihanoukville of these 3 places.

As mentioned above, it's generally not a problem to get a Vietnam visa in Cambodia. As of the end of 2005, Phnom Penh travel agents could get you a next-day visa for a slightly increased fee (say US$28-30 instead of US$23-25). I expect this is still the case.

I'm not sure what the situation is currently in Battambang or Sihanoukville.

Michael

Sounds like I'll go with two single-entry visa then, seems like the easiest option. I'll be in Phnom Penh a few days, and Bangkok a few days as well, so I'm sure that between the two I can sort something out.