I hear from some friends who have been that there is a 'fee' payable at Noibai customs before you are allowed to enter Vietnam. Is this still true?
Is there any difficulty going through customs?
Entering Vietnam through Hanoi, what is the procedure?
No. Not at all, Julia.
by their law, they can not ask you for money or anything. but, they did sometimes.
prepare that money because you have never know which kind of the officer you will meet.
good luck!!!
Legally no fee, but leaving vietnam by land for cambodia we were asked for a $1 pp bribe which we paid, as opposed to ppl we met later who didn't pay and spent 2 hours waiting at the border (not a fun place to spend 2 hours). Also thought we would pay some nice men to carry our packs for us, supporting locals etc while laughing at the tight-arses who carried their own...sadly once out of sight of the border they dropped the packs and wanted more money to carry them the rest of the way, which needless to say we didn't pay. Wouldn't like to think this is a typical experience as by and large vietnam and its people were lovely, but was a sad way to end our travel there.
Of course if you'd like to take a stand against corruption by not paying bribes, come prepared with drinking water and a book to read while you wait!