Vietnam Visa Nightmare!!!

I am very confused about the Vietnam visa. I am currently in China, having just finished a teaching stint, and intend to travel around the country a little more before venturing into Vietnam. However, the visa is doing my head in.

I intend to enter Vietnam overland (via the border with China). However, I'm not sure how to go about organizing my Visa. You can buy visas for Vietnam in the Chinese city of Nanning (near the border), but it takes about 10 days and there is really nothing to do whilst I'm waiting. Indeed, this huge waiting time is going to cause big problems as I will have to stay in the same place for nearly 2 weeks (as my Chinese visa slowly runs out) just to get the Vietnamese Visa.

How the hell do people manage to organize visas on the go? Since you have to give them your passport whilst you wait, you can't even move hotels – let alone travel around.

Damian,
I have not obtained a VN visa from China, but I am sure it works the same. You pay extra for speedy service. I have been in Singapore, BKK and Phnom Penh needing a VN visa. All 3 VN embassys will speed the process up for additional money. If you are near Beijing, Quang Zhou or Hong Kong, you could get your VN visa there. Same in Nanning, pay the extra fee for faster service.

All hotels know you have to leave your passport to obtain another visa. Have a copy of all relevent pages in your passport. I would check into a room and leave your passport with them. Then come back later that day an tell them you have to have your passport to obtain a VN visa. They have your imformation and will let you take your passport to get your next visa.
Good Luck.

Oh i was planning to go to Vietnam as well. But I'm from Thailand so they don't ask me to do the visa.
Good luck for you!

You need to go to the Vietnam Consular website to get the proper information. Visa information in these forums can sometimes be misunderstood. Get the proper info from the source.

Also, I know that you cannot get a visa from the border, you must get it before you enter the country. But then again, don't take my word for it...check the Embassy site yourself.

Good luck!!

I agree with vegasmike6.

the VN visa takes 4 day in the VNese consulate as usual. you can ask for a day paying more money. I saw a guy did that when I was doing my VN visa in Guangzhou. he showed the officer the flight tickets in the next day. So, the officer told him come back and pick up the visa in the same afternoon. usually, the officer will ask you why you want to get the visa fast. you have better have the good reason for them.

don't go to the border to get visa. you will be robbed off.

you do your visa in consulate, you will know how much to pay for the speedy visa. because they have the fee announced in the wall. but, if you are doing in border, you have no idea how much they will ask for. at that point, you already can not go back to anywhere.

good luck!!!

The Cambodia experience :

If you go to the VN embassy to apply for visa, you will experience the most unfriendly face of the embassy staff!!

Get it (the visa) through the travel agent is the most common practice here. But you have to forget about the official fee, but it really keeps your "this" headache away, as more headache might be waiting for you!! I think it is worth it!!

Good luck.

suwannaphu;
I get my VN visa from Lucky, Lucky Motorcycle Rentals on Monivong when in Phnom Penh. Less hassle, cheaper & faster than most guesthouses. I agree about dealing with the VN Embassy directly. Do not bother. Use a GH or travel agent when in PP. Damian is in China and hopefully he can find a travel agent there to speed up the visa process.

vagasmike 6 is right. i did the same