VIETNAM
Entry Requirements
& Visa Extension
All foreign nationals need a visa to enter Vietnam. Tourist visas
are generally valid for thirty days, cost $50-100, and take seven
to ten days to process . In Southeast Asia, Bangkok is the most
popular place to apply for a Vietnamese visa (four to five working
days; $80).
At the time of writing, the majority of visas were being issued
with specific start and end dates indicating the period of validity
within which you can enter and leave Vietnam. However, a number
of embassies and consulates, including that in London, are currently
issuing visas with just the issue date and an expiry date, allowing
greater flexibility; in this case the thirty days start ticking
once you pass through Vietnamese immigration and you must have
left the country before the visa expires. On arrival, you'll need
the copy of your visa application form given to you when you collected
your visa, plus a completed Arrival and Departure Card and a Baggage
Declaration form. You'll need the Departure Card to register at
hotels, and you'll need both forms when you eventually leave the
country. Get all your shots recorded on an International Certificate
of Vaccination , as some travellers entering Vietnam from China
have been fined if they try to enter without one.
At the time of writing, thirty-day visa extensions were being
issued through tour agents and travellers' cafés in Ho
Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang ($30-40; three or four days),
but the situation changes frequently, so check with the embassy
before you leave. The fine for overstaying your visa is at least
$50.
Airport departure tax
Airport departure tax is $10 for international flights (payable
in dong or dollars) and $1.50 on domestics
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