You Can't Get Past The Border Without a Vietnam visa.

Here are the Surest ways to go about getting a Vietnam visa.

Residents of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom need a passport valid for more than 6 months to obtain a Visa to enter Vietnam.

Only once you have your Vietnam Visa can you enter the country.

You are permitted to apply for your Vietnam visa up to six months prior to your intended date of Travel.

You have to do this in Person at the Vietnamese Embassy in your home Country though.

You must also supply an exact date of entry into Vietnam at the time of application.

You cannot enter before that date once it is set but you can enter any time after that date.

There are a number of different Vietnam visas available:

• 1 Month Single Entry Tourist Visa

$65(single-entry); $75(express service).
• 3 Month Single Entry Tourist Visa

$120(Single Entry)
• 6 Month Single Entry Tourist Visa

$160(Single Entry)
• 3 Month Multiple Entry Business Visa

$180(three months)
• 6 Month Multiple Entry Business Visa

$240(six months or more)

It'll take about two working days to get the Vietnam Tourist visa by Express Application and five days by way of the Non-Express Application.

The Visa prices above are for those applying for a visa at a Vietnamese Embassy in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Here is the actual visa application form for Vietnam. Print it out if you'd like to.

Download this PDF file here.

You will need Adobe Reader (the latest version is recommended) installed on your computer in order to open and read this Ebook. You can get Adobe Reader here (a new window will open so you can download it without leaving this page).

If you want to open the file in your browser window, just click on the link. However, if you want to download the file to view later, then right-click on the link and choose "Save Target As" or "Save File As." Then select where you want to save the file on your hard drive.

But you really don't need to be so prepared and go to all the effort and expense of getting the visa in your home country. If you are flying directly into Vietnam then you must get your visa at a Vietnamese Embassy in your home country. But if you figure on spending a few days in Cambodia or Thailand before heading overland to Vietnam then the rates are much cheaper and the processing times quicker.

I always get mine in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from:

They charge me $28USD for a single entry 1 month Vietnam tourist visa and they get it for me in a single day (If you drop it off in the early morning then you can get it back that same evening!). So it's much quicker, cheaper and easier to get your Vietnam Visa in Cambodia if you plan on going overland from Cambodia into Vietnam.

Or you can try and get the Vietnam Visa from the Vietnamese Embassy at:

But your trip to the Vietnamese Embassy will be a nightmare on the best of days. I did it there twice and the truth is you are much better off getting your Vietnam Visa at a travel agency. It allows for the officials to process your visa under the radar where corruption is unseen and some of your money ends up in their pockets. That sounds so negative but its just how things work in this part of Asia. They are all quite open about it and they share in an honorable way amongst each other.

I haven't included Thailand as a place to get a visa but there are abundant travel agents on Khao San Road who will get it for you. The processing times are much longer than in Cambodia (Unknown Reasons). It's 3-5 days for the Standard Tourist visa but the Express Application is available (48 Hours and More Money) if you need the Vietnam Visa in a hurry.

Don't sweat any of this. Once you get into either Thailand or Cambodia you'll see signs in every travel agency window advertising Vietnam Visa applications. Use Lucky Motorbike in Phnom Penh like I have for the past 8 Vietnam visa applications if you want to be sure. I have never had a problem with them.

I always get the 1 month single entry Vietnam tourist visa in Cambodia. Once in Vietnam the visa prices are much lower and I get a 6 month single entry visa for $65. It's all you need if you plan to work or stay long term. Even a renewal on the 30 day visa is $24USD

There are many places to get a renewal Vietnam Visa once you're in Vietnam. Some of the travel agencies will rip you off. The best place bar none is:

if you do decide to go to an unknown travel agent to renew your Vietnam Visa then get a receipt and pay AFTER you get your passport back. If not, when you return to pick up your visa they stretch their hand out to you and say "30 Dollars, please."

And if you don't have a receipt then you have to pay again. I have renewed Vietnam visas many times and 8 out of 10 times they will do this.

But you can always stay on the safe side and contact the nearest Vietnamese Embassy in your Home country. It'll cost you more but less to worry about during your trip.

Or at any Vietnamese Embassy abroad. See a list of them here.

That's it. You're going to have an awesome trip.

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