# Vietnam help - visa?



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

Just found out DD will be traveling to Vietnam in July with a close friend and staying with the friends family for 2 weeks.  She has a passport and I know she now needs a Visa for Vietnam.  When I went online to look up optaining this Visa, numerous different sites are coming up and I don't want to fall into a scam.  Do any Tuggers have the correct site for the application process and possible address for processing the Visa?  We're located in So. Calif.

Found a flight she wants online with Vietnam Airlines, but it says:
_Important: If you purchased the ticket(s) in this site by Credit Card, The card holder must present the credit card used to purchase your ticket for verification at the time of check-in._
Now I'm wondering if I should just call the airline direct since I'm not sure the drop off plans for her and we need to use my credit card since she has a low limit for purchase on her card.

Thanks for any help here.


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*visa*

She definitely needs a visa.  I got mine from www. myvietnamvisa.com.  There was no problem.  What airline is she using?  I would suggest she use miles and fly business class.  Second, she needs to know that the money in Vietnam is not honored outside Vietnam.  Only exchange what she intends to use or it is worthless.
In rereading I see she is flying Vietnam Airlines.  While they are cheap they would not be my choice.  Other better airlines fly into various Vietnam cities.


----------



## sml2181 (May 15, 2013)

For a visa I always check with the embassy, just to make sure, and for visits to Vietnam I have only used the embassy since it is an easy trip for me to make. 
Having said that - I am attending a conference in Vietnam later this year and the organizing committee recommends www.vietnamvisa.com so I will give that a try. 

Regarding the credit card - yes, some airlines do that and sometimes it does help to call to purchase a ticket.


----------



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

Looking at flights on Vietnam Airlines.  She doesnt have airmiles, ticket is around $1400.00.  Connects in China. 

Does this mean she needs a Visa for China too or just is she leaves the airport in China?  

Thanks for the website Jim!


----------



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

sml2181 said:


> For a visa I always check with the embassy, just to make sure, and for visits to Vietnam I have only used the embassy since it is an easy trip for me to make.
> Having said that - I am attending a conference in Vietnam later this year and the organizing committee recommends www.vietnamvisa.com so I will give that a try.
> 
> Regarding the credit card - yes, some airlines do that and sometimes it does help to call to purchase a ticket.



Great help thanks.  Yes, I plan on calling the airline direct today.


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*china*

China is strange.  Ordinarily I would say she doesnt need a visa just to be in transit BUT I would check.  I got off a flight in Bejing coming from Manila.  Well, the transit desk was CLOSED.  They made me exit through immigration and reenter.  If I didnt have a multiple entry visa, Id be like the Tom Hanks movie Terminal.  I couldnt believe it.  Needless to say, if she gets a visa for China, make it a multiple entry Visa-it costs the same and can virtually make all the difference in the world.  BTW I used China visa service for that visa.
I dont quite understand her itinerary.  You could fly to Hong Kong or probably Beijing for less than $1000 and take a flight to Vietnam for less than $1400.  Does she want to go to China first?


----------



## sml2181 (May 15, 2013)

*myvietnamvisa.com*

With all due respect to Jim,  I noticed that the website used by him was mentioned on a page (in Dutch) which said not to use the website. I searched a little further and came up with this: (copied from travel.state.gov. website)

Visit the Vietnamese Embassy's website for the most current visa information. The Vietnamese Embassy’s website also releases warnings about websites suspected of being fraudulent and strongly recommends U.S. citizens not make online visa applications to these websites.

When you click on "warnings" the following text shows: 

WARNING:
Embassy of Vietnam in the United States of America warns that the two
websites, namely:
http:// www.vietnam-embassy.org and
http://www.myvietnamvisa.com
are NOT the websites of the Embassy. They are FRAUD to be the website
of the Embassy as they use the name, address and emails of the Embassy
without our permission. We STRONGLY recommend you NOT to apply
visa online provided by these websites. The Embassy of Vietnam is NOT
responsible for any problems that may occur if you apply visa through these
websites.

Not saying that there is anything wrong with the website mentioned because I truly don't know, but just so you know.


----------



## sml2181 (May 15, 2013)

*China*

Personally I always make sure I do have a visa, exactly for the reason Jim mentioned. A multiple entry visa, especially when it costs the same.


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*visa on arrival*

Frankly you can get a visa on arrival but it may just take longer. I have done this in places like Cambodia.   The site I used was recommended to me by others and worked fine.  I think the embassy may just be marking its territory against a profit making enterprise.


----------



## sml2181 (May 15, 2013)

Jimster said:


> Frankly you can get a visa on arrival but it may just take longer.  The site I used was recommended to me by others and worked fine.  I think the embassy may just be marking its territory against a profit making enterprise.



That is exactly what I was thinking.


----------



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

Jimster said:


> China is strange.  Ordinarily I would say she doesnt need a visa just to be in transit BUT I would check.  I got off a flight in Bejing coming from Manila.  Well, the transit desk was CLOSED.  They made me exit through immigration and reenter.  If I didnt have a multiple entry visa, Id be like the Tom Hanks movie Terminal.  I couldnt believe it.  Needless to say, if she gets a visa for China, make it a multiple entry Visa-it costs the same and can virtually make all the difference in the world.  BTW I used China visa service for that visa.
> I dont quite understand her itinerary.  You could fly to Hong Kong or probably Beijing for less than $1000 and take a flight to Vietnam for less than $1400.  Does she want to go to China first?



Sorry for confustion on the itinerary, I was wrong, its Taipei, Taiwan for the connection.


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*taipei*

Ahh That"s different.   So is her intent to visit soley Vietnam and only a stop over in Taipei?  Or does she want to visit Taipei?   If her intent is to visit VN only then I would suggest she find a flight to Hong Kong on UA or Thai or even AA or even VN airlines (the shorter the distance on them the better).  Then connect to VN.  It may well be cheaper that way and HKG is a much nicer place to stop over.  I am not sure about the visa issue in Taipei.  Hkg and Shanghai(for the first 48  hours)  do not require a visa.
One final note is in order.  I am not an expert but i have done 5 transpac flights in the last 4 years.  If she flies UA she can pay a bit extra for economy plus.   Those extra 4 inches of leg room on a transpac trip are more than worth it.


----------



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

I'm doing a Kayak search and the best price is VN air with the Taipei connection at $1479.00  They have AA at $2123.00  She is going over July 2-18 so this maybe the issue on price.  This is the VN schedule listed:
July 2nd
LAX - TPE   1hr 45m for changing planes (does this sound like enough time?)
TPE - SGN  Total flight time 18h 20m
July 18
SGN - TPE - 2H 45m for changing planes
TPE - LAX  Total flight time 18h 40m 

When I call VN today I'll check into the Hong Kong connection.  And yes she is only doing Vietnam due to time off availability from work.


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*SGn*

I just checked too and I see the UA is about $2100.  So if price is the driver then VN by all means.  But one point I would make and that may/may not be important.  Given the distance, the number of miles accrued on UA or AA or other carriers may mean almost a free flight and close to low level status on an airline.  
Second, don't forget to look at arrival date- she will cross the intl dateline.  It seems so obvious but sometimes I have almost made a mistake making hotel rez because of it.  Of course, it works in reverse on the way home.
Finally, she might want to consider doing a stop over of sorts.  Let's say she gets to Taipei on the 3rd.  She could stop/ rest and relax and not have to leave until 24 hours later without a change in price- just booking correctly.  It is not technically more than a connection lag but it acts like a stop over.  After flying economy that far she will welcome it if it can be arranged.  The possible down side is that accomodations in Taipei are generally expensive compared to cheap accomodations in VN. If she doesnt want to do that then I would suggest buying a lounge pass where she can change clothes and take a shower.  I always do this but then I have status with the airlines.  I suspect for less than $50 she can get a lounge pass.


----------



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

I just left auto club to see if they can come up with something better. On the stop over issue that won't work since she is a young adult and will be by herself until she arrives in Vietnam.  I will for sure get her a FF account for which ever airline so she earns the miles.


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*ff*

I think you misconstrued what I meant by ff miles.  Of course get them if you can, but if you get them on VN airlines you will get no value for them.  Meanwhile, ff miles on a major carrier are worth$300-500  and I would factor that into my decision on a ticket.   So if you can get VN air at $1400 and AA at $1500, I would opt for the AA ticket because of the values of miles and status


----------



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

Yes I get your point on FF miles.  Auto club also gave me a website they recommend to customers for visa. Travisa.com


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*thai air*

i just searched www.thaiair.com.  It takes you to cheapo air with different results than you may have seen.  For example for a little more she can travel on China Eastern air.  China Eastern is a Delta partner.  I have flown it before and it is very good.

Best Price Guarantee! We display Total Price including all taxes and fees!
All Fares  
1 stop  
2+ stops  

Vietnam Airlines

China Eastern

Philippine

ANA
with others   
United Airlines
with others   
China Southern

Philippine
with others   
Vietnam Airlines
with others   
Air China

China Airlines

Singapore Airlines

EVA Air

Asiana Airlines

Air China
with others   
American Airlines
with others   
Korean Air

United Airlines

China Eastern
with others   
Singapore Airlines
with others   
Super Saver Fare

Cathay Pacific

China Southern
with others   
Cathay Pacific
with others   
Japan Airlines
with others   
Asiana Airlines
with others   
Korean Air
with others   
American Airlines

Japan Airlines

China Airlines
with others   
EVA Air
with others  
$1407 
Total $1485.90  $1553 
Total $1661.10  --  $1540 
Total $1648.56  $1540 
Total $1648.56  $1484 
Total $1591.50  $2319 
Total $2412.55  $1593 
Total $1701.70  $1541 
Total $1649.10  $1637 
Total $1715.90  --  $1663 
Total $1741.90  $1683 
Total $1779.28  $1970 
Total $2078.20  $2127 
Total $2220.40  $1699 
Total $1795.76  --  $1970 
Total $2078.20  --  $1944 
Total $2039.87  $2080 
Total $2158.30  $2084 
Total $2191.30  $2154 
Total $2247.80  $2222 
Total $2330.50  $2361 
Total $2448.78  $2390 
Total $2485.97  $2542 
Total $2620.50  $2518 
Total $2626.46  $2587 
Total $2665.90  $3201 
Total $3279.42  
$1757 
Total $1838.78  $1382 
Total $1490.20  $1465 
Total $1543.90  $1444 
Total $1544.60  $1444 
Total $1544.60  --  $1525 
Total $1603.90


----------



## Jimster (May 15, 2013)

*search*

I was just on Hipmonk searching for myself and decided to put in your dates.  They show China Eastern connecting through Shanghai as the cheapest- a bit over $1500 with taxes included.  Meanwhile, they also sort fares by "agony" Lol and they have China air thru taipei connecting to VN air at roughly the same price and you get no ff miles.  The best fare i have seen in the two or three search engines i looked was VN air at $1485.  It is also showing UA thru hkg at $1545 although it was more expensive on other search engines.


----------



## post-it (May 15, 2013)

We went to auto club today since the fare $ was the same but we didn't have the issue with using my credit card upon her check in.  The agent there also showed us a china air schedule but it had a 5 hr lay over and it was over $1500.   Now we work on the visa....


----------



## post-it (Jun 8, 2013)

*Vietnam Trip for DD*

DD is a few steps closer to her trip.  Has visa now and went for shots and meds yesterday.  Not feeling too well today 

Her friend uses an App for communication to states when she's visits home so we'll be giving this a try.  I just want to make sure she makes all flights.


----------



## Jimster (Jun 8, 2013)

*viet nam*

I believe VN Air is a Delta partner.  She may get more benefit by putting in her Delta ff number but be careful becausse Delta just changed their mileage accrual   with partners.


----------



## post-it (Jun 8, 2013)

Ill look into this.  I need to look into seat assignments when we booked we couldn't get assigned seat for 1st leg going and coming so I'm wondering if they only do this at terminal check in


----------



## Jimster (Jun 8, 2013)

*seats*

It may be a code share flight.  If so, get the code share partners record locator and you may be able to select your seats.  I always do this when I use 
BA miles to book on American.  BA does not prebook seats but AA does.


----------



## post-it (Jul 9, 2013)

She is already in Vietnam. Did great traveling alone except in Taiwan with the changing or gates. No English to be found and was directed to wrong gate first time around but made connection. When she arrived in Vietnam her friend was waiting at the gate with a security guard who swept the girls into a private elevator down to customs, put my daughter right to a customs window past the very long line. Just like movie star status. She is having a great time . Staying with her friends family for most of the time but did relocate to a resort this week.


----------

