Hi.
I am travelling to Vietnam on Tuesday. I applied for an e-visa on Sunday via a website on Smartraveller
It has now been 4 working days and the status is still in processing. I’m starting to really worry I won’t be able to enter the country. I have been told people have to go to the consulate in Sydney but I don’t see how smartraveller would list a website that is not legit.
Has anyone been in this situation before with Vietnam?
TIA
Thanks for the advice. I’ve calmed down a little but I would like it sorted before I arrive. I’m just imagining being turned back and not allowed in the country
not allowed in the country
Nah, won’t happen.
If the stars align you will get the e-visa sorted before you land.
If not it’s just a matter of paying for it again and some waiting.
Good luck
When I went late last year they checked all of the details in my Visa at the departure airport in Aus (MEL), and was advised if it wasn't correct they wouldn't let me board.
So while you have applied for an e-visa and I did the paper visa (sticker for my passport before I left), I would imagine you would need to show some proof at the departure airport in order to board. Hopefully by then you will have a document you can show so that everything goes fine.
Someone with experience with e-visas may have more info on this of course.
Yes, this was my experience in December as well. I needed to show my visa before I could be given a boarding pass.
yeah sydney checked to. its the airlines job to check, doesn't always happen though
Just make sure you've got USD with you, they won't accept AUD…
I’ve found that they don’t even like VND as “can’t you let this slip…” money. USD is king…
When I went 3 years ago they happily took AUD, albeit at an unfavorable rate.
Most of the foreigners would just get it on the spot upon arrival
This is not true!
You must at least have the approval letter (hard copy or email) before departure. The check-in agent must be satisfied that you can enter the country before they will even allow you to board the flight. (The reason for this is, it's the airline's responsibility to you back if you cannot enter the country.)
According to their FAQ, it’s not ridiculously overdue
My main worry is because I’m flying Tuesday the three working days is worrying me. It’s not way overdue but with the limited time it’s getting me nervous
make sure to check junk mail folder as well
Else, I’ve used the following process before, back in 2014:
http://www.vietnamvisapro.com
Was pretty straightforward I thought, with a bit of a wait at the airport in Hanoi.
But, if you’ve already paid, I’d just wait it out.
You will need a 'Visa on Arrival' approval letter from the Vietnamese authorities to be shown at the Check In desk or they will not let you travel.
SmartTraveller should have sent this to you by now.
I normally use Vietnam Visa Pro, it only takes 2 working days and costs USD$10.
If I were you I would use their Express option, it will cost more, but you will get it in 1 day.
This is not true, you can get a Visa on arrival with no preparation beforehand. You just show up and wait at the desk in the Vietnamese airport. If you do go down this route OP just make sure you've got a passport photo with you because if you don't they'll charge like a wounded bull at the airport to take some.
airlines do check, jetstar did when i went there and everyone elses.
Hi All. Thanks so much for your replies. I just received an email to say I have my visa. Yay! Appreciate all the advice. I’m just thankful I can breathe a sigh of relief.
For any future travellers going to Vietnam use the link on smartraveller website it’s $25usd compared to $100aud at a Vietnamese consulate. No waiting in line etc. and you save about $70 which is a major bonus. Just process in advance ;)
Good to hear. Enjoy your trip
The e-Visa is a new initiative that was only recently brought in for Australians.
Enjoy your trip!
For any future travellers going to Vietnam use the link on smartraveller website it’s $25usd compared to $100aud at a Vietnamese consulate.
Double check before you actually take off. All the different sites advertise a relatively small fee, but that usually only covers the cost of facilitation. There is usually an additional Stamping Fee that's collected by the Vietnamese government in (iirc, it was from US$40, depending on the type of visa) US dollars when you actually arrive at the airport.
Edit - here's an explanation of the fees from another third party website: https://www.evisa.com.vn/news-on-visa-vietnam/item/782-how-m…
I've never used the link through Smart Traveller before and it could be a new thing that I'm not aware of, but just be prepared with some US currency, just in case. If you try to pay that Stamping Fee in AUD, they'll screw you at the immigration desk. You'll need to stop by that desk because that's where you get the actual visa sticker in your passport with that expensive stamp before passing the usual immigration check point.
The visa that got sent to me does say electronic visa. I did read a lot of a pre approval letter but looks like that is no longer needed. The website that are still running apparently are fakes. I read about this on the Vietnamese consulate website. Will update you all and let you know if I run into any issues in Vietnam.
The website that are still running apparently are fakes.
Those sites are not fake as such. They're real and you can get their visa through them. I have to admit that I'm not 100% sure how they work - it's by invitation of some tour company. The government doesn't seem to like them but they haven't done anything about it and they're still allowed to operate.
There are likely sites that claim to provide visas but I'm guessing the scam bit is, you never hear back from them after payment. Pretty much just like any scam website.
I normally go by visa exemption but I sometimes sort it out for my friends, so it'll be good if you could come back and let us know. Cheers.
Still working. I used Vietnam Visapro in Jan 18 when the new e-visa process had started.
I didn't know the new e-visa launched in Dec. I would have saved a couple of hours in the VOA line.
I booked and paid for my evisa when I went to Vietnam last July.
Was super quick and easy (they even notified me that I had somehow written my name wrong :P) and was accepted at Ho Chi Minh Aiport on arrival.
My friend paid even more and she gloated she now had a sticker. I prefer paying less money and no sticker honestly :P
The old way was to get an introduction letter for a small fee, and pay a stamp fee for VOA when you land.
Around December of 2017 they introduced an e-visa for full fee upfront and you don't need to go to the VOA desk anymore.
Religion seems to be a mandatory question on the e-visa application. Dunno if you can say you're Pastafarian ;)
I did. truth.
Just to update everyone, the e-visa works a treat. At the counter when checking in at the airport in Australia they will ask for your visa. Either the sticker or the e-visa and then when landing they will request it again. Did not have issues with it at all and did not have to pay any extra fees. As an OzBargainer this was awesome! Time saved from not going to the consulate, leaving your passport and then picking it up again a few day later and approx $70 saving!!
Thanks for the report back!
I'm in the process of applying for an e-visa too.
On the smarttraveller website there seems to be 2 website links. Could I ask which one did you use?
I wouldn’t stress too much.
Most of the foreigners would just get it on the spot upon arrival.
There’s like a visa desk that you can, for lack of better words, “buy” the visa on the spot (i.e. just apply, pay and wait, a $20 note slipped in your passport might help speed things along)
P/s: If you’re married to a Vietnamese citizen or originated from Vietnam yourself (though I imagine you’re not), there’s a special 1 year or 5 year visa you can get that is cheaper and allows multiple entries.