Vietnam Practicalities - Visa 越南簽證

I attended a marketing conference held by an ex-employer in Hanoi in 2007. My first impressions of Vietnam were chaotic, poor life and time like winding back to the 50s.  Every corner was filled with motor bikes. Pedestrians risked their lives to cross streets.  An old woman sitting next to her two big baskets of baguette hoping to sell the rest of bread.  Streets were filled with low tables and stools for noodles, spring rolls and all kinds of local food. Cheap and quick. To be cheap and quick, I often hop on to the back of motorcyclists for transfer within the city just with USD1, joined local tour to Tam Coc enjoying a boat ride along a river. I also ate like a local, pho (beef noodle), grilled meat and rice rolls served at low tables at a stall located within a covered street market.

2007年我第一次去到河內參加舊僱主舉行的事務部會議，我對越南的第一印象是混亂、生活環境困苦及時光好像倒流到50年代一樣。每一個角落都是電單車，行人需要冒生命危險過馬路。一個老婦人坐在兩籃法包旁邊，希望盡快賣完她的麵包。街上都是矮小的枱和櫈，賣的是越南河粉、春卷和各適其適的本地食物，又平又快捷就可以搞掂一餐，我為了快而廉，時常跳上電單車司機的背後周遊於城市的不同角落，每一程只需1美金，又或者參加當地旅行團去三古（Tam Coc)，享受一個優遊的遊河之旅，我也會好像本地人一樣在街市中的小攤檔吃牛肉河粉、烤肉和蒸粉卷。

I returned to Vietnam after 12 years, in 2019.  This time I started at Hoi An, continued to Danang, Hue, Hanoi, Trang An, Halong Bay and spent a couple of days more in Hanoi.  Traffic chaos in Hanoi remains. Street food stays popular. Women selling products with their bikes or carrying / shoulder poles can still be seen.  Motorcyclists in uniform of Grab can be seen in Danang and Hanoi. I did not take it but it would certainly cost much more than USD1 charged in 2007.

2019年，我第一次越南之後的12年，我再次到訪越南，今次我先遊會安，然後去蜆港、順化、河內、寧平（Trang An) 和下龍灣，最後在河內逗留多幾天。混亂的交通仍在，街頭小食仍是到處皆是，仍看見很多女士推着她們的單車或擔挑賣不同的貨品，現在的電單車司機都穿Grab的制服，尤其是在蜆港和河內，我今次沒有再搭電單車，但相信一定會比2007年時1美元的車費貴得多。

As the first post of my Vietnam trip, I will outline the visa requirement and process.  In the upcoming posts, I will share hotel, transportation, prepaid sim card, food and coffee.  Thereafter, I will share key sightseeing points in the cities I visited in this trip. I hope that my posts, own experience and knowledge about the country will facilitate you to plan your travel .

這是我越南之旅的第一個帖文，我會簡介簽證的要求和流程，在接着的帖文，我會分享酒店、交通、流動數據儲值卡、食物和咖啡，再之後我會分享在我到訪過的城市的主要的觀光點，希望透過我的帖文、經驗和對這個國家的認識能幫助你更妥善的策劃你的行程。

Visa

Residents of key European countries can stay in Vietnam for 15 days without a visa. Visitors from neighbor countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, etc. can stay up to 30 days.  Other countries need to apply for visa.  Click here for details.

簽證
主要歐洲國家的居民可以在越南免簽證停留15天，越南鄰近國家的居民如柬埔寨、老撾、印尼等可以在越南逗留三十天，其他國家的居民則需要申請簽證，詳情請點擊此處。

I am from Hong Kong and need a visa. Travellers can apply a visa via 

·       Vietnam embassy (USD80+)

·       Online (USD25) Steps here

·       Agency (Hong Kong case, USD60+)

我是香港居民，所以需要簽證，遊旅客可透過以下途徑申請越南簽證：
越南領事館（80美元+）
網上簽證（25美元+）詳情按此
旅行社（香港例子60美元+）

We patronized Best Price Travel for a Halong Bay cruise. Vietnam visa and street food tour were offered. I provided the key information to my agent (Thompson Ngo) instead of filling a form online. He sent me an approval letter and verified my entry-and-exit form. On the evening of my arrival, he whatsapp me if everything was fine. Superb services!  Visa application services are also offered by some hotels after booking confirmation.

我們的下龍灣郵輪是於Best Price Travel購買的，附送了越南簽證和街頭小食導賞團，我只需提供主要資料給旅行社職員(Thompson Ngo) ，不用自己在網上填表，他之後以電郵發給我簽證核准函和核對我所填寫的出入境表格，在我到步當晚亦whatsapp我問是否一切順暢，非常好的服務。在確認越南的酒店後，有些酒店也會提供申請簽證的服務。

We arrived at Danang Airport on a Monday around 10am. On the left-hand side prior to proceeding to Immigration there stands the visa office.  I just handed in the approval letter, completed entry-and-exit form, 1 photo 4cm x 6cm, passport and paid USD25.  In a few minutes I could already get back my passport with a visa sticker. When I was at the immigration counter, the officer took some seconds to check and stamp on the visa.  I could then go.  The whole process was efficient and quick. 

我們於星期一大概10時抵達蜆港機場，在距離入境counter不遠的左手邊便是簽證辦公室。我只需要提交簽證核准函、已填妥的出入境表格、一張4cm乘6cm的護照照片，護照和付款25美元，幾分鐘之後我已經可以取回我的護照和已貼上的簽證。當我在入境署的counter，職員花數秒的時間去審閱和蓋上印，我便可以離開，整個過程很有效率和快捷。