Job Discussion Forums

Porch · Joined: 25 May 2008 Posts: 5

For those of you who went to Vietnam before securing a Visa, did you have to go with a return ticket? Has anyone tried it with a one-way ticket? Any problems?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Phinaes Gage · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 39

Unless you have a letter allowing you to obtain a visa on arrival, you MUST secure your visa before arriving in Vietnam. If you have the visa on arrival letter, it doesn't matter what kind of ticket you have. When I got my visa on arrival, I was not asked to show a plane ticket or anything.

ajc19810 · Joined: 22 May 2008 Posts: 214

hey, can you explain what the visa on arrival letter is. That would be great not needing to buy a return ticket every time. Also, as a matter of interest, what if you wanted to fly into HCMC and travel by bus, say to Cambodia and then fly out of Thailand. Does anybody know how that works?

Phinaes Gage · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 39

I got a visa on arrival letter from my school. I know that there are some travel agencies here that can arrange them for you, but you will need someone here to arrange it for you. I have never heard of one-way tickets being a problem as far as visas, in fact no one at Immigration here has ever checked my airline tickets.

Porch · Joined: 25 May 2008 Posts: 5

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies.

I wasn't very clear earlier so allow me to follow up with a question or two.

Of course, one needs a visa when entering. When I said 'visa' I was thinking 'work visa'.

Many people talk about going to Vietnam before securing a job. In that case, they wouldn't have a work visa but would enter on a tourist visa.

So my questions is:

Can you enter the country on a tourist visa and a one-way ticket?

Thanks again!

Phinaes Gage · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 39

There is no such thing as a "work visa." There is a work permit, and then there is a tourist visa, and I think there are also business visas. The only difference between the two is that tourist visas are usually for 1-3 months, while business visas are for 6 months. I think that this is the difference if I'm wrong then please someone correct me. I would say that nearly 95% of people enter Vietnam, whether to work or travel, on a tourist 1 or 3 month visa. I have entered the country with a tourist visa, numerous times and no one has ever asked, about what type of ticket I had purchased. And yes more than once I had a one-way ticket. Tourist visas are also easily renewed at most travel agencies and guest houses around the big cities.

In fact, even after you have received a work permit, you still need to get visas. Maybe once you have your work permit, then what you get is called a 'work visa' but I think you would be quite hard pressed to get one of those before entering Vietnam.