can't remember Shirley but it was very quick when we applied. It might be like Goa though- pot luck with the times

I realise I applied for mine in Germany so I can't really say about the Uk but it only took a few days . I don't think they have as many applicants as India yet and are maybe a bit more efficient.

Thanks girls, I will get the ball rolling this week, download the forms and get the photos done.

Fiona - read on Goa board your visa application was painless for Vietnam - please tell us how. Everything we look at is either in $ or wants lots of info about holiday insurance etc. Thanks

We got ours through the Vietnamese Embassy. Only annoying thing is that you can download the form there but need to email or phone the embassy to find out how much the fees are.

Thanks - how much did you pay? We have seen £45 and another £38 - the one in $ said 20 now and 25$ on entry so can only assume that is for Americans only. We were going to tag Vietnam on to another holiday but £45 is a little steep for 1 week.

I think we paid £43 with the £8 postage fee they charged.

Thank you

We only went to Saigon for 5 days but the price of the visa was worth it- honestly I am hoping we can get back to Vietnam next year.

I have to agree with Fiona, any time spent in Vietnam is awesome.

Saigon is a great city, very busy and bustly (think a Vietnam Hong Kong) but Hanoi in the north is more traditional Vietnamease and is well worth 3 or 4 days/nights of anybodys time especially if you can include a visit to the majestic Halong Bay. This was one of our highlights of our entire 9 months round the world trip.

Visa only took a few weeks and I believe we paid £43 as well plus postage. It was a bargain.

If there was one disappointment in Vietnam it was Hoi An which was extremely touristy for a small town but if you wanted anything made (shoes, suits, shirts etc) it was good for that. I was actually taken ill in Hoi An for 2 days, which was the only illness in the whole 9 months so perhaps I look back on it in a negative way. I wouldn't go back though, whereas the rest of the places we visited I would go back tomorrow.

I have been before but went with a travel company who arranged the visas so had no idea of the price. Will go to Cambodia instead - when I have checked out the visa situation.

I think you can order the Cambodian visa online now, take a look at this website.

http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/

We actually did the overland trip from Bangkok via Poipet into Cambodia, and got our visa in Bangkok itself (great fun, not). It was $20. Some of the group did get theirs at the border crossing which was $30, but I think there was definitely something extra taken by the drivers.

The e-visa should simplify things. Cambodia is a great country, but don't get too excited about Phnom Penh.

Well, I sent off for my Vietnamese visa today , expensive though , but as you say should be worth it, my Cambodia visa I will pay on entry in US dollars.

Hi Shirley,

Please let me know how long the visa takes for Vietnam.

I think that we will take the e-visa option for Cambodia (unless the VoA looks prettier in your passport)
Peter

Hi Pete , on the website it says 5 working days , I will let you know when I get mine back

Hi Pete

We got the e-visa last year within a few hour's it was back and your passport goes nowhere so you know it's safe, save's queueing when you get there and not sure but I think it's a little cheaper.

Without a doubt the actual Cambodian Visa looks better in the passport. I'm quite proud of my visa's, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, and Zimbabwe, amongst loads of stamps. It didn't help that we had to enter and exit Namibia and Botswana three times on our trip in 2006.

Hi there, Pete b my passport came back with the Vietnam Visa - exactly as they said , 5 working days

I am proud of my stamps too, have absolutely loads, only thing is I will needs a new passport long before the expiry date ! it is almost full now, the Laos, Cambodia, India , Vietnam ones take up a full page each , so my next passport I will definitely pay extra for more pages.

Hi Shirley,

Thanks for the update - 5 working days is great.

I have just changed my passport for a new one - very bare! Still they were good to their word and the unexpired element (only 9 months) was added to the new one.

When you get back, I'm going to have loads of questions for you. Only one month for you - I'm envious
Peter