Obtaining a Visa

Simply log on to the VN Consulate in SFO and apply. Check < http://www.vietnamconsulate-sf.org/en/c … ces/visas/ >.

You do NOT need an agent, so you save money.

This is much easier and straightforward.  Thank you so much Jiatch!  This is the method I will use!

... and sorry for spelling your name wrong in the last post.

You can also check out the Embassy web site in DC at http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular_services/.  You can download the application.  They also have full instructions for mailing in the papers.

@perry88

That link seems to be a dead link.

Sorry, it worked for me.  Try http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/ and click on visa on the drop down menu under Consular Services.

perry88 wrote:

You can also check out the Embassy web site in DC at http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular_services/.  You can download the application.  They also have full instructions for mailing in the papers.

AVOID THE EMBASSY in Washington, they are too busy with politics and parties.

The San Fran Consulate has a far better reputation, and a lot more time on their hands now there is a new VN Consulate in Houston, Texas.

Go with the winners.

And don't forget to include return courier pre-paid sticker!

Will be getting visa #7 from them.  Never had a problem.  1 week turnaround.

Thank you all so much for the information.  I'm going to be sending out my application soon.  I will make sure to include courier return prepaid sticker.

Zack,

You've been given all the advice you need on how to obtain the visa. So I thought I'd give you some advice on your next few steps.

I don't know exactly what the visa application these days looks like, but I have a few tips how you could fill in the form to avoid possible problems.

-you'll probably need to provide info on your occupation, answer: STUDENT
-if asked “reason of visit”, ONLY say TOURIST
-if asked where you stay/ name of hotel etc., just put down the name and address of  any big hotel in Q.1 (DON'T SAY YOU'LL STAY AT A FAMILY, your family in Q.4 will have no problem registering you with the local police after you get there, but the embassy/consulate may have issues with it if you put that on the application)
-if there is a multiple question about entries asking “single or multiple”, cross the multiple entries. Since you plan to stay for three month and both (single/multiple) cost the same amount, you'll be better off in case you want to take a trip to cambodia or  so.

Sounds like you'll be having a great time and with your vietnamese language skills it'll be even more fun!

Maybe a bit off-topic from your original question in this thread, but after reading your other thread and from my bit of experience with Tieng Viet, there is something I'd like to let you know (the other thread seems very busy so I post it here, hope you don't mind).

When travelling as a tourist or “hanging out” with friends, addressing people properly may not be very, very important (though it is polite to do). But within a family (like you're going to be) and depending on that family, it can cause some headache if you start to speak vietnamese and then address people wrongly (not so much with the anh, em and chi fellas but the Bo, Me, Bac, Cau, Chu, Ba, Ong folks and so on).

Within a family there are many, many rules that are near to impossible for you to know and giving it a guess won't work (no way you can tell the age or relation of that person; is he the fathers elder brother (I think... that would be Bac) or the mothers brother (I think that would be Cau but Bac is also ok...) or the brother-in-law's father etc…???)

They won't hang you if you'd get it wrong, but it may cause some people to think you don't respect them or don't care and I’m sure you don't want that to happen!

Since it is so complex, don't start asking your fiancee to teach you now, no need! But tell her the following, it'll make it very easy for the both of you...

My trick used to be to let my wife greet first or prepare me in advance as to who we'll be meeting, how I need to call myself while addressing or responding to others and how I need to address that uncle, aunt, father, grandfather or whatever (that way you can play smart-a$$ and pretend you know things, JK, but it works wonders!).

F.e., if your fiancee's mother/father ask you something that you don't understand, DON'T JUST SAY “KHONG HIEU”, say “CON KHONG HIEU” that way you show the proper respect. From your other thread I saw that you said (greeted) "chao em xyz", NEVER great your fiancee's parents that way, DON'T say "chao Me" (mother), always say "Con chao Me".

Hope this helps and isn't confusing you, if it is, don't worry, I have been learning this stuff for years and still get it wrong now and then! (oh and there are some words that have double meanings, but I won't go into that now, nuff for today!)

Wish you a very great time and hope you enjoy VietNam and its wonderful people!

I often ask www.getvisavietnam.com to help me apply visa on arrival for my friend from TWN. I dont know u can apply this kind of visa or not. Last time I applied it in urgent case. I got the approval immigration letter within 8 working hours. I paid the agency USD42 (by credit card online) and my frd paid USD50 for stamp fee at the airport. Visa is multy in and out within 3 months. If not urgen case so cost u only USD30

U can ask ur gf in VN ask this agency for u. Because I use their service sometimes, always pay by credit card and it's good, not a cheater. ha ha

If u need, here is the contacting no: +84 936 009 908. Ms Phuong. I often ask her to aply visa for my frd

Hope these infor helps u

@snake77,

Thank you for all the information.  I will fill it out as you say.  Would you mind elaborating on the process of their family notifying the local authorities.  Also, when looking back at old threads I was under the impression that multiple entry visas were a little more expensive (although not by much), or does this depend on who you obtain your visa through.  I'm going to go through the Consulate in San Francisco.

I think I have most of the Vietnamese honorifics system down (albeit through many failures and laughs at my expense).  That's funny that you say to let my fiancee introduce herself first because that's exactly the method I use when I meet new Vietnamese people.  Usually I feel pretty confident that I can properly introduce myself to new people.  However, while learning I got used to referring to myself as "Anh" due to the fact that I was usually speaking with my girlfriend.  I would tend to carry that over to other conversations with other Vietnamese people (like her mother, who I refer to as Bac) who would jokingly reply "Oh, so now your my brother huh?".

I love to speak with the Vietnamese people in my area.  They are very laid back and very willing to teach me proper Vietnamese when I mess up.  When I go into a Nail Salon (my fiancee and her family are nail techs) the women there love to make fun of me when I speak Vietnamese.  At first this made me very shy and lead me to think that I was doing a horrible job.  However they tell me that my accent is hardly noticeable, it's just that hearing a "Mỹ trắng" speak Vietnamese makes them laugh.  If I do say something wrong though the whole place starts howling and everyone keeps repeating my mistake out loud . After awhile I got used to it and now I joke when them about their English when they start picking on me.

Thanks again for the great advice.  That was a great guide to Vietnamese honorifics and hopefully some other English speakers will be able to use this information as well.

Why you should register with the police…

It used to be forbidden for foreigners to stay in private accommodation, I don‘t know how the exact law situation is now, though it is not „illegal“ anymore, you need to register with the Cong An. If you say to the embassy/consulate that you‘ll be staying in private accommodation, they may have issues (and you make it way to easy for the Cong An dudes to track you down, JK)

Here is some more info:

When checking into a hotel, you will have to surrender your passport so that the hotel can register your presence with the local police. Once registered ensure your passport is returned to you and keep it in a safe place. Passports should not be used as a deposit for renting hotel rooms, hiring services such as motorbikes or in place of a fine in the event of any possible traffic offence. It is advisable to carry with you a photocopy of the data page from your passport, which can be used as proof of identity. If you are staying in private accommodation, you will still be expected to register. Ask your host to assist you with this as soon as you arrive. You may be charged an administrative fine for staying without registration. The level of fine is at the discretion of the Head of the Police in the area you stay.
Source: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-liv … a/vietnam/

Don't worry, your family will know what to do, you don't need to go there, just your passport and some money...

Then Visas, from what I know, single and multiple entries cost the same and I also recommend to ONLY apply at the consulate/embassy directly, only place I know that agents do it better is in BKK, they can get a visa in a few hours!

Tieng Viet…
Yeah I had that “problem” in the beginning too, thinking I am Anh (and not Em or so).
I also had a hard time understanding why I have to call my sis-in-law Chi, who is a two years younger than me and her husband also. The answer, she is the older sister of my wife…
And then I had a guy who is about 5 years older than me calling me Anh, even after I kept telling him my age and that I’ll be Em and he is Anh. He kept calling me Anh and I thought he’s an idiot! Later I got told, NO NO, that’s not a mistake, he is just polite…

So get used to it, if you sit at a family table, in one and the same moment you may need to change the “I” from Anh to Em and Con to Chu, depending who you’re talking to…

The kids will call you Chu and you call them Con, and the Bac’s and Chu’s will call you Con…

Get it?

Have a very great day!

Your future family will go register you, usually not a big deal.  Worst case scenario you have to stay at a hotel, but that probably won't have to happen.

A visa on arrival is what I'd recommend.  I'd recommend Phatman Visa and it shouldn't be much more than a "normal" visa, especially when shipping costs are taken into consideration and the possibility of your passport going AWOL.  The agent just gets you a letter from the government, which you can get yourself, if  you want the headache.  I had 30 emails between myself and the government when I was coming in the second time, back in 2009.  I would have gladly paid a few bucks more not to worry about it.  You have enough to worry about already.  I know, because I came here for the same reason, originally.

Are the 2 of you applying for a K-1?  If you're planning on getting married here don't get the psychological test done in the states.  I read this in 2008:  4. Certificate of Good Mental Health issued by an authorized medical organization confirming that the applicant has no mental illnesses, or has a mental problem but not to the extent of losing consciousness of his/her own actions..  I spent $500 getting it done at home, then had to get another one done here.  5 years on, it reads the same.  There used to be a time that would have surprised me.

If you do use Phat, tell him you know Mark.