Air Tickets and 3 Month Tourist VISA

Probably the best suggestion would be to use a travel agent actually *in* Vietnam. They know their own rules better than anyone and how to get around the rules if required.
When I came here, I did not have a return ticket. I have not had any problem with extensions so far...

msnowdon wrote:

I will be moving to live in Vung Tau in 6 weeks time. I went today to buy my one way air ticket to Saigon, without buying any return ticket, because I intend to stay and marry my girlfriend in Vietnam.

The travel consultant asked me how am I going to get tourist visa without having a return flight booked?

Do I need return ticket to get tourist visa? After 3 months I intend to renew the tourist visa and once married seek visa exemption certificate.

SOUNDS LIKE you need to dump your "travel consultant" - all these so called "experts" are not so knowledgeable - and simply buy a one-way ticket.

The reason is simple. VietNam is a destination where many people incorporate it as apart of a
'circular' tour. EXCEPT for certain designated groups (members of whom have been involved in crime or for medical reasons, for example) the VNese don't enforce proof of onward travel.

This means you will, like 99.99% of visitors, have absolutely no hassles arriving without a ticket. I have never, in 22 years of coming and going to VietNam, ever been asked for proof of onward travel (i.e. a return ticket).

Don't forget all your paperwork from home you will need for marriage!

thankyou for the responses.

Yes, I'm preparing my marriage documents before I leave Australia.

Martin

KathyBrown wrote:

Simply, it is uneccessary to buy return ticket. You can still apply for Vietnamese tourist visa without return ticket.
However, Vietnamese Government has issued the new law 47/2014/QH13 on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam. This Law will be valid on January 01, 2015.
In this law, "A visa may be used one or multiple times and its purpose must not be changed". It means that you have to verify your purpose when you enter Vietnam.
In my opinion, you can apply Visit Visa instead of tourist visa.

There is already a workaround being mooted by the money grubbers in Immigration HCM. My visa agent said they will simply cancel an existing visa and, with the subsequent next chop of the rubber stamp authorise a new, replacement visa.

Where there's money involved, there is always a way!

What can't be resolved by money can be resolved by lots of money ! 

Hey guys,
I am in a similar, yet slightly different boat. My fiance is moving to Vietnam to teach and has a year contract. I am going to accompany her on this journey but am concerned about how to make it work for a year. Besides financial situations and the obvious desire to eventually acquire a work visa, any suggestions to make my stay with her last her entire contract? I am under the impression that I can get a 3 month tourist visa, renew from within the country and then leave the country for one day (or a weekend) to reapply. However, is this the same cost at every renewal? How long must I leave for, etc.? Is there an easier/cheaper way to do this? Thanks!

John L. Carter wrote:

Besides financial situations and the obvious desire to eventually acquire a work visa, any suggestions to make my stay with her last her entire contract? I am under the impression that I can get a 3 month tourist visa, renew from within the country and then leave the country for one day (or a weekend) to reapply. However, is this the same cost at every renewal? How long must I leave for, etc.? Is there an easier/cheaper way to do this? Thanks!

The whole immigration situation is still chaotic. I spoke to my lawyer yesterday and he said his staff gets conflicting information from different Immigration Officers.

If you have to leave the country for a border-run you simply get a Cambodian visa (from the Consulate, on-line or at the border), jump on a Phnom Penh bus, stay overnight and get your visa and return late the next day. One night out of HCM.

By the time you get here some sanity might have returned or ... you could marry your GF and things will be easier!