Visa on Arrival Dissaster

Phong Nha-Ke Bang...
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for Da Nang, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
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Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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I'm a seasoned Viet Nam traveler but was really pissed last night upon arrival and the tour company people paying off the desk workers in the VOA to get their people done first while we "who had been there before them" had to wait and wait. I'll never do that again and I advise everyone to avoid it like the plague. Some people waited for over 2 hrs while tour people were taken in minuets ahead of them.....of course the people at the desk avoided any eye contact with the disgruntled waiting throng and bent over backwards to help their tour people who were slipping them cash to expedite their passengers. This crap sucks and it put a bad taste in my mouth to start my trip.

Drifter

www.vnfrom.blogspot.com

Melbourne, Australia
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for Philippines, Kuala Lumpur
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31,008 posts
2,773 reviews
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1. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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For this very reason im not a fan of visa on arrival. Pay extra and organise in country of departure.

Tommo

Maroochydore...
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491 posts
53 reviews
40 helpful votes
2. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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How much would you have to pay to get to the front of the queue I wonder. Anyone done this ???

Maybe we can call it an express queue fee !!

Pacific Palms...
Destination Expert
for Mui Ne
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10,908 posts
49 reviews
39 helpful votes
3. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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There goes my trial of VOA. I know now what all the fuss was down at the VOA desk on the last 2 trips to HCMC. I'm with you tommo.Easy at one end tough at the other.

Ross

Nha Trang, Vietnam
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7,604 posts
25 reviews
11 helpful votes
4. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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Yea...... it is always something, isn't It....... Drifter...... welcome home!

Owee

www.owee58.com

Lincoln, United...
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9,905 posts
45 reviews
54 helpful votes
5. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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This was the very same problem I had when I arrived from Cambodia last time (3 weeks ago) ..... I had to do VOA due to time constraints.

As drifter1dc says it is so blatantly obvious what is going on.... shades of cross my palm with silver! Ok, notes....and I'll bend over backwards.

Newcastle, Australia
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886 posts
142 reviews
122 helpful votes
6. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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I have felt like a bit of a woos because everyone seems to do it.

Whenever it all goes to jello, I am usually at the wrong end of the line, don't get behind me in a line anywhere.

Was thinking I was an organised freak.

So glad my visa application is on it's way right now, for more money than it is worth but it will be organised when I get to VN

ON, Canada
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17,248 posts
46 reviews
158 helpful votes
7. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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Thanks for posting this to warn others. Hope you will copy it to the current thread on this topic in the Top Questions. Even better would be a new thread in that section, titled "Beware of VOA"

Edited: 10 years ago
Llanbrynmair...
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14,956 posts
13 reviews
22 helpful votes
8. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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Whooa, slow down folks - this situation applies only to HCMC. The VOA process is still a doddle in Hanoi, and no doubt in Danang too. Therefore if such a topic is added to the Top Questions that point should be made clear. It really isn't fair to put people off using VOA if they're entering the country at any other airport than HCMC.

ON, Canada
Level Contributor
17,248 posts
46 reviews
158 helpful votes
9. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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OK...then just a sticky on the HCMC forum. But how long before the officials at the other airports start playing this game?

Newcastle, Australia
Level Contributor
886 posts
142 reviews
122 helpful votes
10. Re: Visa on Arrival Dissaster
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I wonder how many $s they were throwing about, it would be interesting to know.

Doesn't bother me anyway, I am not doing it, never intended to.

Happy Easter creaking bones, bowenarrow, tommo and all..

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