What a pain it is to get a Vietnamese 1 month tourist visa at Bangkok’s Vietnamese embassy. This is the process I went through.
- Took a 1 hour taxi ride through Bangkok, the driver could not find the embassy, eventually after asking for help we arrived.
- The embassy gives you a 2 windows each weekday to buy your visa from 900-1130am and 12-2pm.
- I arrived at 1240pm filled out a long form, attached my photo then stood first in line. No one came to the window or offered to help me for 20 minutes. This was a stark difference to the incredible punctuality, speed and efficiency I recently experienced in Japan.
- Eventually a man showed up, processed my form, and gave me a receipt to return on December 25 at between 4pm and 5pm (a whole 1 hour). He then pointed to the next cashier window where I paid a very high rate of 2200 baht ($86 CAD)for the 30 day visa. The most I have ever paid for a visa. A Thai 60 day visa cost $40 CAD.yh
- Today the 25th I returned to the embassy after another long confused driver taxi ride of 1 hour plus. I arrived 30 minutes early at 330pm. There was no action at the visa counter. The room slowly filled up with people waiting for work and tourist visa’s. A line formed a 350pm. Why not give out the visa’s all day? As the people arrive, instead of bunching them all up.
- At 4pm no on came to the window, 405pm no one came, 410pm no one came, the long line grew restless and extended out the door. At 415pm a man finally showed up.
- The first man in line was served for 5 minutes then told to wait. The second man in front of me was also told his visa was not ready. My turn came, I handed him my receipt he shuffled through the passports beside him and told me “Please wait, need more time to process”
SO THEY HAD MY PASSPORT FOR 5 DAYS 4 HOURS AND STILL HAD NOT PROCESSED IT!? How much time does it take to file a few forms and put a sticker on a passport page? When I get my Thai tourist visa in Edmonton it takes less than 1 hour, sometimes less than 1/2 an hour.
So here I sit waiting in the Viet embassy waiting, it is almost 5pm now. Gosh all I want to do is go to their country and spend a bunch of money, why is that so difficult? So far my view of Vietnam is negative, hope the coming trip plays out better than the lousy service and work ethic at their Bangkok embassy.
- Got the visa at 502pm, the man apologized for the wait. Told me they just received the visa from Vietnam. Not sure why it took so long but he was polite and courteous with my impatience. Credit deserved there.
