Vietnam visa - transit

[helenaparis]

Hi all, I would appreciate any advice here.
We are flying to Paris, with layovers each way at Tan Son Nhat International Airport - and I am unclear if we require Vietnam visas, as we will definitely not be leaving the airport, but I don't seem to be able to find a clear answer anywhere.
Does anyone happen to know please?
Many thanks for your help.
Helena

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all, I would appreciate any advice here.
We are flying to Paris, with layovers each way at Tan Son Nhat International Airport - and I am unclear if we require Vietnam visas, as we will definitely not be leaving the airport, but I don't seem to be able to find a clear answer anywhere.
Does anyone happen to know please?
Many thanks for your help.
Helena

The Vietnam Airlines page advises visas are required to ENTER vietnam. The IATA travel page which links off the vietnam airlines page says TWOV (transit without visa) is allowed provided you do not leave the airport.

The Vietnam Airlines page is here: Travel Documents - Arrival Documents | Vietnam Airlines. there is a link to IATA near the end of that page if you want to double check.

If you are flying vietnam airlines note that some flights from Australia to Europe will route via both SGN and HAN. The SGN-HAN is treated as domestic and would require a visa if you would ordinarily need one.

Provided it’s one stop only, in SGN, it should not be an issue for you.

In the event your flight routing changes, getting a Vietnam visa these days is really easy. The old system of applying through some agent and getting a paper copy listing you and everyone else flying in that day are now gone. It’s a 24 hour ‘apply on line and get visa’ thing.

 

[helenaparis]

The Vietnam Airlines page advises visas are required to ENTER vietnam. The IATA travel page which links off the vietnam airlines page says TWOV (transit without visa) is allowed provided you do not leave the airport.

The Vietnam Airlines page is here: Travel Documents - Arrival Documents | Vietnam Airlines. there is a link to IATA near the end of that page if you want to double check.

If you are flying vietnam airlines note that some flights from Australia to Europe will route via both SGN and HAN. The SGN-HAN is treated as domestic and would require a visa if you would ordinarily need one.

Provided it’s one stop only, in SGN, it should not be an issue for you.

In the event your flight routing changes, getting a Vietnam visa these days is really easy. The old system of applying through some agent and getting a paper copy listing you and everyone else flying in that day are now gone. It’s a 24 hour ‘apply on line and get visa’ thing.

Thanks for your help MEL_Traveller.
Our flights are arriving and departing from SGN so I think TWOV should be ok as we aren't leaving the airport.

 

[SydneySwan]

Similar sort of question which hopefully someone can answer. my eldest son has booked to fly on Vietjet from Chang Mai to Saigon and then connect on Jetstar back to Sydney. These are separate tickets and I very much doubt luggage will be checked through. The visaguide website (Who Needs Vietnam Visa? - Vietnam Visa Policy) states the following:

Do I Need a Transit Visa for Vietnam?
If you are transiting in an airport in Vietnam, you do not need a Vietnam Transit Visa if:

• You have a ticket for a connecting flight within the next 24 hours
• You will not leave the airport international transit area
• You have the necessary documents for your final destination (passport, visa, etc)

I am wondering how the international transit area is defined. Can you collect luggage and check it in for the next flight and remain in it or do you need to enter Vietnam? My son also has a UK passport and apparently UK citizens don't need a visa to enter Vietnam but his companion does not.

Can anyone provide advice?

 

[dajop]

International transit area is the area inside (airside of) passport control. As with most airports if you need to collect luggage you first need to enter the country via passport control, so in collecting luggage and then redepositing at check in you are leaving the international transit area.

 

[SydneySwan]

International transit area is the area inside (airside of) passport control. As with most airports if you need to collect luggage you first need to enter the country via passport control, so in collecting luggage and then redepositing at check in you are leaving the international transit area.

Thanks for your response but are you referring specifically to Saigon airport?

 

[dajop]

Thanks for your response but are you referring specifically to Saigon airport?

Vietnam in general, we looked into for Hanoi, but I don't think SGN is any different. The only way you could remain in the international transit area is if there is a transit desk airside (before passport control) that will issue your onward BP and collect and re-tag you bags (very few airports offer this service, and couldn't find any info anywhere that either SGN or HAN have that service, if it does the info is very well buried).

Don't forget to collect your bags, you that you need to enter the country. Once you collect your bags and move to the check-in area there is nothing stopping you leaving the airport, hence the restriction that only allows visa free transit if "you will not leave the airport international transit area."

 

[SydneySwan]

Just following up on my son's experience.

When they reached Saigon they had to collect bags and check-in. My son showed his UK passport and was allowed in - no problem.

His companion (Australian passport holder) was initially told he would be returned to Thailand but after some discussion was allowed into Vietnam under escort to collect bags and check-in and then kept in some sort of holding area until boarding his flight with 5 other Australians in exactly the same situation!!! Apparently Vietjet had initially told him in Thailand they would not carry him either but then changed their mind.

So very pragmatic and kind behaviour by the Vietnamese officials but best to do the right thing in future. The fact that there were other Aussies in the same position suggests that this is probably a regular occurrence.

 

[jpp42]

I'm glad that they accommodated your son's friend but I'm curious why they didn't just get the visa, given the advice here and on the various web sites is pretty clear. Assuming you passed along this advice, you can't say they weren't warned.

 

[SydneySwan]

I'm glad that they accommodated your son's friend but I'm curious why they didn't just get the visa, given the advice here and on the various web sites is pretty clear. Assuming you passed along this advice, you can't say they weren't warned.

My son's friend didn't get the visa because he knew better - some people just can't be told. It would have been a salutary lesson for him if he had been returned to Thailand.