Trip to Vietnam

[bryonm4 0]

I once again need to call upon the wisdom of the Visa Journey elders and friends

My wife and I are planning a trip to Vietnam in January and coming back in February. My wife's Vietnamese passport has expired and we just got it renewed so she should not need a separate visa going to Vietnam and she can use her CR1 visa to get back in the country. We will be back 1 week before her anniversary date so that shouldn't be a problem.

We plan on going to Thailand for 1 week in the middle of our stay. Should I get a multiple entry visa for Vietnam? I don’t think I need a visa for to go to Thailand however to get back into Vietnam I would need one. She told me the travel agency in Vietnam would take care of it but I am not too sure of that.

Has anybody tried that before?

[Kevin and 10]

I once again need to call upon the wisdom of the Visa Journey elders and friends

My wife and I are planning a trip to Vietnam in January and coming back in February. My wife's Vietnamese passport has expired and we just got it renewed so she should not need a separate visa going to Vietnam and she can use her CR1 visa to get back in the country. We will be back 1 week before her anniversary date so that shouldn't be a problem.

We plan on going to Thailand for 1 week in the middle of our stay. Should I get a multiple entry visa for Vietnam? I don’t think I need a visa for to go to Thailand however to get back into Vietnam I would need one. She told me the travel agency in Vietnam would take care of it but I am not too sure of that.

Has anybody tried that before?

All Tran needs is her passport and Greencard to get back into the US. Don't worry about the CR1.

I can't help you on the multiple entry visa.

When are you guys coming to MN again?

Edited October 29, 2011 by Kevin and

[confusedasheck 21]

Have you considered applying for the Vietnam visa for spouses of Vietnamese Nationals? 5-year visa, multiple entry, valid for 3 months each time you enter Vietnam.

But for your case, I think the travel agency will likely apply for a single entry visa for you when you return to Vietnam. If you don't trust them or don't want to take chances, then you can apply for a multiple entry visa (one month or three month depending on your length of stay)

[joenlemy 2]

I never got a multi entry visa with a travel agent. I sent it to the vietnam embassy. The cost was 100.00.and they also wanted our marriage certificate to prove I had ties to vietnam. There might be a easier way,I'm not sure though.

[quann 26]

it will cost you $50 to get another visa in vietnam to enter back from thailand. if the multiple entry is cheaper then do that.

[seattlerain 1]

Multiple entry visa costs around $80 for 3 to 6 months. I'm about to get a 5 years visa. It only cost $125. I use the Vietnamese US travel agent when buying ticket & Visa. Expedia is too expensive.

[bryonm4 0]

She has the CR1 2 year green card but it expires on 02/19/2012. Will there be any trouble coming back on 02/12/2012 1 week before it expires?

I have been told the 10 year green cards are taking about 6 weeks to get but I cannot send for it until 11/19/2011 so that will be cutting it close to when we leave.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

She has the CR1 2 year green card but it expires on 02/19/2012. Will there be any trouble coming back on 02/12/2012 1 week before it expires?

I have been told the 10 year green cards are taking about 6 weeks to get but I cannot send for it until 11/19/2011 so that will be cutting it close to when we leave.

You may be scheduled for an interview when you send the I-751. It's possible the interview could be scheduled when you plan to be gone. If you miss the interview then her green card will be terminated.

You sure you can't reschedule your vacation for a time when you're not at the mercy of USCIS?

[EmYeu 3]

Thailand is flooding..why go there?

[brian_n_phuong 193]

Thailand is flooding..why go there?

99% of the country is fine!

There are more areas of Viet Nam flooded than in Thailand during the rainy seasons, they just dont make the news. Viet Nam rarely makes the news for anything, for example a lot of people froze last winter North of Hanoi last year, didnt even make a blip on the News Channel radar screens.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

99% of the country is fine!

There are more areas of Viet Nam flooded than in Thailand during the rainy seasons, they just dont make the news. Viet Nam rarely makes the news for anything, for example a lot of people froze last winter North of Hanoi last year, didnt even make a blip on the News Channel radar screens.

We saw a lot of coverage about it, but my wife usually has the TV tuned to Viet Today or Saigon Broadcast Television Network.

[brian_n_phuong 193]

We saw a lot of coverage about it, but my wife usually has the TV tuned to Viet Today or Saigon Broadcast Television Network.

Wow, I didn't think that the Saigonistas believed that Viet Nam even extended North of Dalat!

Most people from Saigon are baffled about why I want to live or visit Da Nang, as if that city doesn't have any running water or electricity. Unfortunetly the people from Hanoi HAVE discovered Da Nang, as they are busy building their gazdillion VND beach cottages and golf courses along all the shorelines (and locking out the locals who can no longer swim, run, or fish on much of the coast ).

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Wow, I didn't think that the Saigonistas believed that Viet Nam even extended North of Dalat!

Most people from Saigon are baffled about why I want to live or visit Da Nang, as if that city doesn't have any running water or electricity. Unfortunetly the people from Hanoi HAVE discovered Da Nang, as they are busy building their gazdillion VND beach cottages and golf courses along all the shorelines (and locking out the locals who can no longer swim, run, or fish on much of the coast ).

They don't know what they're missing. Da Nang is fabulously beautiful compared to Saigon, and nowhere near as crowded. Stayed at the Green Plaza hotel - the finest four-star joint I've ever stayed in. The breakfast buffet there is outstanding.

Here's a couple of pictures of Da Nang from the 7th floor of the Green Plaza. Check out the street view. Just try to find a street anywhere in downtown Saigon with traffic that light!

[brian_n_phuong 193]

They don't know what they're missing. Da Nang is fabulously beautiful compared to Saigon, and nowhere near as crowded. Stayed at the Green Plaza hotel - the finest four-star joint I've ever stayed in. The breakfast buffet there is outstanding.

Here's a couple of pictures of Da Nang from the 7th floor of the Green Plaza. Check out the street view. Just try to find a street anywhere in downtown Saigon with traffic that light!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!! We dont want anyone else to find out !!!

If you plan on visiting again I would suggest the Mercure Hotel (Four Stars) that is part of the European "Accor" hotel chain. Brand New hotel located on a island (surrounded by rivers) in a VERY exclusive part of the city. It too has an excellent Western Bfast buffet, with made to order eggs, bacon & sausage.... Also has a full compliment of Viet Bfast with Dim Sum, Chao Bo, etc... The area has to be the one of the most Quiet in any urban area of Viet Nam..... Enjoy an afternoon nap without hearing a single moto/car horn, or some bicycle loudspeaker blasting Banh Bao Day !!

Green Plaza is not bad, but its starting to show its age a bit now If you like the location on Bach Dang you might want to try Sunriver Hotel, which is also new and just a few hundred meters down the street.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!! We dont want anyone else to find out !!!

If you plan on visiting again I would suggest the Mercure Hotel (Four Stars) that is part of the European "Accor" hotel chain. Brand New hotel located on a island (surrounded by rivers) in a VERY exclusive part of the city. It too has an excellent Western Bfast buffet, with made to order eggs, bacon & sausage.... Also has a full compliment of Viet Bfast with Dim Sum, Chao Bo, etc... The area has to be the one of the most Quiet in any urban area of Viet Nam..... Enjoy an afternoon nap without hearing a single moto/car horn, or some bicycle loudspeaker blasting Banh Bao Day !!

Green Plaza is not bad, but its starting to show its age a bit now If you like the location on Bach Dang you might want to try Sunriver Hotel, which is also new and just a few hundred meters down the street.

Unfortunately, we didn't really get a chance to shop around for hotels before going. We trusted "Uncle Tho" to take care of it, so he made reservations with a friend of his.

We were stuck on top of Ba Na Hills for four hours during a thunderstorm. By the time they started running the tram again it was already dark and everyone was very hungry, so we went straight to a restaurant for dinner, and then headed for the hotel Uncle Tho had arranged. It was a hole-in-the-wall 2 star in a ratty neighborhood, so I refused. We drove into downtown and passed several really great looking hotels. Each time we'd pass one I'd say "That one! That one!", but everyone was basically ignoring me. It was me against 15 tired VN people. I finally talked them into circling the block and stopping at the Green Plaza. Me and my wife went in and inquired about the prices. I think a room with two double beds was around $80. I said fine but my wife freaked. They went around the corner and down the block to the "Hotel Da Nang". The sign said 3 stars, but it didn't look like a 3 star joint to me. We went inside only to find out that there are two buildings - a 3 star and a 2 star, and the 3 star was full. I flat out refused to stay there. I was literally banging my head into the wall. Most of these people were going to be my extended family, and there was no way I was going to put my family in a bug infested 2 star rat trap.

Well, my wife said her mom was tired and didn't want to cruise Da Nang looking for a hotel. She was happy with the hotel, and just wanted to go to bed. She said everyone else would stay at the "Hotel Da Nang", and she and I would go back to the Green Plaza, so that's what we did.

I thought the Green Plaza was great, but I felt like ####### leaving everyone else in that sh*tty flea trap. My buddy Martin was also with us, along with his fiancee, and he stayed at the "Hotel Da Nang" with everyone else. He said the place was full of roaches, there were two shared bathrooms on each floor, and the complimentary "breakfast" consisted of cold "chao" and tea. I just shook my head.

I had a long talk with my wife after that. I explained that Americans don't go on vacation and stay in hotels that are worse than their homes. She gets it now, and the next family holiday will definitely be more upscale for everyone!