How to Get a Vietnam Visa in Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Getting a Vietnam Visa in Sihanoukville could not be easier. However, finding up to date information on getting a Vietnam Visa in Sihanoukville is significantly more difficult. As the Visa applications from Phenom Pehn are usually sent down to Sihanoukville anyway if you are in the area it could save you a few days of passport separation anxiety if you just get it done while you are there.
There is a little confusion around the net about whether Vietnam has Visas on arrival. Well, they don’t. Certain airports accept e-visas which you prearrange which seems to be the source of the confusion. You have to prearrange your visa if you want to enter Vietnam.
Where is the Vietnam Consulate in Sihanoukville?
The consulate is just outside of downtown on Ekareach road. As we were staying on Ocheteaul Beach (aka Serendipity) we took a Tuk Tuk which we negotiated down to a fair price of $2 each way. The driver waited for us outside.
Full Adress
Vietnamese Consulate
310, Ekareach Boulevard
Khan Mittapheap
Sihanoukville
Cambodia
Opening Hours
Monday – Friday
8 AM – 12 PM (or AM according to the sign. Who knows? Who cares? anyway its noon)
2 PM – 4PM
Saturday
8AM – 12 PM (noon again)
Vietnam Visa in Sihanoukville
What you will need
- 1 Passport Photo (They do not have a service to make these so get that sorted in advance)
- $60 USD (Up from $40 since January 1st 2013)
- Your Passport
You need to give a date of entry into Vietnam. Your Visa will be valid for 30 days from this date. You may not enter before this date but you may enter afterwards. (The Visa will still expire 30 days from the date you provided)
You do not need to be present, so one member of the party may get more than one visa on their own although the application is quite detailed. You will need to provide all the usual information (Name, address, DOB) as well as the names and addresses of your parents and spouse, religion, jobs and address of employer. I have no idea why you need to provide these but I guess its a next of kin contact in case anything happens when you arrive in Vietnam.
How Long Does It Take?
We were in and out in 15 minutes, the office was pretty busy but they seem to be quite efficient. To save time you may be wise to take a pen as they did seem to have a limited supply. Try not to get stuck behind a travel agent processing his 20 daily applications or avert the risk all together by lazily paying one of these guys to sort it for you.
How to Get your Vietnam Visa in Sihanoukville in 5 overly detailed condescending steps
- Enter the consulate (Duh), to the right you should see a small door with a sign for Visa applications
- You do not need to join the line or talk to anyone yet. Just pick up a form and fill in the details.
- Join the line and hand over the completed form with $60, your passport and the passport photo.
- Wait around 10 minutes. At this point take advantage of the old school Vietnam travel books they have on the shelves.
- When they shout your name go ahead and pick up your passport and admire your brand new full-page-hogging Vietnam Visa.
- Go get drunk at the beach, while complaining that tourist visas should not cost $60.
Great article. Very helpful! I was wondering if you know anything about 2 month tourist visas for Vietnam and their prices?
Great article – so helpful. Just did mine in about five minutes, as there was no one there, and helped the woman behind the desk with her English!
Really great to have the facts set out rather than relying on travelers’ gossip.
Thanks for your advice, easiest visa application ever although the 60 dollar fee was pretty tough, thanks again !
Thanks for the article, everything worked exactly as planned, we are currently on step 6 (drinking beer on the beach).
For reference, we paid $8 for a tuktuk to take us from the bus station to the Vietnam consulate, wait there while we got our visas, stop off at a bank and a travel office and then take us to Otres beach.
All went as you described except there is a 1 day wait to pick up the passport now.
Very good to know. Thank you!
Today there was no next day wait for a 30 day visa, it was issued in 30 mins. Price still $60 and I paid $4 for my return tuk tuk after bargaining.
Note there is no 15 day visa available.
hmmm interesting! I was at the Vietnamese Embassy yesterday, Fri 7 Feb– and was told that now, since 3 months, one must come back the NEXT DAY to pick-up a stamped visa.
The clerk also said the same is in PP, wait a day or two…..
And, someone else there said that when they went to PP, they were told it was an hour wait– just that they had arrived too close to the closing time, so they were unable to get their visa done– and had come to SNK, only to find out they’d have to wait a day there!
Hey, I suppose it is going to be a problem with us not having a photo, right ? 🙁
I’m pretty sure you can get one in town.
Thanks for this, I especially love the overly detailed condescending steps, a lazy girls dream!
Hello,
just came back from the Vietnamese Consulate in Sihanoukville. Now you fill up the form, give passport/photo and pay in the morning and pick up your visa at 5pm the same day.
Single entry 1 month: $ 60 US
Multiple entry 1 month: $ 80 US
Multiple entry 3 month: $ 150 US
Phil
Does this apply to passports from any country? Same price? Especially interested in British passports for selfish reasons 🙂
Yes same price for everyone
Just picked up our visas at 5pm today after dropping off at 10:30am this morning. Can confirm same-time processing does not seem to be available any longer and this does not seem due to heavy traffic, as we were the only ones there and then 2 women who had encountered the same situation the day before were picking up. Please note that they say to come back between 4 to 5pm. Recommend arriving by 4:50 as they do seem to close up completely at 5 (note hours listed as 4pm close but the last hour they distribute the completed visas).
Great info. Wish I had read the comment about the waiting period first as they are definitely asking you to come back the next day to pick up. They did let me come back at 4 pm to get mine after I asked really nicely if it wold be possible. Still, was very convenient. Regarding $60, yes it is stiff but in perspective, my own US government charges $160 just to process a tourist visa and that is with no guarantee that it will be approved. We really do get off light in most of the world.
Are the prices the same in PP?
Hello,
just came back from the Vietnamese Consulate in Sihanoukville. Indeed you fill up the form, give passport/photo and pay in the morning and you can pick up your visa at 4pm the same day.
No need for invitation letter as when you need visa on Arrival at airports, which saves costs.
Price same as Phill mentioned
Dam
Forgot to mention: kids with own passport also pay 60 dollars. No discount for my 2 and 4 year old kids. So I ended my morning with 240 dollars less.
Regards Dan
Hello,
just came back from the Vietnamese Consulate in Sihanoukville. Indeed you fill up the form, give passport/photo and pay in the morning and you can pick up your visa at 4pm the same day.
No need for invitation letter as when you need visa on Arrival at airports, which saves costs.
Price same as Phill mentioned
Dam
Thanks for the article. I once got a vietnamese visa there back in 2009 and they had a option visa on separated piece of paper. Now given that my passport is full it would be essential for me to know if that option still exist? Thanks to anyone who can help
Thank you for the article.
in Dec. this year (2015) we are in Sihanoukville for 2 weeks and then we want to go to vietnam to visit my
godchild from world vision. Have you any idea’r what is the best way to go? by flight or bus?
what about airplane from Sihanoukville to saigon?
Thanks to anyone who can help.
Uitstekende blog. Bedankt voor het delen van dit informatieve blog.