Vietnamese Visa Granted with Wrong Date of Birth, Anyone Had Similar Experience?

Has anyone had a Vietnamese Visa granted with the wrong Date of Birth? Did you reapply afterwards?

I must provide a passport biodata page to apply for a visa online (using the government's official website). One would assume no visa could be granted without checking against the info on the passport. Despite providing all the correct information, I obtained a visa for the wrong month of my birthday. I wrote an email to the related embassy email address. However, there was no reply to correct their mistake. I don't want to waste the amount of the visa application fee to apply online again. However, I wondered if it would cost me more at the customs when they identify the mismatch.

Has anyone had any similar experiences?

Comments

  • +6

    I don’t know if mine is similar or not but it was also date related issue. My single entry visa to Vietnam had the wrong year, instead of 2008 it had 2108.

    I told the guy at custom, he just use his ball pen to change the 1 to 0 and wave me pass.

    • +3

      Hello, time traveller!

  • +3

    Why don't you call and ask them?

    • +5

      Take that common sense thinking out of here. That’s crazy talk

    • +5

      for someone that has travelled to vietnam annually, you cant just "call" the vietnam immigration dept and speak to someone. Nor will their Australian Consulate assist to deal with E visa issues.

      If it was that simple then it wouldn't be an issue

      • -8

        you cant just "call" the vietnam immigration dept and speak to someone.

        Do you require an interpreter?

    • You can’t call them.

      • Why not?

        • They don't have a phone number.

          • @x x: Yes they do.

            • @jv: No they don't.

              • @fredblogs: Everyone who works in that department is assigned an office phone number.

  • +16

    This is a common tactic in Vietnam to increase application fees. It happens all the time.

    Source: made it up.

    • +4

      Source: made it up.

      I've used that source before. It is very reliable.

  • +8

    Yep had a colleague encounter this where they were off by one day he checked his documentation and they'd made the mistake. Got to the airport in Vietnam, they said your visa doesn't match your passport, payup another $280 or so for a visa on arrival.

    Was brutal. Pick it up and report back to them asap. They don't own their mistakes.

  • +10

    Yepo massive rort going on with vietnam immigration. Ive travelled there twice a year every year last 10 yrs however last 2 applications have come back with errors best to spend the $35 to re apply vs the risk have read here; its a widely known issue https://www.escape.com.au/destinations/asia/vietnam/problems…

  • It's deliberate. But it's possible to get it for free on the day, but you risk it.

  • I applied visa application 4weeks back but missed one letter in passport number in application. They replied me with link to update application and after update they approved visa.

  • I recently heard this is a common tactic to make you pay at the destination hoping you wouldn't notice it in time.

  • story on Sydney Morning Herlad bears out the OPs issue along with other travellers

    https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/australi…

  • +1

    Dont risk it. My husband was denied boarding on a singapore airlines flight to Vietnam due to an error on his visa. We were flying from singapore to Danang and there is no facilities to get a last min visa there. We had to do a last min flight to HCM to get a visa before joining the rest of our family in Danang. Save yourself the headaches and stress and have it fixed - it will save you a fortune.

  • +1

    I had to get a second visa as they mistyped my leaving date. No problem at all, I don’t think they even have a centralised system behind the visa system.

    If there are any name or personal information items wrong then you will not be accepted into the country, they will check before you leave Australia so you won’t even get a chance to argue with the Vietnamese Customs officer.

    • Wouldn't surprise me. Before the government's own e-service it use to be done by private "tour" companies.
      The one I went with sent everyone in the batch an email with everyone else's application information (luckily only 14 or so people).

      So, you know, this is an improvement :/

  • Mrs SS and I went on a tour to Vietnam and Cambodia in February. Of the 11 people on the tour 4 had visa problems where the Vietnamese visa service had made errors on the issuing of the visa (name or passport number errors). 2 people had to use an express service when they arrived at Sydney airport due to errors - actually the express service just gets you an invitation letter and you get the visa on arrival in Vietnam. 2 people from Melbourne had to fly the following day as it was too late to use the express service when they arrived at the airport.

    Also lodge your visa application in plenty of time - issuing times took longer than the time stated and Mrs SS visa only came through the afternoon before we flew to Vietnam.

    Another thing to watch out for is when crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia. The Vietnamese immigration officer wanted to see the copy of Mrs SS Vietnamese evisa. Others in the group were not asked this. Fortunately I had held onto it but my wife initially said she did not have it and his face lit up as I am sure he was going to charge her to leave. He then got very grumpy when I found it and then spent several minutes going through my passport looking for some irregularity before giving up.

  • Yes! Had the same issue where they got my birthdate wrong which is ridiculous because to login to check the status of your application you have to enter your birthdate that you fill out it seems like "someone" keyed it incorrectly. I tried calling and emailing and no response, in the end I just applied for another evisa with 2 weeks left, got it and this time everything was all good. eVisa cost only $20USD to apply.

  • Another dodgy one l just got caught with is when booking flights with Vietjet website they ask for "middle name & first name", don't give middle name first just show as per passport, your first then middle names. I went and checked at airport before check in and despite quoting their website l had to pay $6 change fee for domestic flight and double for a later international flight. Not much l know but inconvenience. I later remember same mistake pre COVID but a lady made change for free. Later l booked on Vietnam Airlines site and theirs was same so ignored it, and showed as per passport. Just crap you don't need when traveling.

  • After reviewing everyone's replies, I'm glad I started the post. The issue is just as I suspected. Luckily, I had reserved plenty of time for my trip.

    • Glad as well because we’ve booked flights for next year but not applied for visas yet. Now I’m onto them.

  • OMG - twice! yes, twice- I actually thought it was me the first time, but I took screenshots of the last application- it's driving me nuts!!! What do I do???

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